Whether you’re an elite athlete, a student athlete training for a football game or track meet, or simply someone who aims to incorporate more movement into your daily life, nutrition is an important component of both preparing for exercise and recovering afterward.

“Every day there are millions of cells in the body that die, but every day there are millions of cells that are regenerated,” said Kennie Apilli, a strength and conditioning coach at D1 Training Holly Springs. “This happens from birth until you die. How do we age while having a good quality of life? How do we move? Moving requires nutrients. You have to feed the body to rebuild.”

Food as fuel

Food is both fuel and medicine, as the body uses it to rebuild cells every day, Apilli said. Movement sparks the process of cellular regeneration for everyone, but people need personalized nutrition plans.

“If I eat a lot of calories but I don’t burn them because I sit for work, I’m doing my body a disservice,” Apilli said. “Let’s say I’m a landscaper, constantly on my feet; I’m sweating. If I don’t eat enough, I’m doing a disservice to my body.”

The same is true of athletes, many of whom may need to increase how much they eat.

“One of the biggest issues I see, not only in athletes but in people in general, is not eating enough to help fuel but also to have the energy to do what you’re doing,” said Bryer Rogers, head coach at D1 Training Holly Springs.

Athletes who don’t eat enough will end up exhausted a short while into their workout, so they need to set themselves up for success.

“Kids need to think ahead, ‘when do I have practice?’” Rogers said. “‘When is my lunch? When is breakfast? What am I going to have for breakfast, for lunch, for dinner?’ Athletes should be eating five times a day. When it comes to the caloric expenditure, it’s hefty. And they need to be able to refuel that as best they can, with quality foods.”

Types of food

How much a person moves should dictate how many calories they eat, but the type of food is also important. For example, eating lean protein is an important start for getting the nutrition the body needs — protein powders and creatine can play a role in getting ready for workouts — but carbohydrates are important for athletes.

“Carbohydrates are our main primary energy source,” Rogers said. “They’re a very crucial thing to have. Carbs are in almost everything. It’s very easy to overeat carbs. They’re in all the good stuff everyone loves so much. I think that’s why people have the misconception that carbs are bad.”

However, getting an easily digestible grain source about an hour and a half before training helps to fuel a workout, he said.

Because people’s needs vary, they should pay attention to how their bodies respond to different foods and macronutrients, which include protein, carbs, and fat, Apilli said.

“Everybody’s body processes nutrients differently,” he said. “Your body is going to be judge and jury at the end of the day. You have to pay attention to certain food groups and how it digests them.”

Hydration during workouts

Finally, it’s essential to hydrate — and then hydrate some more.

“That one cannot be stressed enough,” Apilli said. “Unfortunately, the thing with dehydration, as a society or as a species, we are very reactive when it comes to the care of the body. We think all is well. If I wait until I’m thirsty, I’m so far behind.”

For more information about training or to sign up for a free session, visit D1 Training Holly Springs.