Taking a look at what tennis players actually eat, it is often epitomised with the statutory banana break during a match, washed down with cordial drinks for hydration. However, you don’t become a successful, elite athlete overnight, in fact the years, months and weeks leading up to the few hours on the tennis court are the real reason they have achieved success.
Novak Djokovic famously revealed that following a diagnosis of gluten intolerance in 2010, he then removed gluten from his diet and went on to become the world No. 1 in 2011, and he has stayed there ever since, apart from a spell in the second half of last year when Roger Federer relegated him to No 2. He even attributed many mid-match collapses during his career to this debilitating condition. Interestingly, he was not diagnosed with coeliac disease, where there is an actual allergy to the protein in wheat; gluten, which in turn triggers an autoimmune response causing severe painful gut symptoms.
Novak Djokovic goes vegan
This gluten-free trend has also spread to the fitness community and athletes, who believe that it will help improve their performance. However, there is little evidence that a gluten-free diet has any benefit to performance, for those without coeliac disease.
How can you achieve optimal performance, so you are firing on all cylinders and ready for action?
Well, it’s simple…whole (preferably organic) foods including lean meats, fish, eggs alongside whole grains, beans & pulses, healthy oils, fruit and plenty of vegetables, whilst avoiding processed foods including refined carbohydrates, sugar, artificial sweeteners, margarines and processed oils. In other words, real food that is nutrient dense, so that everything you eat counts in terms of nutrition.
Sometimes, it’s not easy to this put into practice in everyday life. If you are struggling to make these changes, please contact me, I would be delighted to get you started with a realistic, practical and achievable programme that is sustainable for the long term.
Look out for my new website – www.maysimpkin.com, launching at the end of June 2016.
May Simpkin, MSc Personalised Nutrition
Visit: www.dn-a.co.uk
Follow: @MaySimpkin
Call: 07958137225
About The Author
May Simpkin
Qualified nutritionist May is passionate about the benefits of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Her no-nonsense approach focuses on realistic, practical and achievable advice to improve health and wellbeing.