Athletes Must Diet and Take Plenty of Protein

Dieting and taking proteins could make the difference in your training. Do you know the functions of this important nutrient in the body?
Athletes Must Diet and Take Plenty of Protein

Last update: 30 April, 2019

In order to get the most results from your training, athletes must diet and take protein. Runners or weight lifters alike use up more energy than people who don’t exercise regularly. Therefore, they need to maintain a balanced diet that includes more protein.

This is a nutritional necessity because these individuals are constantly building and repairing muscle fiber. And so, they need to recover from their physical activity by eating certain elements.

Why must athletes diet?

Aside from being an important aspect of physical recovery, dieting and eating plenty of protein can play a key role in physical performance. Without carbohydrates or liquids, an athlete will become tired more easily and quickly.

Protein, on the other hand, is essential in muscle building. Without those three components, along with vitamins and minerals, an athlete can’t give 100 percent.

The protein intake is especially important because they build muscle for better sports performance. When considering the significance of proteins, the exercise duration and intensity are closely related.

If you’re building muscle by lifting weights, you’ll need more proteins than resistance athletes. Learn more about it in this article.

Athletes must diet to reach the goal

Good nutrition is important for everyone, but it’s especially so for athletes. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats give the body the energy it needs.

Evidently, the amount of food you need will depend on the type of exercise you do. It also depends on the amount of exercise and its duration.

A balanced diet is key in order to reach your fitness objectives

Combined with physical activity, diet can help you reach your fitness goals. Additionally, it also aids in reducing the risk of suffering from chronic diseases and promotes overall health. Likewise, staying hydrated is vital when exercising or practicing any sports.

Nutrition for better performance

Keeping a healthy and balanced diet will help you improve your performance in any sport. It’ll also help reduce the risk of injuries. Therefore, in sports performance, the role of nutrition is quite important. And so, keep a healthy diet before, during, and after the competition.

You can have great physical performance, but if you eat inadequate nutrients, you’ll affect your own development. Therefore, we recommend that you think of your body as a machine that requires the right fuel to function properly.

Protein is essential to build muscle

Protein is an essential macronutrient in the diet, and it’s precisely a key component of muscle mass production. It gives the body the energy it needs and also has certain structural properties.

Protein is quite common in every meal normally as it can come from animal sources such as fish, meat, eggs, etc. However, you can get great quality protein from plant-based food such as cereals, legumes, and vegetables.

Additionally, you can also get more protein from supplements. However, these protein supplements don’t have the nutrients that natural foods provide. Therefore, we recommend getting protein mainly from foods that are as natural as possible.

Protein supplements

Protein powders and supplements are convenient for athletes. They can also be quite useful for those who want to increase the protein they ingest. Many people drink it after training if they don’t have time to eat.

Athletes must diet and take certain protein rich foods

However, taking protein in the right moment of the day is critical in order to build muscle. After any type of exercise or practice is the right time to drink your protein supplements. This is so because this is when the muscle will rebuild.

On the other hand, this doesn’t mean that you have to drink your protein shake right after the gym. In any case, if you decide to use these supplements, consult a nutritionist or doctor before.

Finally, we can conclude that athletes must diet and eat plenty of protein, as it’s essential for better performance. Those two factors will allow your body to give 100 percent during your physical activity. Try following these tips and soon you’ll start seeing the result.


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


    • Bianco, A., Mammina, C., Thomas, E., Ciulla, F., Pupella, U., Gagliardo, F., … Palma, A. (2015). Protein supplements consumption: A comparative study between the city centre and the suburbs of Palermo, Italy. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation6(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/2052-1847-6-29
    • Morrison, L. J., Gizis, F., & Shorter, B. (2004). Prevalent use of dietary supplements among people who exercise at a commercial gym. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism14(4), 481–492. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.14.4.481

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