‘Three litres of water a day’: How a netballer fuels her training

Kim Ravaillion is a netballer. The 30-year-old shares her day on a plate.

Ravaillion finishes her day with a glass of Milo.Credit: Art by Eliza Iredale

7.00am Daily greens and Athena Protein Water + Collagen mixed in water. Two pieces of sourdough with smashed avocado, two poached eggs and a squeeze of lemon plus an oat milk coffee.

7.30am A two-hour session of court work and conditioning training, accompanied by lots of water. I usually consume three litres of water a day.

10.00am A handful of grapes, some cheese and crackers and an Athena crisp protein chocolate almond bar with added calcium.

12.30pm A sandwich with chicken breast and salad.

3.30pm An oat milk coffee with crackers and tuna.

6.00pm Family dinner of steak with a salad and potatoes.

7.30pm A glass of Milo.

Dr Joanna McMillan says:

Top marks for… Choosing a snack bar with added calcium since your serve of cheese is not enough to meet your needs. Female athletes are commonly low on calcium and iron, so your steak for dinner also gets top marks as this is one of best sources of bioavailable iron.

If you keep eating like this you’ll… Fall short on magnesium as the foods richest in this mineral, such nuts, seeds and legumes, are absent. You may also fall short on the antioxidants necessary to counteract the free radicals formed during heavy exercise. This can slow recovery.

Why don’t you try… Alternating red grapes with other colourful fruits, including berries, as a snack and adding a handful of mixed nuts. Sprinkle a mix of chia, pumpkin and sunflower seeds onto your salads. Make sure those salads include a range of raw, roasted and grilled vegies and dress them with extra virgin olive oil to boost the absorption of fat-soluble antioxidants.

Kim Ravaillion is an ambassador for Athena Sports Nutrition and co-founder of the Ravs Fitness app.

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