SPORTS NUTRITION AT NSS
A healthy diet which includes food varieties should be the aim of every individual at any age. When a person is physically active, energy and nutrient requirements increase. This is especially the case, when it comes to young athletes at different stages of their development.
Nutrition is the fuel for physical activity. Eating well for your sport may provide many benefits, such as:
- Improving physical performance and durability
- Preventing injuries and maintaining a healthy immune system
- Providing a proper muscle recovery and preparation for the next physical activity
- General body maintenance and weight management
Nutritional demands depend on various factors such as:
- Age of the athlete
- Gender
- Developmental stage
- Physical state
- Intensity and frequency of training
- Duration of physical exercise
- Timeframe of preparation of competition
- Any individual medical issues or allergies
All the above-mentioned factors highlight the importance of individuality when it comes to providing Sports Nutrition Guidelines to athletes. Every athlete requires his or her own individual food plan which may also vary from time to time according to developmental targets and periodization of that specific sport.
The National Sport School provides both Nutrition lectures as well as individual attention to all athletes attending the school. The aim is to empower every athlete in the knowledge and skills that enable independent personal care of every student at every level, including personal fuelling for performance.
Shylene Taliana
Registered Nutritionist
National Sport School Malta
