When it comes to mastering sports-related nutrition, finding the best resources is vital. That’s why we’ve compiled the best sports nutrition books to help you establish and maintain the optimal diet for competition.
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best books on sports nutrition
#1 – the complete guide to sports nutrition
published on September 7, 2017
available on amazon
rating: 4.5 stars
price: £16.55
This completely updated and revised edition of the complete guide to sports nutrition presents the most current and advanced research available on the subject.
Among the most important sections of the book is an in-depth look at how to correctly calculate your unique and optimal levels of calorie, carbohydrate, and protein intake.
This vital information can help you maximize your nutritional needs and balance a healthy relationship between competitive sports and diet.
The book also offers specific advice for women, children and vegetarians. this level of versatility makes this option a great choice for all nutritionists as you can share the knowledge with family and friends!
With a wide range of meal plans, you can use this valuable resource to get in shape for any competitive event or sport, whether you want to gain muscle or shed fat.
The book even features sport-specific nutritional guidance, so no matter what field you compete in, you can be sure this book has what you need to truly excel.
We definitely recommend reading it as it is one of the best sports nutrition books money can buy!
#2 – sports nutrition for young adults
published on May 12, 2020
available on amazon
rating: 4.5 stars
price: £10.52
As they approach the physical peak of their lives, it’s more important than ever for young adults to think about their nutrition. So that’s where sports nutrition books like this one come in!
discipline and dedication is great when it comes to training, but you need to bring that track, field, or pool mindset to your plate.
Without a nutritional backbone to support your training, you can only go so far. That’s why the personalized advice in a book like this is vital to developing your skills as an athlete.
Providing meal plans is one thing, but this sports nutrition book takes guidance a step further by offering specific plans for before, during, and after your sports activity.
This in-depth assistance will help propel a young athlete’s game to the next level!
#3 – sports nutrition and exercise
published on October 7, 2011
available on amazon
score: 4.4 stars
price: £39.21
This first edition textbook offers a wealth of study, research, and nutrition strategies to help you master the balance between your athletic performance and your diet.
At 400 pages, this sports nutrition book is certainly not short on detail! This more academic-style approach to sports nutrition is not only great for competitive athletes, but also for anyone looking to brush up on their fitness knowledge.
Knowing how to balance sport and nutrition for optimal results is imperative both as a participant and as a coach/trainer. therefore, a book as detailed and extensive as this one is a must.
The book is essentially divided into 3 parts, each of which specializes in different aspects of the relationship between sport and diet. Topics include:
- hydration, supplements and fuels for exercise
- nutrition strategies for different types of training
- practical topics such as weight management and injuries
Sports nutrition books like this one aren’t usually as packed with information, so be sure to check it out if you’re looking for more extensive reading.
#4 – eat healthy
published on September 19, 2019
available on amazon
rating: 4.5 stars
price: £12.69
If you want to reach your full potential in sports, you need to make sure your nutritional intake is not harming you or your gut.
eat healthy is packed with valuable information on dealing with ib and bloating, making it one of the best sports nutrition books for athletes suffering from these types of digestive issues.
The book also offers excellent advice for diagnosing food intolerance. you could be unnecessarily damaging your gut without even knowing it, and this book can help you find out!
When it comes to sports nutrition book reviews, Eat Healthy gets 4.5 stars.
Tapping into this resource to build your digestive health and overall well-being could dramatically improve your athletic performance. So what are you waiting for? give it a read!
#5 – plant-based sports nutrition
published June 28, 2019
available on amazon
rating: 4.5 stars
price: £13.85
A problem you may run into if you’re a vegetarian or vegan is that most sports nutrition books cater to carnivorous diets. but not this one!
Now you, too, can reap the rewards of healthy nutritional and sports dynamics by immersing yourself in this book and discovering some of the inspiring stories of the plant-based athletes featured in it.
The book contains expert-level advice on how to maximize your nutritional intake by eating selected meals at optimal times, allowing you to increase your athletic ability beyond your training.
There’s also a great guide to diet variation here. for example, it includes some tips for mastering a ketogenic diet. this means you can shake up your existing palette and broaden your food horizons to get away from boring and boring diet regimens.
This stands as one of the best books on sports nutrition, making it a great guide to nutrition for yourself or your clients.
