Post 2: Breakfast is Fuel

I used to think nutrition was something only bodybuilders and professional athletes worried about. As a fencer, I figured as long as I showed up to practice and put in lots of effort, that was enough. But after a few weeks of skipping breakfast before school or morning fencing practice, I started to realize I didn’t fence how I usually do, even with evening practice. My footwork was okay, but my hands were more shaky, my reactions were slower, and most importantly, I got tired very quickly. I’d see the attack coming and still get hit, half a second too late to parry (defending the attack with my blade). I would fence a bout to five touches, and afterwards, I would feel like I needed to drink a whole bottle of water. 

That’s when I realized fencing isn’t just a physical sport.  It's a reaction-speed sport, and my brain is fueled by the same thing my legs are. What I eat isn’t separate from what I do to train; what I eat is an essential part of training. I’m not talking about strict meal plans or cutting out your favorite foods;  just make sure you’re eating something, but not junk food everyday before practice.

Interesting trivia: One study followed athletes aged teens to twenties with type 1 diabetes and found that sports skill performance dropped by about 20%, along with slower reaction time, during episodes of low blood sugar, defined as blood glucose below 64.8 mg/dL (Kelly et al., 2010). If a fencer’s blade tip is already one of the fastest-moving objects in sports, the last thing you want is your brain running slow as well.