Written by Tezaiah Howard
Jambar contributors
Diet is important to achieving a healthy lifestyle, and nutrition plays an important role in how people develop and carry out their daily lives.
Food and nutrition are important points for people who engage in physical activity. Macronutrients such as carbohydrates and proteins are essential for energy and performance.
Youngstown State University athletes consistently participate in physical activity, and resources are available to guide their nutritional efforts.
Jenna Hayes, graduate assistant and vice president of the nutrition student division, said calorie intake is an important factor in athletic performance.
“Athletes practice, lift, compete, and tournament multiple times a day. Their bodies are exerting a tremendous amount of energy,” Hayes said. “The most important thing is to get the right amount of calories.”
Burning calories is important for everyone, not just athletes. Hayes said thinking about nutrition is something everyone needs to do.
“The thing about both is being conscious of what you’re eating,” Hayes says. “There is a close relationship between diet and human functioning.”
Managing your nutrition requires concentration, and that concentration can only be enhanced by physical activity. Kari Noble, a nutrition major and track and field athlete, said it can be difficult to focus on nutrition.
“Trying to balance being an athlete with eating the right things and eating enough is difficult,” Noble says.
For Knoble, eating healthy can be a struggle, but her team keeps her on track.
“A lot of my teammates come to me for advice. I don’t always know the answers, but I spend a lot of time debunking myths and discussing them,” Noble said. . “It’s actually fun to teach others what I know.”
Performance nutrition is an important factor, so there are many ways to stay healthy with your diet. Noble said nutrition is diverse.
“Nutrition is very personal,” Noble says. “There are no rules to that.”
Although nutrition differs from person to person, there are similar standards for nutrition for sports performance. Jancy Sina, a registered dietitian and graduate of YSU’s nutrition program, says a lack of optimal nutritional habits can lead to poor performance.
“if [athletes] If you’re not getting the right calories, carbohydrates or adequate nutrition, then of course that’s going to affect your performance in the sense that you’re not going to have the energy to perform the way you want to,” Cena said. said.
Shiina has worked with multiple athletes throughout her career. She said athletes must always prioritize what they eat.
“We understand that the nutritional and calorie levels are higher here than for the average American here,” Cena said. “Make athletes understand that depending on their level of activity, they need to eat frequently, which means three meals a day with frequent snacks in between.”
