Diet affects performance in all events, and the foods that we choose in training and competition will affect how well we train and compete. Athletes need to be aware of their nutritional goals and of how they can select an eating strategy to meet those goals.
Diet may have its biggest impact during training, and a good diet will help support consistent intensive training while reducing the risk of illness or injury. Good food choices can also optimise the adaptations in muscle and other tissue in response to the training stimulus. Athletes are all different, and there is no single diet that meets the needs of all athletes at all times. Individual needs also change across the season and athletes must be flexible to accommodate this.
Getting the right amount of energy to stay healthy and to tolerate the often large training volume is a key goal of the everyday diet. Consume too much energy and body fat increases: too little and performance falls and illness results. Developing the perfect physique requires careful integration of training and diet.
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