Nutrition key to ATHLETIC SUCCESS

“NUTRITION, NUTRITION, nutrition ... an athlete cannot survive without it!” Those are the words of consultant nutritionist Dr Claudia Campbell, who has expressed concern about the health of many of the athletes who are competing in this year’s Boys and Girls’ Athletics Championships.

“I have been following the discourse about student, athletes being overworked and not being nutritionally satisfied. It is a very dangerous scenario, and I think we have a responsibility to protect our young people. I reached out to one of the leading schools participating in Champs to offer my services for free, and I was rejected. That is my main reason for speaking out because we run the risk of seeing the burnout of many of our promising athletes, and Jamaica cannot afford that if we are to remain competitive on the world stage”.

Campbell pointed to some well-established tips that athletes often fail to follow.

“These tips have been presented after many years of research and are freely available. Coaches and athletes should pay close attention and even further their research to get the best results.”

When you exercise hard for 90 minutes or more, especially if you’re doing something at high intensity that takes a lot of endurance, you need a diet that can help you perform at your peak and recover quickly afterward.

These five guidelines will help.