Cristian Totti victim of ‘bodyshaming’, advice from the doctor-nutritionist to get back in shape

Many footballers have had to deal with a few extra pounds in their careers. Many will remember Eden Hazard at Real Madrid, Gonzalo Higuain when he arrived at Juve, or the last years of Ronaldo Nazario at Milan but also Antonio Cassano in his experience in the ‘Galácticos’ of Madrid. Often targeted for his physical shape that left much to be desired. It also happened Cristian Totti, footballer and son of Roma’s number 10 Francescoafter his appearance on the Olbia field. If the former were criticized by journalists and fans, the boy was victim of the ‘bodyshaming’ fire that came from the social ‘square’. “Athletes who are forced to lose weight, whether for performance reasons or to fit into certain weight categories, must face this challenge with particular attention to health. But without rushing.” This is what immunologist Mauro Minelli, professor of dietetics and nutrition at the Lum University, explains to Adnkronos Salute. The Sardinian club has decided to hire a nutritionist to follow Totti jr.

“Rapid weight loss can carry risks, so it is important to follow safe and effective strategies.. The decision to consult a professional dietician is excellent – continues Minelli – It is essential to start the journey with professional support, especially to avoid nutritional deficiencies, loss of muscle mass or long-term damage to health”. According to the expert, “it is necessary to create a balanced diet plan for the athlete. To lose weight, it is necessary – he specifies – to consume fewer calories than you consume. However, the deficit must be moderate, to avoid excessive loss of muscle mass or tiredness”.

Minelli reels off some advice for athletes who are in the same physical conditions of the Olbia footballer. “Prefer foods rich in lean proteins (chicken, fish, tofu), complex carbohydrates (oats, buckwheat, spelt, brown rice) and healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil). Drink plenty of water to maintain energy, aid recovery and prevent dehydration – he continues – Eating several small meals throughout the day can help manage hunger and keep energy levels high. Furthermore, to improve energy availability, and consequently athletic performance, especially in endurance sports, it is also advisable to carefully monitor all the metabolic, biochemical and physiological changes that can occur in an athlete’s body”.

Increasingly significant evidence attributes a active role of the intestinal microbiota “which behaves like a real endocrine organ”, warns Minelli.

“Studies conducted in this direction suggest a significant link between the microbiota and sports activity, although it remains to be clarified whether it is physical exercise that improves the health of the microbiota or whether, vice versa, a healthy microbiota contributes to optimizing sports performance. It is likely – observes the immunologist – that both dynamics are valid: physical activity would favor a more efficient microbiota, improving metabolic and immune responses, while a well-balanced microbiota could positively influence adaptation to physical effort, managing energy, hydration and detoxification of the organism”.

“There is a lot of evidence that confirms these hypotheses. For example – Minelli reports – in professional rugby players a greater presence of bacteria of the Akkermansia genus has been observed compared to overweight people or people with metabolic problems. In marathon runners, after a race, an increase in the bacterium Veillonella atypica has been found, which improves athletic performance by converting lactic acid into propionic acid, a compound that facilitates physical resistance”.