Eating your way to the top
What exactly do would-be medalists eat, and is it safe for your children to follow suit? Surprisingly enough, an athlete's eating habits aren't that different to those of non-athletes. The fast food restaurant trips are obviously cut out from their daily routine but generally the only main difference is in the number of calories they require.
The easiest way to look at it is if an athlete is training every day then they'll burn a lot more energy that you, and considerably more than your youngsters. For example, a professional cyclist, who covers up to 600 miles a week in training, will need to eat 6 000 calories a day just to maintain a constant weight!
Snacks & supplements
So how are these vast amounts consumed? The trick is to eat a little but often. The body is much better at converting food into energy if it's constantly being topped up, rather than having to deal with one or two big meals. Children are in the perfect position to do exactly the same as their favourite sports stars.
The structure of a school day is ideal to promote light snacks instead of big meals. They can enjoy a good breakfast, a piece of fruit at break time, a light lunch, a healthy snack when they get home and then an evening meal with the rest of the family. If they are serious about sport, whether their aim is Olympic gold or just to be healthy, then it's best to get advice from a qualified nutritionist. The road to fitness can often be tough but enjoying a healthy balance of vitamins, minerals and nutrients is a great way to get them going in the right direction.