#6 – nsca guide to sport and nutrition during exercise
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published on December 1, 2020
available on amazon
score: 4.6 stars
price: £33.69
Written by the world’s leading sports conditioning organization, the NSCA, you can certainly trust the advice in this sports nutrition book.
Whether you’re a personal trainer or an athlete, this guide can help you do your best on and off the field, combining theoretical knowledge with practical application.
The book consists of useful sections that are packed with the latest in nutritional research, useful for anyone who wants the most up-to-date information on all things diet and sports.
Also, if you’re studying for a degree in sports nutrition, this guide is great to help you review and get the best grade possible. there simply isn’t a better resource to tap into!
#7 – advanced sports nutrition
published on July 28, 2020
available on amazon
score: 4.8 stars
price: £23.16
This advanced sports nutrition book has all the knowledge you need to advance your career in nutrition.
Written by United States Gymnastics National Team Nutritionist Dan Bernadot, all of the knowledge presented in the book comes from one place of experience.
It’s helpful to know that some of the world’s best athletes also trust what they teach you about sports nutrition. The author’s track record of this book speaks for itself and is guaranteed to help you or your clients reach their full sporting potential.
The book is excellent at helping you digest complex scientific theory into practical, actionable knowledge. Finding a balance between transferring the best possible information in an easily understandable way can be tricky, but this book gets it right!
With its extraordinary 432 pages, you can be sure that you will receive the broad and deep nutritional knowledge you will need to improve your sports performance.
#8 – spike
published on May 28, 2019
available on amazon
score: 4.6 stars
price: £16.50
peak tries to break the noise of fitness industry myths related to sports nutrition by providing nutritional advice you can trust.
This sports nutrition book explores the fundamental nutritional knowledge you need to stay consistent on your diet, allowing you to achieve consistent growth in performance over a long period of time.
In great detail, the guide emphasizes the relationship a healthy sleep schedule should have to your digestion, a key area to monitor to help you excel in your field of play.
You can also learn the ins and outs of how elite endurance athletes fuel their bodies for extremely strenuous activities.
Finally, the book also offers a variety of personalized nutrition plans relevant to whatever sport you might compete in. you can find plans to help you:
- build muscle
- lose fat
- gain weight
No matter the sport or your goals, here is a process to help you on your way to victory, making it one of the best sports nutrition books.
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#9 – foods to stay in shape
published on April 24, 2014
available on amazon
rating: 4.5 stars
price: £16.55
As a fourth edition, this guide to sports nutrition includes the latest in advanced dietary techniques.
If you need inspiration for specialty dishes, look no further. With a variety of recipes, meals, and menus, you can boost your nutrition with easy-to-prepare foods and take your performance to the next level.
With over 60 recipes included, you’ll never wonder what to cook again!
The personalized meal plans in this sports nutrition book are organized by sport, to optimize the specific needs of different activities.
Whether it’s swimming, team sports, or even a triathlon, you’ll find specialized eating plans in this sports nutrition guide. It is important not to generalize when preparing nutritionally for a sport, as something that is beneficial for cycling, for example, may not be optimal for weightlifting.
This level of specificity is what makes it one of the best sports nutrition books out there!
#10 – feeding the Gaelic athlete
published on November 28, 2021
available on amazon
rating: 5 stars
price: £14.99
Next on our list is something a little different. If you are a Gaelic athlete, then this sports nutrition guide is the ultimate tool to get your diet on track and improve your performance on the pitch.
The book features sections dedicated to helping you determine your ideal daily caloric intake and how to track macros for your individual body composition. this makes it easy to assess what you are currently consuming and where you need to improve to reach your goals.
While it covers the basics, such as the amount of sleep and daily hydration requirements, the book expands with more detail, particularly what to eat on training days and rest days.
This type of 7-day dietary coverage is essential to maintaining a consistent, nutrient-dense diet that will improve your game in the short and long term.
The book also discusses the use of supplements in sports; more specifically, what you should or shouldn’t wear before competing. this makes it one of the best sports nutrition and supplement books out there, as you need to be acutely aware of the effects that compounds like pre-workouts can have on your athletic performance.
When it comes to sports nutrition book reviews, this one ranks highest on our list. so be sure to grab a copy of this sports nutrition and supplements book if you want to elevate your athletic performance!
