I have gotten the opportunity over the past few weeks to work with the athletes at a local university. The experience has been amazing on so many levels. First, I have always thought about being a sports dietitian so this is giving me a little experience in the field. Second, I love working with super motivated people on their health goals. Most athletes are extremely motivated to improve their nutrition because they want to play better. And most importantly, this experience makes me realize so many things about how health is perceived at different life stages. Even though these athletes are only around 19 years old, I have seen how we all can be naive about our health at any age.
The biggest idea that I have really stressed during my time with the athletes is that health is not a “one day fixes all” phenomenon. One day of eating well cannot “fix” all our ailments or health problems. Specifically, these athletes have to understand that they have to consistently put good fuel into their body to perform well. They can’t wait until the day before a match or a game to start their health journey. Health is a combination of choices over time for anyone, athlete or not.
Now that doesn’t mean that we can’t change our choices and start to pursue a healthier lifestyle immediately. Small tweaks throughout the day can help gradually change habits and improve health. That may mean focusing on slowing down while eating or drinking one less soda throughout the day. All of these small changes can eventually turn in to habits and do amazing things for you, physically and emotionally.
What is one small thing that you can do today to start the journey on improving your health?
The biggest idea that I have really stressed during my time with the athletes is that health is not a “one day fixes all” phenomenon. One day of eating well cannot “fix” all our ailments or health problems. Specifically, these athletes have to understand that they have to consistently put good fuel into their body to perform well. They can’t wait until the day before a match or a game to start their health journey. Health is a combination of choices over time for anyone, athlete or not.
Now that doesn’t mean that we can’t change our choices and start to pursue a healthier lifestyle immediately. Small tweaks throughout the day can help gradually change habits and improve health. That may mean focusing on slowing down while eating or drinking one less soda throughout the day. All of these small changes can eventually turn in to habits and do amazing things for you, physically and emotionally.
What is one small thing that you can do today to start the journey on improving your health?