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How Athletes Maintain Physical Fitness During a Pandemic

Sports is unquestionably one of the most missed forms of entertainment since stay-at-home measures were put in place due to the pandemic. While games have been postponed indefinitely, fans are tuning to replays of memorable matches -- and like the rest of us, athletes are eager to get back to normal, which means playing for their fans.

Working with professional and elite athletes around the world, I’ve heard a lot of the same concerns since sports have been canceled or postponed -- many are struggling to maintain their fitness and nutrition regimen? and feel anxious knowing that once the mandates are lifted; they’ll be expected to return at the top of their game. Like many of us who are trying to navigate fitness and health during these uncertain times, there are some things we can all do—no matter what level athlete you are—to maintain our physical fitness and motivation.

If you’re moving your body and getting that work out in, you’re an athlete who can also benefit from some of these topics. Here are some of the things my team and I have shared with Herbalife Nutrition sponsored athletes to help them maintain their physical and mental strength during the pandemic.

Keep your normal routine, prioritizing your mealtimes.



We are creatures of habit and rely on structure and routine, so limitations such as staying at home makes planning your day much more important.

Pay attention to protein.

Our athletes never separate nutrition from their workout. Protein is essential to build and maintain muscle mass. Protein also provides the building blocks that help us build anti-bodies to fight off infections, benefitting our immune systems.

With our athletes, particularly our American football players, we focus on dairy-based protein, personalizing their nutrition plans depending on their workloads. While you may not need as much protein as a 250-pound football player training day-in and day-out for the draft, dairy-based protein is a good option for athletes because of its two main components: whey and casein. Whey acts really quickly to help with immediate recovery, while casein is slower acting--helping you recover over a longer period of time. Dairy-based protein is also considered a “complete” protein. This means it has all of the essential amino acids that the body can’t make only through food. 


How much protein should I take?


Step up your hydration



Train outside, when possible

While it can be challenging with lockdown restrictions or not having an outdoor space at home, its important to try and get outside in the middle of the day when the sun is optimal. The reason is to ensure you’re getting enough vitamin D. Between 10 am-2 pm, the sun is at its peak to convert rays into vitamin D. Studies have shown that vitamin D affects sports performance inflammation, recovery and plays a huge role in supporting immunity, especially for respiratory viruses.

Studies have shown that adequate levels of vitamin d are important for mood, which is also important to be aware of as we’re inside all day.

Stay mentally connected


It’s important to stay connected to your family and friends and remember who you’re staying at home for. Social media can be a huge tool. Online challenges and competitions are also a great reminder that we are in this together, even if we’re stuck at home right now.


At the end of each quarantined day, whether you’re an elite athlete or an occasional athlete working out from your living room or your yard, the same rule applies-- maintaining your health and physical fitness comes down to the power of combining exercise with good quality nutrition.


#Grow #Growfamilies #Fitness #Stayingfit #Wheyprotein #Protein #Musclebuilder