#11 – the runner’s cookbook
published on December 28, 2017
available on amazon
score: 4.7 stars
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price £11.41
This sports nutrition book is focused on runners. Whether you’re a sprinter or training for a marathon, this one is for you!
Here you can find a large number of meals and dishes designed to optimize you for a series of races of different lengths. With over 100 options to choose from, your runs will be fueled by a wide variety of nutritional flavors.
It’s often the case that meal plans can be bland and monotonous, but not here. There are food options for:
- sandwiches
- salads
- breakfast
- dessert
With this strain, you’ll be more motivated to nail your nutrition off the running track.
The book also contains helpful nutrition tips for before, during, and after running to maximize both performance and recovery.
Make sure you pick this one if you’re a runner who could reach their full potential with a little nutritional guidance.
When it comes to sports nutrition and supplement books, this one covers all the dietary bases!
#12 – nutrition for peak performance in soccer
published on December 31, 2021
available on amazon
rating: 5 stars
price: £16.29
If soccer is your sport, this is without a doubt one of the best books on sports nutrition. With detailed reports on the diets of professional soccer players, you can learn how to eat like the best in the game!
This is more than a sports nutrition book: it delves into the psychological aspect of competing professionally in soccer. is based on the idea that extreme discipline is required to maintain the nutritional requirements to be at the top of your game.
In other words, you are taught how to strengthen your mind and be alert in all aspects of the sport, on and off the court.
Following the guidelines of the 2020 UEFA Nutrition Consensus Review, the book is packed with the latest facts and figures on all things nutrition.
You’ll also find meal plans for game days, training days and time off, so you can make your diet fit your schedule.
#13 – strength training nutrition 101
published June 28, 2017
available on amazon
score: 4.3 stars
Price: £11.99
Half the battle when it comes to strength training doesn’t happen on the gym floor, it happens at the dining room table.
It’s vital to pay attention to your nutrition when training for strength, as you need to gain volume and muscle mass quickly to maintain lifting power.
With nutrition 101 for strength training, you can learn all the basics, and then some.
The important thing with nutrition, as always, is consistency. You could easily bulk up on your own, but you risk overeating and quickly falling into an unhealthy state.
Many rapid bulking methods you may have encountered are simply unsustainable over long periods of time.
but with this book, you can take advantage of expert techniques to gain muscle mass in a healthy and maintainable way over time that will up your lifting game.
You can learn what’s best to eat and the best times to eat it, making the most of your hard work at the gym with a nutritious meal or snack.
By providing complex information in an easy-to-digest way, you’ll be on your way to maximizing your strength training with this excellent sports nutrition book.
#14 – the fittest cookbook in the world
published on January 6, 2022
available on amazon
score: 4.6 stars
price: £10.00
With the world’s fittest cookbook, you can optimize your nutritional intake for whatever sport you compete in.
With over 100 recipes waiting for you, you can show off your creative flair in the kitchen and create a variety of meals to eat before, during or after your workouts.
There’s a real variety of eating styles to choose from, whether you’re looking for a take-out meal or serving a 3-course meal.
All of the dishes in the book have been tested on high-performance athletes around the world in a variety of different sports fields, all of which showed improved results in recovery and performance.
Having this professional endorsement is a great sign: if it works for the professionals, it will certainly work for you!
Whatever your taste, dishes and cuisines from every culture in the world are included here. From Brazilian bean stews to English muffin melts, there’s something for everyone!
#15 – the fighter’s kitchen
published June 4, 2019
available on amazon
score: 4.6 stars
price: £13.62
With recipes from the world of boxing and mma, the fighter’s kitchen will help you get in shape to fight.
These athletes are among the fittest in the world, with a nutritional foundation that allows them to be faster, stronger and leaner than any amount of training alone can provide.
Whether you’re training in the field of combat sports or just looking to get in shape, this sports nutrition book is for you!
It also provides information on weekly meal plans, allowing you to optimize your dietary habits to get as much energy as possible during training and competition.
one of the problems that many athletes face is that they feel too full and bloated or completely hungry when they train or compete. sounds familiar? Well, with this sports nutrition book, this will be a problem of the past!
Packed with general advice to help you in your daily activities, this book is a must-have if you want to use nutrition to its fullest potential.
before you go!
Then, we hope our list of the best sports nutrition books will help you up your fitness game!
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