Athletes have long believed that "each one is what you eat". Nutrition is one of the most important elements to improve athletic performance, although this relationship has frequently led to absurd extremes. Many are susceptible to false solutions to their problems faster and there is no dietary group most attracted to the nutritional quackery quackery or the athletes. They are always looking for shortcuts to improve performance in every way possible and therefore many people are willing to take advantage of that desire.

The nutritional and dietary needs of athletes are almost identical to sedentary people. They need carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water in quantities determined by age, body structure and activity level. These requirements can be satisfied enough with a basic diet, balanced meals and not by magic, wonderful diets or supplements that may be even harmful.

It is true that, quantitatively, some athletes may have greater nutritional needs than sedentary people. Those who exercise regularly make heavy demands on their body reserves of energy and fluids and to ensure optimal performance, should increase their regular diet in order to maintain these reserves. Most top athletes are aware of the importance of nutrition and therefore seek professional advice on this plot, while recreational athletes do not normally have access to this luxury, even though they may have a special interest - particularly as it affects their sporting performance, it is difficult to make sense of all the material that comes to them in cascade overwhelmingly through television screens, magazine pages and supermarket shelves.

There is progress on the changes looming in bad dietary habit of the American population. Most of the advice on nutrition have been synthesized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services. These are their rules:

Eat a variety of foods enrgía for proteins, vitamins, minerals and fiber necessary for good health.

Maintain a healthy weight to reduce the possibility of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, certain cancers and the most common type of diabetes.

Follow a diets low in carbohydrates, saturated fat and cholesterol to reduce the risk of heart attacks and certain cancers, and because fats contain twice the calories than the same amount of carbohydrate or protein, low fat diet will help maintain a healthy weight.

Eat lots of vegetables, fruits and cereals, Which satisfy the needs of vitamins, minerals, fiber and complex carbohydrates and promote the reduction of fat intake.

Consume sugar in moderation. A high-sugar diet contains too many calories and few nutrients for most people and contributes to tooth decay. Consume salt and sodium in moderation to decrease the risk of high blood pressure.

Drinking alcohol only in moderation. Alcoholic beverages supply calories but few or no nutrients. Alcohol consumption also leads to many health problems and accidents as well which can lead to addiction.