What do you think of when you hear the word ‘fuel'? Many of us picture an athlete, getting their nutrition on point to power their bodies through a race, match or comp. But it's not only sports pros who need to think about eating enough to fuel themselves – it's just as vital for the rest of us, and underfuelling is something we might not even realise we're doing.
“If you're restricting your [kilojoules] for a few days a week – thinking you're being ‘good' after the weekend, for example – you're likely to be underfuelling,” says Professor Tegan Cruwys, a researcher on the psychology of restrictive eating at the Australian National University. Inadequate.) Without alternative sources of those nutrients, you can find yourself at risk of not having enough fuel in your tank.