The diet of an athlete is one of the more important aspects to one’s lifestyle. Research shows how important a diet is to ensure the health and recovery of the human body. For college athletes, this healthy diet is especially important because being a student-athlete is quite demanding emotionally and physically. It is beneficial for a student-athlete to have a wholesome diet to enable them to fight off injuries and illnesses. A healthy diet comes in handy to keep focused and alert in class, to be able to bounce back after a tough practice and most importantly, to continue an enriching lifestyle.
As a student-athlete at UCD, I have had the privilege of attending a couple of presentations from our well-known nutrition professor, Dr. Liz Applegate. She kindly prepares thorough information on what time to eat, what amount of food to eat and what foods are best in one’s diet. I am very grateful because I personally have never been fully educated on how to properly feed myself. I have grow up learning nutrition from my parents and some occasional other resources. To have someone like Dr. Applegate with such a large background in nutrition is a much greater source for information.
Dr. Applegate has presented in front of many of the teams at UCD. She knows the dire need for people and especially student-athletes to fuel the human body with proper nutrients. The only problem, especially for me, lies in the fact that us college students tend to have terrible diets. Staying up late studying for exams or even just hanging out with new friends always leads to late-night pizza excursions or the occasional ice cream run. During the day, I am on campus running from weights to class to practice and back to class again. It is hard to get in a decent meal during these times and I know I am not the only one. It is much easier to stop and buy a treat from Starbucks or from the school instead of preparing a well balanced meal to bring to school.
Once season starts, my healthy eating habits seem to improve. I have also noticed the improvement of my teammates throughout the years. I think Dr. Applegate has had quite an impact on many of the athletes here because they have seen the improvement in health from the improvement in their diet. One can notice the extra energy stored within the body after a rough week of school and practice. With having a weak immune system, the improved diet also helps me stay clear from getting sick. Since a healthier diet can bring so many benefits, I have been trying to stick to one. I am grateful for those who are informing us student-athletes about the benefits of nutrition. Hopefully more and more athletes can see the worth in proper nutrition so they can be as healthy as possible while also playing their best.
Written by Lauren Juric
Edited by Sarah Gross
Image Source: sportsbybrooks.com
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