Whether you are a sportsman or not, there are three key components to a healthy diet :
the essential nutrients, the proper quantity and the good proportions.
If you want to better your physical condition, it is all happening in your plate!
The food you need is just the same as anyone else, all is about balance.
MEAT, FISH & EGGS
BENEFITS
All these foods contain the natural proteins indispensable to the muscles.
They allow the complete muscular construction
and help to muscles recovery after long training sessions and competition.
They also partake in the creation of bone fibre.
Red meat contains the iron form that is best absorbed by the metabolism.
Other meats like chicken or fish will help absorbing this mineral.
MY FAVORITE
I eat a lot of proteins, but not only contained in the meat.
I prefer mainly white meat and tuna, squid, fresh fish caught localy.
In Canary, there is petty good dry spanish ham : delicious in thin slices.
As for eggs, I buy local organic production. I eat some every day :
boiled, fried, in a tortilla or omelette, even hardboiled, with vegetables in a salad.
I also eat vegetable proteins (see below).
FAT
BENEFITS
Foods contain fat – these are the lipids. They are essential for our metabolism.
Just like proteins, essential fatty acids are the body’s framework.
They provide heat and energy for our cells.
You will also need some fat to cushion joints and protect vital organs.
By the way, some fats are to be avoided, others are beneficial.
MY FAVORITE
I eat most vegetable fats as peanuts or sesame butters,
olive oil and avocados produced in Canary islands.
I also love organic salted butter on toasted bread.
For animal fat, I really enjoy local sardines and mackerels.
As for meat, I prefer the less fat ones : chicken or more rarely, beef tenderloin.
FRUITS & VEGETABLE
BENEFITS
Full of water, they bring on the fibres, B9 and C vitamins
as well as the minerals (potassium, magnesium, calcium.)
They allow re-hydratation and recovery after the physical activity.
Fruits and veggies procure a better resistance to infections,
protect the tissues and facilitate the intestinal transit.
The fructose favours sugar stockings (glycogen)
in the liver which is very good for sport performance.
MY FAVORITE
All my family and I consume plenty of local fruits and vegetables :
bananas, oranges, apples, grapes, watermelon, papayas, tomatoes,
cucumbers, peppers, turnips, beans, carrots, zucchini … the list is so long !
I prefer home-made from fresh products or sometimes frozen foods.
The C vitamin is destroyed by cooking, I eat raw fruits and veggies every day.
I love dried fruits as apricots, dates, figs and almonds
and I eat good quantites of leguminous (lentils, chickpeas, beans, peas)
STARCHES
BENEFITS
They provide the sportsman’s essential fuel : the carbohydrates.
Then they act as an energy stock for physical activities and brain functioning.
Their assimilation by the body is slow. Energy is thus gradually released.
For sports, complete starches are preferred for their low glycemic index.
Starchy foods can be eaten every day, at every meal.
For high-level athletes, 125 to 150 grams of starch at each meal are recommanded.
MY FAVORITE
My favorite starchy foods are couscous, rice, whole pasta, quinoa and sweet potatoes.
In Canary islands, local potatoes are really delicious.
It is recommended to eat them whole when they are made from cereals:
whole bread, whole rice, whole pasta, etc.
Their assimilation by the body is slower. Energy is thus gradually released.
I also eat starches for dinner, then in the morning I am ready for sports.
DAIRY PRODUCTS
BENEFITS
Dairy products are composed of calcium, phosphorus,
potassium, protein and vitamin D and K .
This nutritional bomb helps to have strong and healthy bones.
Calcium is also involved in other functions essential to the body :
muscle contraction, blood clotting, nerve conduction…
They are allies of sportsmen and their whole family !
MY FAVORITE
I prefer hard cheese in thin slices (goat cheese, sheep or cow)
Plain yogurts’ fats are good, the best for me is unsweetened whole milk yogurt.
Be careful dairy desserts like custard creams contain less calcium and more sugar.
I sometimes drink semi-skimmed cow’s milk.
Goat’s milk has a slight advantage in case of high cholesterol.
Sheep’s milk is OK for those who need calcium or protein: adolescents, athletes, elderly.
BEVERAGES
BENEFITS
Water is the only essential drink for our metabolism.
Smoothies found in supermarkets are often very sweet and high in calories.
Fruit juice does not act as fruit for your body. It lacks fiber.
Opt for a juicy apple or orange and enjoy it as is.
Zero-calorie drinks are a lure. Prefer sparkling water and squeezed lemon juice
Energy drinks can be useful for sustained efforts of more than an hour.
MY FAVORITE
I drink about 4 l. of water per day when I have an intense sports activity.
I don’t use plastic bottle but a reusable water bottle.
I prepare my own fresh fruit juices and smoothies (vegetables + fruits)
I like drinking tea (black or greeen) in the morning, with cinnamon.
Home made herbal infusions at night (rooibos, thyme, licorice, verbena…)
Energy Effort by Beauty Sané is my favorite water supplement for long-term effort.
MY DAILY DIET
My nutrition is varied, tasty and healthy.
To me, this is the recipe for balance, performance and pleasure.
At home, my wife and I are mindful of the food balance of our family,adults and kids.
A GOOD BREAKFAST IN THE MORNING
I usually begin my day at dawn, for my early bodyboarding session.
First I have a look at the waves with my binoculars placed on the window of the living room.
For my breakfast,I like drinking tea (black or green) or infusions with spices and essential oils (lemon, teatree, eucalyptus)
Then I swallow capsules of natural organic supplements : spirulina, garlic, magnesium, fruits and plants multivitamins.
For the kids as for my wife and me, I prepare smoothies with fresh fruits in season and yogurt or milk.
So I add powered cinnamon, turmeric, pepper, ginger and spirulina, in small doses of course. Excess does not make success.
I like the berries that I buy frozen. As banana is the national fruit in Gran Canaria, we always have some on the table.
They are full of vitamins and nutritional qualities.
My personal recipes for lunch, snacking and dinner …
Coming soon !
YOU WANT TO PROGRESS ?
See what is MY DIET BEFORE A CONTEST
Discover my dietary supplements BEAUTY SANE
Learn more about my WELLBEING PRACTICES
Get in a good shape with the right TRAINING