Interview with Dr. Tullio Valerio Mazza
GP, CONI.
Good eating habits to follow for a lifestyle that is healthy and performance that is always
excellent.
Are there some foods more important than others for athletes?
There are no foods that are more important than others. What changes with respect to other categories is the rhythm with which the food is absorbed. A professional cyclist usually trains for 5-6 hours a day from 9am to 2pm/3pm in the afternoon, repetitive training in which he is subject to a specific timetables. Life as an athlete is therefore organised in a different way to that of, for example, an employee or a student.
So before going on a journey, does a cycle tourist need to stick to a certain diet that
is similar to a professional’s?
There are no differences in the diet between a cycle tourist and a professional cyclist. The only difference lies in the effort they both put in. For example, the two can carry out the same journey but the journey times will vary, being longer for the cycle tourist and the element of effort will be more than for the professional cyclist.
What effects will show in an athlete who doesn’t follow a correct dietary routine?
Anyone who follows the rhythms of an inadequate dietary style, in quality and quantity, will have as the judge of that poor diet the needle on the scales. This is true for everyone, even for a cyclist.
What drinks are most suited to the sportsman?
Above all, water. Better still, water that has low mineral content as this favours the absorption of calories from food.
What are the right supplements in the diet of a sportsman?
We don’t talk about supplements but rather integrators. Not substances to be added, but existing substances that the body has used and now needs to restore and re-emit into the body. These are vitamins. The only substance in the world that the cyclist cannot synthesise and must take on through food.
Is it advisable to eat during a race or during a challenging bike trail?
If we take the case of a cyclist who has to race in a competition lasting 5-6 hours, after about 1 hour it will be necessary to rehydrate with liquids and nourish the body with food. A cyclist needs a lot of energy before racing and at the same time, they also need to add to their energy levels after the race.
What are the best foods to eat before or
after a bike trail or a bike race?
Taking the example again of the 5-6 hour race, before leaving, the cyclist should eat carbohydrates that release energy over a long period while straight after he should eat vegetables and beans that integrate mineral salts, proteins and substances consumed during the race.
