Fitness is one of the most important lifestyles that everyone should adopt. However, strength and stamina do not only come from continuously lifting weights. For athletes, their diet is the key element in becoming more healthy and agile. Here are some tips from the Taipei American School fitness trainers for students and athletes.
Journalist Mara Schiavocampo’s adage, “Great bodies are built in the kitchen, not the gym,” accurately describes the gym junkies who hit the gym day and night, but do not watch what they eat. Fitness trainer Mr. Robert Mitchell says, “Calories in versus calories out is the main determinant of food consumption.” This means that the calories burned from must be replaced with the same or even more calories, or you will lose your gains. To student athletes, it is very important to maintain the current progress that they have made in the gym.
Dietary restrictions such as vegetarianism and veganism may seem to be a downside in food selection for strength and stamina building. However, former Olympic athlete and pro athlete trainer Mr. Anthony Poole follows a vegetarian diet and says, “If you train smart and efficient, your metabolism will eliminate anything the body doesn’t need to use the rest as fuel.”
Overall, the most important aspect of a fitness plan is to have a solid dietary foundation. If you consume lean protein and healthy carbs, you will have great energy output. That said, junk food lovers need not be too distressed, as long as they treat themselves in moderation. As Mr. Mitchell says, “It’s okay to have a Twix bar every now and then…but it all comes down to self-control.”