Sport and nutrition: what you need to know and the myths to be debunked according to Cosimo De Angelis, World Bodybuilding Champion

Diets for athletes – clichés and false beliefs: we discuss the issue with Cosimo De Angelis, World Natural Bodybuilding Champion, the competitive sport which builds and shapes the body in a healthy manner without doping or the use of illegal substances. What are the secrets to staying fit and correctly sustaining your training regimen without falling into the trap of unbalanced and utterly useless eating habits? Here are the tips from our Champion!

Nutrition is a fundamental step in the life of an athlete and an improper diet can become a critical factor for the performance of those who engage in competitive sports. On the contrary, a properly managed sports diet, adopted systematically and not occasionally, ensures two important advantages:

• improvement of the athlete’s physical capacity and technical ability
• it sets the foundation for adhering to correct and beneficial eating habits also in later years.

In Natural Bodybuilding, as our Champion Cosimo confirms, results cannot be achieved without a correct and specific diet. Indeed, one must follow strict but above all correct nutritional rules to ensure the best results in competitions. What are the essential nutritional factors for the human organism? Obviously, the quality of the products as well as the nutritional variety and quantity of their properties. And on this front our couscous has no rivals!

READ ALSO: The World Natural Bodybuilding Champion Cosimo De Angelis is the new Ambassador for the MARTINO brand

In fact, Couscous, one of Cosimo De Angelis’s favourite dishes, is a great ally in the pursuit of good health and a slim figure. Consisting of durum wheat semolina grains, it concentrates protein, fibre and is low in fat content. In addition, it is light on the stomach and low in calories: it has about half the calories of pasta while providing an equivalent feeling of satiety. In fact, a serving of Couscous alone provides the equivalent nourishment of an entire meal because a single portion assures half of the daily energy requirement. Sports enthusiasts can rest assured: while remaining highly digestible, it is a precious source of energy.

How should one handle the relationship between nutrition and athletic training? Cosimo De Angelis, our World Natural Bodybuilding Champion explains:

5 tips for beginners in Natural Bodybuilding:

1. Don’t expect quick results: in natural bodybuilding, patience and perseverance are the keys to success
2. Whether you are young or mature in age, the results are always assured, go for it!
3. Weight Training is a valid anti-aging technique
4. Resistance training releases endorphins, this improves mood and generates a pleasant feeling of well-being
5. Increasing muscle mass enhances protection for joint and bone tissue, improves sarcopenia in the elderly and fights osteoporosis.

5 tips for proper athletic nutrition:

1. Always vary intake and enjoy a broad choice of foods
2. Always include the contribution of the micronutrients provided by fruit and vegetables
3. Arrange your daily meals to compensate for dips in energy levels, plan your main meals and snacks early in the morning before leaving home
4. Remember to drink a lot! especially if you are an athlete, don’t forget that 75% of your body is water and the more hydrated you are, the more your body will be grateful
5. Also an occasional digression can be part of healthy eating habits: inflexible rules followed to the extreme are never the complete answer, so sometimes “break the rules” and enjoy a good meal with friends and relatives, it’s good for the body, for the mind and the palate!

Regarding the clichés and false myths surrounding sports and nutrition, here are some of the most common ones regularly passed around the locker rooms, misleading and imprecise word-of-mouth confusion that only generates disinformation. Our Cosimo De Angelis debunks the five most common false truths.

Training and nutrition – 5 common misconceptions debunked

1. Don’t demonise carbohydrates! Use them to your advantage, they are the best energy resource for your body
2. If you work-out, you should eat only rice and chicken! WRONG! A varied diet is essential in order to avoid nutritional imbalances. Eat all types of food but according to your needs
3. Avoid carbohydrates for your evening meal! Another common error: carbs improve sleep and strengthen thyroid function
4. The more protein I eat, the more muscles I will have! WRONG. here too extreme ideas about eating can lead you astray: yes, there must be an intake of protein but within the ranges determined by training effort, age and goals. Eating enormous amounts of protein is of no benefit, indeed often it is counterproductive!
5. The more I train, the sooner I will achieve my desired results: WRONG! We are not cyborgs and training must be managed in the broader context where external stress factors related to work, family etc. must also be considered. Body tissue must be allowed sufficient recovery time to sustain the muscle building process!

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