'Eat more carbs and take recovery seriously': Dietary tips from a sports nutritionist

As a performance nutritionist for pro sports teams (currently the Red Roses and Williams Racing, previously Manchester United's women's team and Liverpool FC's academy), Aimee Ellen O'Keeffe, external specialises in helping athletes up their game.

While we might be part-time gym goers as opposed to fully fledged sportspeople, there are plenty of lessons we can take from the nutritional nuggets that O'Keeffe shares with seasoned athletes.

Here's her advice for fuelling up to get more out of your exercise.

"Carbohydrates have a stigma attached to them that's hung around like a bad smell for generations," says O'Keeffe.

"This negativity is ever present among women and in female sport predominantly – but is also common in male spaces too.

"They really are your friend and not your enemy when it comes to energy and performance. No gold medal has ever been won in sports without carbs. Carbohydrates are vital for maximising your potential when it comes to physical training, but also help fuel the brain.

"When you train or compete, your muscles rely heavily on stored carbohydrate (glycogen) for energy. If those stores are low, fatigue sets in faster, performance drops and recovery slows down."

When asked how much we should be taking in, O'Keeffe steers us to the daily recommendations suggested by the American College of Sports Medicine.

"A 'regular' person's diet should differ greatly to a professional athlete's. The energy expenditure of most of us is a lot less, meaning we don't need anywhere near as many calories or carbohydrates.

"It's important to align your actions to your goal. Problems happen when people eat too much because they feel they have to 'fuel up'. In reality, they often just need to eat a little more around training sessions to enable them to push hard and progress."

"Protein is a majorly important macronutrient for everyone, whatever goal you may have.

"Whether you're looking to lose fat, improve your performance or gain muscle, protein has to be ever present and the research shows that a daily intake of 1.4–2g per kg of bodyweight can support those goals."

But don't feel the need to take shortcuts when upping your protein: those convenient protein puddings, fibre bars and 'high-protein' cereals can't really compete with protein-rich wholefoods.

"From a nutritionist's perspective, I see these products as tools, not essentials. They can be convenient and practical, especially for busy athletes or those on the go – but they shouldn't be your main source of nourishment.

"You absolutely can meet your protein and fibre needs through wholefoods, often more affordably and with better overall nutrient density.

"Greek yoghurt, eggs, beans, fish, lean meat and tofu are all great sources of protein and can be pretty affordable. Fibre-rich foods like oats, fruit, veggies, wholegrains, legumes and nuts are easy to work with too.

"The challenge is often access, practicality and time. That's where some UPFs can serve a purpose. A ready-made protein shake after a gym session when you're tight for time is better than skipping recovery altogether.

"But long term, I always encourage athletes to build their meals around real food first. Wholefoods give you more than just macros – they provide vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that support immune function, recovery and overall health."

"Post exercise, the focus shifts more towards protein for recovery," explains O'Keeffe.

She highlights that the reason people – whether professional athletes or just casual gym-goers – pick up niggling injuries or end up out of action after a heavy workout is because they're not getting the restorative nutrients their body needs.

"There's no such thing as over training, just under recovering," she says.

It's not just about protein though, notes O'Keeffe. It's also important to add colourful fruits or vegetables.

"This will help reduce inflammation and also support immune health and digestion – which is especially important when training regularly or at high intensities."

Originally published June 2025. Updated February 2026.

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