Physical activity in general and sporting activity in particular are essential elements for the development and conservation of our organism, for the protection of health and also for enriching the quality of life. Many girls and boys, from a very young age, are sent to practicing a sportan interest that often manages to involve them and be maintained even in adolescence, youth and adulthood.
Often sporting activity is also a competitive activity within clubs, teams and associations, other times it is an amateur activity. In both situations the law now provides for provisions medical investigations to confirm suitability for the activity. In the more enlightened sports medicine centers with adequate services, an additional information and culture subsidy is also provided to be useful for better sporting activity and with greater safety.
One of the most important aspects for those who do sporting activities is certainly that nutritional. We’ll talk about it with Dr. Elisa Pelati dietician and nutritionist, consultant at the sports medicine service in the medical center Fisiomed Associates of Macerata.
Dr. Pelati, does the “perfect” diet for athletes exist?
“The athlete’s diet must, first of all, take into consideration individual physical characteristics, responding to the athlete’s food preferences and needs, as well as specific training programs and various competitive commitments. There are nutritional strategies to refer to, which are well consolidated from a scientific point of view, but which are not enough to avoid the emergence of new suggestions and nutritional schemes, often imaginative, which are presented as “innovative” and “valid”, but which, in In reality, they undermine the physical and mental health of athletes. There are no “magic” foods or “miracle” diets capable of optimizing sports performance: only the right nutritional choices, to be carried out throughout the entire competitive career, can help the athlete to have an efficient body ready to best respond to the various sporting challenges.”
What are the most common mistakes made by young athletes and what are the strategies that can help them change their diet?
“What I would like to underline is non-optimal management of the first part of the day, with an absent or poor breakfast and snacks with low nutritional value; poor consumption of vegetables, legumes and dried fruit; excessive consumption of snacks and sugary drinks and inadequate hydration. In this context, it is essential to underline the central role of nutritional education, which, in my opinion, should be increasingly present within sports clubs and schools. Valid eating habits help to optimize not only sports performance and post-match and post-workout recovery but also physical and mental health, preventing chronic non-communicable diseases that are typical of our society.”
Are supplements really useful for athletes?
“A varied, balanced and personalized diet satisfies all nutritional needs of the body and does not require the use of supplements. The possible use of products for energy purposes and products intended for the reintegration of hydrosaline losses, which must in any case be evaluated with expert professionals, cannot therefore replace foods, which should always represent the first choice for optimal management of performance sporty.”
What advice do you feel you can give to the athletes who read us?
“First of all, it is essential to rely on expert personnel who are able to understand individual needs and support the athlete with the latest scientific evidence. Pay attention, above all, to the advice found on social media and, in general, on the internet, because these are often false food myths, which can prove to be very dangerous for the athlete’s health. I would like to remind you that the dietary models recognized on a scientific level, if well structured, as valid and safe, even in the sporting field, are the Mediterranean model, which is mostly based on plant foods, the vegetarian and vegan models.
Nutrition should cover daily energy expenditure and include the consumption of foods from all food categories based on the dietary model followed, with an optimal distribution of meals throughout the day, so as to promote adequate muscle and liver glycogen reserves, prevent hypoglycemia, gastrointestinal “discomfort” and the correct introduction of carbohydrates, proteins and fats, as well as vitamins and mineral salts.
In addition to food, hydration is fundamental: providing the body with the right quantities of water, before, during and after activity, in addition to supporting physical performance and preventing excessive loss of fluids, it allows you to reduce tiredness, lack of concentration and clarity.”
