Proper Nutrition for a Strong Body

An athlete's power is 70 percent the result of what they eat. Since their strength is proportional to their mass and power, it's only logical that they provide themselves with good nutrition for a strong body.
Proper Nutrition for a Strong Body

Last update: 25 November, 2018

Being strong, toned, and healthy are possible through nutrition for a strong body. Indeed, diets change according to the sports you practice. Practicing wrestling isn’t the same as practicing swimming; but basically, some common principles may apply. One of those principles is diet. Find out more about proper nutrition for a strong body.

Sports diets and physiques

Sports professionals are synonymous with strength and agility in almost every discipline. This is especially true in contact sports, meaning they’ll need to be at a good fitness level. As such, participants need to focus a bit more on their meal planning.

Athletes tend to make five to six meals each day and distribute them based on their physical activity. It’s also important to plan nutrition according to your build and your body’s functioning.

The best scenario would be to eat the heaviest meals between morning and noon. Also, you should reduce your carbohydrate intake at night. This way, your body can process them throughout the day.

Woman holding hourglass in front of belly

The above applies to someone who’s already reached a certain size. For slimmer individuals, the proper thing to do would be to add some carbs even at dinner. The type of diet depends on the type of metabolism you have.

A lot of protein and controlled carbs

When people need to lose weight, the first thing they have to plan in their diet is carbohydrates. This is good for a woman looking to lose a few extra pounds. However, it’s not great for someone who wants to gain strength.

Indeed, carbohydrates are nutrients that promote fat storage. Still, this doesn’t mean that pasta, bread, and rice can no longer play a key role in your diet. The amount of carbohydrates that you eat, though still controlled, tends to be greater when the goal is to gain strength.

Proper nutrition for a strong body, however, usually involves protein. You’ll see it in the diets of almost every type of athletes: shakes with egg whites, meats, and fruits.

Reference: weightlifting diet

Weightlifters need to use at least 50 percent of their maximum strength. Their diet is a good indicator of what you need to eat to increase your strength and body mass.

They often follow this eating pattern: 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fat, and 30 percent protein. It’s well known that carbohydrates are the main source of energy for strength. We need to emphasize the key role of fat intake, which is similar to the amount of protein.

nutrition for a strong body

These specific tips are for those who have a physically demanding lifestyle. Indeed, this would be the proper nutrition for a strong body to lift weights or be a professional wrestler. If you’re not quite there, then you should lower your fat intake and eat more protein.

Proper nutrition for a strong body

  • Eggs: their high albumin content make them one of the foods with the highest protein content. Avoid eating too much yolk. However, you can eat a good amount of egg whites, which are 88 percent water.
  • Bananas: these fruits have carbs, potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. As such, fitness trainers recommend them to increase muscle mass. Also, eating a lot of bananas isn’t bad for you.
  • Red meat: the greatest source of animal protein, though you should avoid eating a lot of it. Its greatest advantage is that it’s packed with vitamin B12.
  • Spinach: one of the richest vegetables. Despite being a vegetable, it’s high in fiber, iron, magnesium, and phosphate. It also offers great benefits for your immune system.

In conclusion, the proper nutrition for a strong body depends on what your body needs. It’s crucial to be aware of factors like your build, fitness level, and metabolism. By taking these into account, you’ll be able to plan an adequate diet.


This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.