"I know what I should eat. I just don't do it." This is heard everyday by people struggling to juggle work, workouts, family and friends, food and nutrition.

The trick is to grab the foods that support your sports program and enhance your health. Food is the fuel composed of important nutrients essential for maintaining optimal health and top performance.

The six nutrients for health are:

1. Carbohydrate - this fuels your muscles and brain. They are the primary energy source when you're exercising hard. You should get 60% of your calories from carbohydrate-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, breads, and grains.
2. Fats - this is a source of stored energy (calories) that we burn primarily during low-level activity, such as reading and sleeping. Vegetable fats are generally unsaturated and less harmful than animal fats, which are saturated. You should limit your fat intake to about 25% of your daily total calories.
3. Protein - these are essential for building and repairing muscles, red blood cells, hair, and other tissues, and for synthesizing hormones. Protein is a source of calories and can be used for energy if inadequate carbohydrates are available such as during a strict diet or exhausting exercise. About 15% of your calories should come from protein-rich foods such as fish, chicken, and dried beans.
4. Vitamins - these are metabolic catalysts that regulate the chemical reactions within the body. They are not a source of energy (calories).
5. Minerals - these combine in many ways to form structures of the body and regulate body processes. Minerals do not provide energy.
6. Water - an essential substance that makes up about 50 to 55 % of your weight. Water stabilizes body temperature, carries nutrients to and waste away from cells, and is needed for cells to function. Water does not provide energy.

The United States government has established the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) as a standard for nutrient intake. These recommendations for vitamins and minerals meet or exceed the needs of nearly all people, including athletes.