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Strong on the outside, starving inside: undernutrition in the fitness world

Think you’re eating “healthy” just because you hit the gym? Think again. Even the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts can struggle with hidden nutritional gaps that sap energy, stall progress, and quietly harm health.


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I had a friend who was never too fond of dieting. But soon after joining a gym, his coach advised him to cut out rice and rely only on eggs and chicken to build his body. Watching him struggle with this drastic change made me realize how important proper nutrition is in fitness. Around the same time, I also noticed a woman who was extremely dedicated to her workouts and diet, yet she appeared undernourished and suffered from nutrient fatigue.


These experiences highlighted that even among fitness enthusiasts, nutritional gaps can exist, and following a balanced diet is crucial for both health and performance.Sure, change takes effort, but why should health mean giving up what nourished you in the first place? Real nutrition isn’t about stripping food of joy or variety; it’s about building a plate that feeds both your goals and your taste buds.


So in this blog, let’s explore what true fitness means and how we can support it effectively through proper nutrition.”


From Young Athletes to Future Health Champions
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I’ve watched it up close. When I helped a friend study the supplement habits of boat racers, the findings were wild: athletes swapping actual meals for powders they couldn’t even name, chasing “instant energy” but losing track of what they were actually fueling themselves with.


A study comparing the Dietary Nutrition Index (DNI) of young athletes at Sports Authority of India (SAI) centers and tribal schools in Chhattisgarh reveals a striking trend: undernutrition is widespread, especially among girls and tribal players. Key food groups, including pulses, milk, and milk products, are consistently below recommended levels, resulting in deficiencies in energy, protein, and critical micronutrients such as iron, folate, vitamin B12, calcium, zinc, and dietary fiber. These gaps are closely linked with anemia, stunting, and poor growth outcomes, which can directly impact athletic performance and long-term health.


This issue isn’t limited to remote areas; even at the national level, athletes face similar nutritional challenges. While healthcare providers and trainers are doing their best, the problem lies deeper. For athletes, whose bodies are under constant physical demand, insufficient energy and nutrient intake lead to chronic fatigue and nutrient depletion and gradually hamper both performance and overall well-being. Addressing these gaps through proper diet planning, education, and monitoring is essential to help young athletes reach their full potential.


What is Physical Fitness
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Physical fitness isn’t just about looking athletic. It’s the ability to carry out everyday tasks or sports activities without feeling exhausted. This includes not only athletes but also ordinary people who juggle jobs, commuting, housework, socializing, and parenting. Good fitness depends on the health of the heart, lungs, and muscles, as well as endurance and flexibility. Each of these areas needs regular activity to develop.


Nutrition plays a direct role here. Whether you’re maintaining health or training for competition, your body performs best when its nutrient needs are consistently met


Basic Dietary Recommendations for Everyone

The same broad dietary guidelines apply to both athletes and non-athletes:


  • Maintain a healthy body weight and composition through balanced food intake and regular exercise.

  • Increase complex carbohydrates and fibre: include plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

  • Reduce total fat to about 30% of calories, and keep saturated fats below 10%.

  • Limit refined sugars and sugary products.

  • Reduce salt and high-salt foods.


For the general population, combining these changes with at least 30–40 minutes of brisk walking daily can reduce fat mass and increase lean mass.


The High Nutritional Demands of Athletes
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Athletes burn far more calories than sedentary people. Extra energy expenditure increases their requirements for almost all nutrients. Their diet must therefore do more than just maintain health; it must also support training and recovery.

Key goals of sports nutrition are


  • Maintain ideal body weight and composition for the specific sport.

  • Keep a steady supply of nutrients and fluids.

  • Provide food that enables peak performance.

  • Clear up myths about food.

  • Introduce athletes to suitable “competition diets.”

  • Encourage healthy eating habits long-term.


Nutritional needs also vary by sport. A gymnast’s needs differ from a marathon runner’s; a tennis player’s needs differ from a weightlifter's. Intensity, duration, and type of exercise decide what, how much, and when to eat.


Major Nutrient Considerations

Energy: Calories are needed to maintain body temperature, metabolism, electrolyte balance, growth, and physical activity. In sports, energy needs can vary widely even among people of the same age, sex, and body weight, depending on training intensity and duration. Athletes must match energy intake to energy expenditure and adjust it between off-season and peak season. Maintaining a healthy body composition (more fat-free mass, less fat mass) is linked to better performance in most sports.


Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the main fuel for high-intensity exercise. Because glycogen stores in the liver and muscles are limited, hard training depletes them and causes fatigue. Athletes must eat enough carbohydrate before competition and replenish it within 24 hours afterward. Higher carbohydrate intake extends the time to exhaustion and improves endurance. For many athletes, 55% of calories may come from carbs; for endurance sports, up to 70%. Complex carbs (whole grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables) should form the bulk, while simple sugars can be used in moderation for quick energy.


Protein: Exercise increases protein needs for repairing muscle damage, supporting tissue growth, and, during long or intense exercise, providing fuel. For most athletes, 15–20% of calories from protein, or about 1.4–2.0 g per kilogram of body weight, is sufficient. Intakes above 2 g/kg offer no extra benefit and may increase dehydration risk. High-quality proteins can be obtained from animal or combined plant sources.


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Fats: Fat is the body’s other major fuel. At rest and during low-intensity activity, it supplies much of the energy. Aerobic training increases the body’s ability to use fat. Total fat should contribute about 20–30% of calories, with a blend of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Both too little and too much fat can be harmful—very low-fat diets may cause vitamin deficiencies and eating disorders, while high-fat diets impair glucose use.


Vitamins and Minerals:

Athletes need the same vitamins and minerals as everyone else, but more energy use and free radical production may increase requirements for B vitamins and antioxidants. Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamins E and C, calcium, and iron are particularly important. Female athletes should pay attention to calcium to prevent bone loss and to iron for oxygen transport and immune function. Supplements rarely improve performance if the diet is already adequate and can cause imbalances or toxicity if overused. The safest approach is a varied, nutrient-dense diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.


Eating Smart Around Training and Competitions

Before exercise or events

Think of your pre-workout meal as “fuel for the engine.” If your tank is empty, you’ll feel weak, dizzy, or tired; if you eat the wrong thing, you may feel heavy or get stomach trouble. A few simple tips:


  • Eat early enough: Have a light, familiar meal 2–4 hours before you start. If you’re eating closer to the event, keep it smaller.

  • Choose carbs, not grease:Breads, rice, pasta, fruits, or smoothies help refill energy stores. Skip fried food, very sugary snacks, or anything that upsets your stomach.

  • Don’t overdo protein: Big meat portions right before exercise slow digestion and can dehydrate you.

  • Hydrate ahead of time: Drink water regularly the day before and sip 150–250 ml every 15 minutes or so in the run-up.

  • For long events: In sports lasting more than 90 minutes, “carb loading” (gradually eating more carbs and training less in the few days before) helps store extra energy.


During exercise

While you’re moving, the goal is simple: keep your body cool, hydrated, and energized.

  • Sip water at breaks. In very long or hot sessions, include drinks or snacks with carbs and electrolytes (like bananas, diluted juice, or a sports drink).

  • Avoid fizzy or caffeinated drinks when you’re working hard because they can upset your stomach.

  • For very long efforts (over two hours), small bites or sips of carbohydrate foods keep you going.


After exercise (recovery)

Think “3R’s”: Rehydrate, Refuel, Rest.


  • Rehydrate: Drink enough to replace what you lost in sweat. A little extra covers what you’ll lose as urine.

  • Refuel: Eat carbohydrate-rich foods soon after finishing to refill your muscles’ energy stores.

  • Replace electrolytes: Salty foods or balanced drinks help restore sodium, potassium, and chloride.

  • Rest: Recovery time lets your muscles repair and adapt to training.


Conclusion

Today, what we often call sports nutrition is increasingly referred to as exercise nutrition, because diet and physical activity truly go hand in hand. Both require careful planning and monitoring, as nutritional needs vary from person to person, even if individuals are performing the same exercises, are of the same gender, or have similar body weight.


This is because factors like fat-free mass, fat mass, and overall body composition differ for each person. That’s why it’s crucial to first understand your body through a thorough and honest analysis and then choose a nutrition plan that is genuinely suited to your unique needs.


So, before you hit the gym or start that next fitness challenge, ask yourself: Are you fueling your body, or just moving it?



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