When she is not working in the office as a product development executive for Gencor Pacific, Mariko Hill is playing elite level cricket for Hong Kong team. The former national captain (for three years) has travelled the world competing against the sports best players for more than a decade. 

As a world-class athlete, Hill offers her perspective on the role of nutrition in training, performance and recovery.

Insider: How important is dietary management to your training and performance?

Hill: Dietary management is very important, particularly when it comes to an elite level. As practitioners say, “A good diet can be the difference between a gold and silver medal.”

Macronutrient composition also needs to be tailored according to your sporting demands and genetics.  Therefore, it is crucial to understand one’s body and how it utilizes different energy substrates to perform at its best.

We all know that good nutrition can enhance sporting performance. Therefore, having adequate energy —primarily from carbohydrates—is necessary to train and compete at peak level.

Insider: What supplements do you take and why?

Hill: I take supplements from both a recovery and performance perspective. I also take certain supplements depending on context (e.g. if injured). Some of the supplements I take as part of my daily/competition regime:

Insider: Do you get sports nutrition info from social media, and do you have advice for other female athletes in this area?

Hill: I only get sports nutrition information from accredited Performance Nutritionists. There is so much content out there nowadays that athletes must be aware of the risks of following an “influencer” who does not understand the real science behind nutrition and giving general fitness/nutrition advice. I also have a BSc in Nutrition, ISSA [International Sports Sciences Association] certification and stay up to date with the most relevant scientific research by attending global sports nutrition conferences and reading review papers.