How to Nourish your Body Like an Olympian

For Olympic athletes, their body is a tool, and it must be thoroughly cared for from the moment they wake up to practice to bedtime. 

Prioritize healthy foods.

You don’t need to eat three spaghetti dinners before your workout to fuel your body like a pro athlete! It’s all about finding the right balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and lots of fresh veggies and fruits that work for your body. This can vary a lot, especially if you’re focused on a certain activity like marathon running or muscle building. One thing that stands true no matter what you’re training for, whether it’s power yoga or ballroom dance, is that you’ll feel better when you eat better. Up your water intake, reduce sugar, and feed your body with nutrient-rich fuel, not empty calories.

To support your iron levels, consider supplementation with Floradix® Iron Sport Liquid Mineral and Vitamin Formula, which supports healthy blood formation and oxygen transport for athletes participating in high-intensity training.* As an added bonus, it’s also made with magnesium and Vitamin D for muscle and bone health support.* As with all of our liquid formulas, Iron Sport is non-constipating and quickly absorbed.

Warm up and cool down properly.

Resist the urge to cut corners with your workout. Adequately warming up and cooling down helps reduce the risk of overextending your muscles during your workout or feeling sore afterward. Even five minutes pre- and post-workout can help in a big way.

Remember to take a rest day.

Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither are professional athletes. A rest day is essential to let your body rejuvenate itself after lots of hard work. A rest day can give your body time to repair and build muscle, reduce soreness, and help you bounce back faster from strenuous activity in the future. If you must move your body on your rest day, consider low-impact exercises like walking or swimming.

Set an early bedtime.

Just like a rest day, sleep is absolutely necessary for peak performance. Your body needs to rest, reset, and repair, as well as build up energy so you can get back to it the next day. Sleep should be as important to your daily routine as your workout and diet. Ensure you’re getting an adequate amount of sleep every night by reducing alcohol use and heavy foods, which can cause sleep disruptions; winding down an hour before bed; and sticking to a regular bedtime and wake-up routine.