Eating healthily is something we should all be doing. However, if you play sport then healthy eating could be the key to improving your sporting performance. Here we look at what to avoid if you want to improve your physical fitness, as well as how your physical condition might improve your performance.

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According to the NHS, most people in the UK eat too much fat, sugar and salt. They also don’t eat enough fibre, fruit, vegetables or oily fish. Good eating habits are important and combined with physical activity are the best way to stay fit and healthy.

Smoking, Alcohol and Refined Sugar

Three things should be avoided if you are trying to be a healthier person are tobacco, alcohol and refined sugar. The benefits of not smoking, especially if you do sport, are self-explanatory and will make you a healthier person as well as a better sportsperson. With regard to alcohol, the most effective thing is to stop drinking alcohol for a month or more, then try to only drink alcohol in moderation.

Refined sugar occurs in lots of food so might be difficult to cut out completely, however there are alternatives, so cutting down might not be as hard as you think. Typical foods that contain refined sugar include biscuits, cakes and chocolate, however others such as ready meals, white bread, processed cereals and tomato ketchup also contain refined sugar. The key is to find tasty alternatives. Replacing biscuits and cakes with nuts and seeds is a good idea, as well as making main meals healthier by including lots of green vegetables, fish, eggs, brown rice and fruit.

Improved Physical Fitness

You are sure to notice an improvement in your sporting performance when you have implemented some food-related changes. You will find that you feel less sluggish and have more energy, which in turn will enable you to perform to your best in exercises such as field hockey drills, like those available from As well as performing better in training, adopting a healthier eating and lifestyle strategy will also make you a better competitor.

So for better sporting performance and just to be an all around healthier individual, it is a good idea to eat more healthily, cut down on alcohol and give up smoking.

About The Author

Kenneth Hart