Balancing Eating Habits

Photo By: Abby Plevin

In order for student athletes to be successful they must put the right nutrients into their bodies. Maintaining a healthy diet is very important to be able to perform at your best possible ability. Training and practicing is very important but what you put into your body is just as important as those things. This blog post will address the importance of nutrition but also explain why it is important to balance what you eat.

Importance of Nutrition

1. Improved energy levels: Eating a balanced diet with plenty of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats provides the body with the energy it needs to perform at its best. In order to perform at a high level you need all of these foods.

2. Faster recovery: Proper nutrition can help the body recover more quickly after intense training sessions or competitions. Recovery is an important aspect to being an athlete as mentioned in my other blog post.

3. Reduced risk of injury: A well-balanced diet can help prevent injuries and reduce the risk of illness.

4. Improved mental clarity: A healthy diet can help improve focus and mental clarity, leading to better performance in both academics and athletics.

Now that the importance of nutrition has been discussed I will explain why it is important to balance out what you eat. While eating healthy is very beneficial for you I believe you should enjoy foods you really like. If you are forcing yourself to eat certain foods that you may not enjoy that is not healthy for your body. It is important to eat things you want to eat to satisfy your cravings. Student athletes will feel guilty at times if they eat a treat or something unhealthy. I myself had struggled with this feeling of eating a meal and looking back thinking I should not of eaten that because it was unhealthy. But just like fueling your bodywith the right nutrients is important it is important to satisfy what you feel your body needs.

This is where balancing your food is so important. You should never feel bad about what you are putting into your body. It is okay to treat yourself at times as long as overall you know your body has the nutrients it needs to perform at your highest level. Do you ever feel down on yourself after eating certain foods?