She Cranes star Mary Nuba champions nutrition as key to performance

She Cranes' goal shooter Mary Nuba has underlined the importance of nutrition, noting that knowing what fuels your body is vital for performance, recovery, and adaptation.

Nuba had just attended a nutrition session, where members of Team Uganda to the games received tips from the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) director, Professor Florence Isabirye Muranga, at the Uganda Olympic Committee offices on Saturday.

She later handed over nutrition Tooke products to each one of them as they continue to prepare for the games in Glasgow, July 23-August 2.

Nuba, who plays for the Queensland Firebirds in Australia's Suncorp Super Netball league, said her club offers dedicated nutrition zones and one-on-one consultations with nutritionists for personalised guidance.

"Athlete nutrition is unique due to individual body differences, so understanding personal needs for optimal function and recovery is key," she noted after Muranga had lectured the team that comprised netballers, boxers, and those from the cycling, athletics, and weightlifting teams, and the rest of the team members headed for the games.

Muranga, the UOC nutritional ambassador, advised the players to monitor their metabolism, as it is how their bodies convert the food they eat into energy for training, recovery, and everyday life.

"A well-fueled metabolism means stronger sessions, means resilience, and faster recovery. Under-fueling, on the other hand, forces the body to slow down and break down its own muscle. I should make that very clear: if you don't eat properly, you eat upon yourself," Muranga, who was flanked by the Commonwealth Sport president Donald Rukare, noted.

She advised them to eat at regular intervals throughout the day rather than relying on the traditional three meals because, after all, they burn these calories during training and competition.

"After every one or two hours, snack so that you are able to replace that energy optimally. So, eat regularly across the day; a steady flow of meals and snacks keeps energy available for when you train."

Muranga outlined clear signs that indicate whether an athlete is eating enough.

"The good signs are steady energy through sessions, stable weight, sound sleep, and consistent performance. You know that you are eating enough when you have steady energy through sessions. You beat your opponent to the end. Constant fatigue, frequent illness, slow recovery, or stalled progress often signal that you're not eating enough to match your training requirements."

She offered a practical tip for building meals: "Build every plate around protein. Beans, eggs, fish, meat, and carbs; matooke, potato, rice, Irish potato, and plenty of vegetables—you get it."

She said they were going to work out the best micronutrient ratio for each athlete after each athlete filled out a questionnaire about their dietary needs. But she noted that there is no single perfect ratio, as it shifts with the sport and training load.

"A useful starting point for developing the athlete is 50% to 60% carbohydrate as the main fuel, 15% to 20% protein as repair and build, and 20% to 30% healthy fat."

Muranga also advised athletes not to fear fats. "So, make sure you eat a bit of butter, a bit of cheese, and a bit of full-fat yoghurt. These things, which they say are bad for other people, are very positive for sportsmen because they have the capacity to burn fuel. So, the practical tip, half the plate carbs, a quarter protein, and a quarter vegetable."

She explained the benefits of the Tooke products she handed out to the athletes: "The energy in all the Tooke products that I gave each one of them is instant. So, eating them before training tops up your energy stores. Some during long sessions sustain output and refuelling after speeds recovery. And the practical tip about this is that a carb-rich meal is to eat it two to three hours before exercise. Refuel within an hour after with a banana and a handful of nuts or other bites. Cheese is also a very good protein source, as is full-fat yoghurt."

Muranga advised that athletes don't need to supplement if they eat a balanced diet that comprises proteins, carbohydrates, and the vegetables and fruits around them.

"Make sure that you have iron from beef; you have protein and fibre from beans and dark greens and micronutrients. You have calcium from milk, and you have a lot of good protein from fish," she advised.

She noted that body composition also affects performance by influencing the balance of muscle, fat, and bone. It shapes your strength, speed, and endurance more than body weight alone. That is why attention should be given to what is fed to children in their first five years, and that is why, as the ambassador, she is spreading the message to junior athletes.

"So, as a practical tip, focus on fueling and training well, not on the scale. Muscle built through good food and hard work drives performance. Fuel well, train well, and perform. Good nutrition is the foundation of every strong performance and starts from the plate with food around you."

Rukare advised the team members to stay focused, exercise caution regarding Ebola, maintain discipline on and off the court, and safeguard against doping.

"Go and win, make friends, make a personal best, be disciplined, and avoid escaping."