Cheskin says regardless of your physical condition, you'll probably do just fine using the same healthy diet guidelines recommended for the rest of us. He says in most cases "providing enough calories is all that your body needs to perform."
Although athletes tend to eat a lot of protein to increase strength and endurance, Cheskin says that has never been proven scientifically and is more a fad that will soon fade. He says you'd do better eating more complex carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which are recommended as a healthy diet for everyone.
There are some basic nutrition guidelines, beginning with drinking two 8-ounce glasses of water before you start exercising and another two glasses after your workout. Sports drinks are useful only if your workout is especially strenuous or long or if you sweat profusely and the general rule of thumb is if you barely break a sweat, water is better.
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