This topic can span a wide range of subjects, for example: sporting cultures, eating disorders, sport specific nutrition, child/adolescent growth and development, financial limitation, environmental factors and understanding/knowledge of nutrition, to name a few.

Many of the more popular sports in the UK, mainly team sports, have a drinking culture attached to them. This culture isn’t as dominant as it once was because people are more aware of what they should be eating and drinking pre/during/post sport. This culture over the last 15 years has slowly been leaving the competition side of sport, but remains strong in the spectator aspect.

We are said to be living in the age of knowledge, where more books are published daily and more information is available to us than ever before, all at the click of a button. So poor diets and poor food relationships should be a thing of the past, combined with the ever increasing popularity of nutritionists and the wide number of nutrition qualifications available to us currently.

As the key to all information is our ability to understand it, interpret it and apply it, this is where we can fall short and so this is where the coach needs to fill the missing link between gaining knowledge and applying this new found knowledge.

Athlete mindset is important and your coach plays a major role in achieving a positive mindset. Tips on creating a positive relationship with food:

• Use positive terminology

• Promote a variation in food selection

• Allow treats to be had in moderation

• Develop athletes understanding of food

• Help improve your athletes understanding of athlete responsibility

• Provide information that is specific to the population you work with

The problems that come with a negative relationship with food can be such things as: reduced recovery from training, which over time can lead to injury, dehydration, the reduction in performance has been well documented, along with reduced concentration levels. A poor diet can also have a massive effect on your immune system, which can leave you susceptible to illness.

Stay safe, Dave

For more information about our range of strength & conditioning training programmes please click on our shop link:

https://www.dsperformance.co.uk/shop

<meta name="keywords" content="strength training, strength training for runners, strength training at home, strength training program, what is strength training, strength training exercises, strength training for women, strength training for beginners, strength training workouts">