‘I’m a sports nutritionist and I want you to fall back in love with carbs’
Exercise smarter, not harder, by tweaking your diet with help from a pro. Aimee Ellen O'Keeffe has spent her career improving diets of both professional athletes and sports enthusiasts 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 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. 1. Eat more carbs “Carbohydrates have a stigma attached to them that’s hung around like a bad smell for generations,” says O’Keeffe. “The negativity around this macronutrient 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. Light activity: 3–5g per kg of bodyweightModerate: 5–7g per kg of bodyweightHigh endurance: 6–10g per kg of bodyweightExtreme training loads: 8–12g per kg of bodyweight Light activity: 3–5g per kg of bodyweight Light activity: 3–5g per kg of bodyweight Moderate: 5–7g per kg of bodyweight Moderate: 5–7g per kg of bodyweight High endurance: 6–10g per kg of bodyweight High endurance: 6–10g per kg of bodyweight Extreme training loads: 8–12g per kg of bodyweight Extreme training loads: 8–12g per kg of bodyweight 2. Eat in line with your goal “The diets of a regular person would differ greatly to a professional athlete. The energy expenditure of a ‘regular’ person would be a lot less, meaning they wouldn’t need anywhere near as many calories or carbohydrates. “It’s important to align your actions to your goal. Problems occur when people eat too much (which causes weight gain) 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.” 3. You need protein, not ultra-processed protein products “Protein is a majorly important macronutrient for regular people and pro athletes, 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 1.4–2.0 grams 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. 4. Recovery is just as important as fuelling “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 overtraining, 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 Want more? Visit BBC Food on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest or watch the latest Food TV programmes on BBC iPlayer.