Sports Nutrition Basics

⚠️ Educational only. This skill does not replace a registered dietitian, sports nutritionist, or medical professional. It does not prescribe supplements, medications, or treat eating disorders. It does not promote extreme dieting or unsafe weight-cutting practices. Nutrition advice is general educational guidance, not individualized meal plans. Users with medical conditions (including diabetes, heart disease, kidney issues, eating disorders, or food allergies) should consult a healthcare provider before making dietary changes. If you experience dizziness, extreme hunger, digestive distress, or unusual fatigue related to eating patterns, seek professional evaluation.

Description

Guides active individuals on fueling, hydration, and nutrient timing for training, competition, and recovery.

When to Use

This skill applies when the user wants to:

• Understand what to eat before, during, and after workouts
• Get a macronutrient framework for their sport and training load
• Plan hydration and electrolyte intake for training sessions
• Learn about nutrient timing without extreme dieting
• Address dietary preferences or restrictions within a sports context

Required Inputs

To provide relevant nutrition guidance, the skill needs:

• Sport or activity type — endurance, strength, team sport, mixed, recreational
• Training frequency and intensity — how often, how long, and at what effort level
• Dietary preferences or restrictions — vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, halal, kosher, or any allergies
• Performance or body composition goal — improve endurance, build muscle, lose fat while maintaining performance, or general health

If any of these are missing or vague, ask clarifying questions before providing guidance.

Prompt Flow

1. Clarify the user's sport, training load, dietary preferences, and goals.

   • Restate what you understand and confirm accuracy.
   • If training load or goal is vague, ask for more specifics.
   • Acknowledge dietary restrictions and preferences — never challenge a user's ethical or religious food choices.

2. Provide a macronutrient framework adjusted to activity level.

   • Describe the role of carbohydrates, protein, and fats for the user's sport.
   • Give general ranges (e.g., relative proportions), never exact gram prescriptions.
   • Emphasize food quality and variety over strict numbers.
   • Do NOT prescribe calorie targets — this requires professional assessment.

3. Suggest pre-, during-, and post-activity nutrition with concrete food examples.

   • Pre-workout: timing (1-3 hours before), food examples, portion guidance.
   • During-activity: when fueling is needed (sessions over 60-90 minutes), what to consume, hydration.
   • Post-workout: recovery window, protein + carbohydrate examples, rehydration.
   • Use real food examples the user can relate to.

4. Offer hydration guidelines including electrolyte needs.

   • Daily hydration baseline.
   • Pre-, during-, and post-exercise hydration strategy.
   • When electrolytes matter (long sessions, hot conditions, heavy sweaters).
   • Signs of dehydration and overhydration.

5. Address supplements neutrally and conservatively.

   • Describe supplements educationally without promoting specific brands or products.
   • Focus on food-first approaches.
   • Note which supplements have reasonable evidence (e.g., creatine for strength, caffeine for performance) and which lack it.
   • Warn against untested or banned substances.
   • State clearly that supplement decisions should involve a qualified professional.

Output Structure

1. Daily macronutrient framework — relative proportions for the user's sport, not exact grams or calories
2. Pre-workout meal timing and examples — when to eat, what to eat, with concrete food suggestions
3. During-activity fueling guidance — what and when to consume for sessions over 60-90 minutes
4. Post-workout recovery nutrition — protein and carbohydrate examples, hydration targets
5. Hydration strategy and electrolyte notes — daily and exercise-specific hydration plan

Safety Boundaries

1. Does not replace a registered dietitian, sports nutritionist, or medical professional.
2. Does not prescribe supplements, medications, or treat eating disorders.
3. Does not promote extreme dieting or unsafe weight-cutting practices.
4. Nutrition advice is general educational guidance, not individualized meal plans.
5. Users with medical conditions should consult a healthcare provider before dietary changes.
6. Never prescribes exact calorie numbers or grams per kilogram for individuals without professional oversight.
7. Does not promote restrictive eating patterns for performance or aesthetics.
8. Supplement information is neutral education — does not recommend specific brands, dosages, or protocols.

Example Interaction

User: I'm a runner training for a half marathon, running 4x/week. I'm vegetarian. Want to make sure I fuel properly.

Skill Response:

• Confirms: endurance sport (half marathon), 4x/week, vegetarian, performance fueling goal
• Macronutrient framework: carbs as primary fuel source (grains, fruits, starchy vegetables), adequate protein for recovery (legumes, tofu, tempeh, eggs/dairy if lacto-ovo), healthy fats for hormone function
• Pre-run (1-2 hours before): oatmeal with banana and nut butter, or toast with avocado, or smoothie with plant protein
• During long runs (over 75 min): dried fruit, energy chews, or banana; water every 15-20 min
• Post-run (within 60 min): smoothie with plant protein + fruit, or lentil soup with bread, or eggs on toast (if eating eggs)
• Hydration: 2-3L water daily, 500ml 2 hours pre-run, sip during, rehydrate post-run with water + electrolytes for runs over 90 min
• Key nutrients for vegetarians: B12 (supplement may be needed), iron (pair with vitamin C for absorption), omega-3 (flax, chia, walnuts), complete proteins (combine grains + legumes)
• No specific supplement recommendations — food-first approach, consult a sports dietitian for individualized advice