Written by guest blogger Emma L‘Esperance.
As I listened to a podcast on Athlete Nutrition: How to Fuel Properly for Your Sport with highly knowledgeable nutrition professionals discussing ways athletes can fuel their sports, I noticed a recurring topic: the prevalence of Type-A personalities in these dedicated individuals. As a former athlete myself, I think back to my days of competing. Dedication and diligence were necessary, especially as a way to maintain structure throughout the competitive season.
Routines are the building block for success. Athletes routinely can use their healthy habits to succeed and be on top of their game. But what happens when Type A turns into addiction? Particularly when obsessiveness affects the way athletes eat?
From my personal experience, I have seen how dedication and diligence can turn sour fast. For example, being dedicated to eating “healthfully” might mean avoiding sweet treats—and that can turn into avoiding many foods and proper nutrition. Without this nourishment, athletes can fail to succeed in their respective sports.
As a former competitive figure skater, anxiety around food became the most challenging for me during competitions. What can athletes do when they are traveling and without the standard foods they are used to eating? Their fear of faltering from their strict routines can become ever so prominent. During the podcast, registered dietitians (RD) Julie Nicoletti and Liz Podominick suggested the best thing athletes can do is plan to stick with what is familiar. If that means eating a burger at McDonald’s, so be it. Doing so can provide a familiar aspect to an unfamiliar situation and give athletes a way to feel secure and less far away from home. Not to mention, post-competition indulging can give the Type-A athlete the opportunity to let loose and enjoy foods they normally wouldn’t let themselves enjoy. Unfortunately, enjoyment of food is often missing from a dedicated athlete’s sports diet… That’s the plague of perfection.
Emma L’Esperance is a former competitive figure skater and current nutrition student at Simmons University in Boston.
If you struggle with fueling properly for your sport, please seek help from a registered dietitian (RD) who specializes in sports nutrition (Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics). No need to struggle on your own when a food professional can help you find peace with food and your body.