I hear this question over and over, "I just starting working out, do I need the same nutrients as an experienced athlete?" And the answer is, "YES!" All athletes whether they are male or female, young or old, novice or advanced, need to feed their bodies with the proper nutrients to support a healthier more energetic lifestyle.

First and foremost you need to understand a few things. First, two of the most important nutrients, protein and water, are also nutrients that your body cannot store. Thus, its vital that all athletes are consuming adequate amounts of both protein and water throughout the entire day. This means drinking water when you wake up, before exercise, during exercise, and after exercise (I will be talking about proper hydration and fluid consumption in my next blog post). Timing for protein consumption is also extremely critical. Its very important to have protein first thing in the morning during breakfast, after you workout, and possibly after dinner as well. The source of protein can come from a lean meats such as turkey and chicken, beef, eggs, nuts or a high quality protein shake.

As a new athlete, your body undergoes neuroadaptation during the first 4-6 weeks of training. What this means is that your nervous system is processing and getting used to this new training and weight movement. It is vital that your nervous system and muscles receive the proper nutrients to recover during this period. That means eating healthy and making sure you are consuming enough protein throughout the day. Secondly, provide your muscles with essential amino acids, which includes branched chain amino acids (BCAA). Essential amino acids are amino acids that the body cannot store and thus need to be consumed from your diet. Clinical research has shown that intake of essential amino acids help increase protein synthesis, increase muscle strength, increase muscle recovery, and delay muscle fatigue.

Finally, just remember to keep in mind the basics that some people tend to overlook. This includes sleeping right, drinking enough water, eating smart throughout the day, and training properly. Then you can incorporate supplements to increase your nutrient intake. These steps will lead you into the right direction of becoming both a healthier individual and better athlete.