Whether you are a cyclist, footballer or rugby player staying in peak physical condition is crucial to the results you achieve in your desired sport.
Training plans and nutritional intake are vital components to the success of how you perform.
To help budding athletes achieve their desired goals and become the best they can be in their chosen sport, William Hill has interviewed the pros: Olympic triathlete Jonny Brownlee, NFL defence Jason Bell and ex-pro rugby player David Jackson and now co-founder of the School of Calisthenics, to find out their nutritional tips, and what they eat on a daily basis to fuel their rigorous training regimes and competitions.
The results per sport are detailed below:
The perfect diet to achieve your personal best
What you eat can make or break your a-game. The table below details the ideal daily diets for players in a variety of sports:
| SPORT | BREAKFAST PLAN | LUNCH PLAN | SNACK | DINNER PLAN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football | Quinoa Porridge | Thai Fish Cakes Salad Sweet Potato | Tuna Rolls Fruit Juice | Turkey Pasta Vegetables |
| Triathlon | Porridge Red Berries Banana Honey or Greek Yoghurt | Ham and Pepper Omwlette Side Salad Greek Yoghurt Muesli | Greek Yoghurt or Toast | Fajitas or Meatballs & Pasta |
| Rugby | Five Eggs Scrambled or Poached Salmon Whole Wheat Bread | Chicken Potato or Rice Vegetables | Sliced Tuna Wrap Green Yoghurt Red Berries Water with Electrolyte Tablet | Beef Chilli Potato Wedges Flat Bread Green Salad |
| Cricket | Porridge Fruit Juice | Large Mackerel Fillet 100g Mixed Nuts & Seeds Mixed Salad Low Fat, Low Sugar Yoghurt | Oat-Cakes Low Fat Cheese Banana | Steak Dry Roasted Potatos Vegetables |
| Cycling | Two Eggs Toast Porridge Oat Milk Nuts Seeds Honey | Pasta Spinach Sauce Chicken Asparagus | Rice Cakes Banana Energy Bars | Halloumi Salad Roasted Chickpeas Yoghurt Dressing Chia Pudding Fruit Compote |
| Golf | Omelette Onion Green Peppers Courgette | Grilled Chicken Salad Vegetables | Granola Blended Nuts & Seeds Dried Fruit Spices | Fish Vegetables |
| Tennis | Porridge Low Fat Milk Fresh Berries | Pasta Light Sauce | Banana Energy Drink | Fish Rice, Beans & Pulses Electolyte Drink |
| Formula 1 | Porridge Nuts Berries Chia Seeds Honey | Vegan Chilli | Protein Shake | Grilled Fish Sweet Potato Salad |
What the pro athletes and experts say
Athletes dedicate their lives to perfecting their sport. Whilst training is a huge part of that, so is nutrition. This is true regardless of the sport. William Hill asked the pros to share some of their top nutrition tips. Click here to view the full interviews.
Jonny Brownlee “Stick to the plan, it needs to be a long-term plan if you want to continue with eating healthily, as it was then become a habit. There may be days where you don’t eat so well – and if so, don’t beat yourself up and try to overcompensate the next day. Just go back to your plan and eat consistently well.”
Jason Bell “We’re all different. Our bodies are different and the way they respond to things is different, so you have to listen to your body. It will tell you what is and isn’t good for you.”
David Jackson “Eat for health and you’ll get performance. Too often, nutrition strategies are created while looking for a short cut, quick win or magic supplement. Your body will only be able to perform optimally if you’re healthy and have all the nutrition to allow it to function. Having a protein shake isn’t the solution if other areas of your diet are lacking.”