BENGALURU: The fiercely competitive world of elite sports demands every last bit of potential that an athlete can muster. From rigorous training schedules to cutting-edge equipment, the quest for peak performance is relentless. Yet, a powerful but oft-overlooked factor lies on their plates. If one were to imagine the human body as a high-performance machine, then carbohydrates are the fuel powering it; proteins the building blocks; vitamins and minerals are finely-tuned lubricants. Hence, a personalised nutritional plan isn’t just about eating healthy; it’s the key to pushing physical limits, recovering faster, and staying ahead of the injury curve.
For cricketer Smriti Mandhana – who recently led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a historic maiden title at the second edition of the Women’s Premier League – unlocking that full potential meant partnering with Bengaluru-based sports nutritionist Ryan Fernando. An RCB fan since the team’s inception, Fernando was delighted at the team’s success.
“I actually jumped up on my sofa! I’ve lived in Bengaluru for 15 years now, and I’ve always been a huge Virat [Kohli] and RCB fan. Every year, it’s been the same disappointment. But when the women’s team won, I immediately messaged Smriti and Renuka [Thakur], saying ‘You guys did what the men couldn’t do!’ ” he laughs, adding that he hopes the title win inspires more women to take up the sport and convinces more parents to support their daughters’ dreams.
Throughout his decades-long career, Fernando has worked with some of the best sports talent in the country, including cricketers Virat Kohli and Mithali Raj, and Olympic wrestler Sushil Kumar among others. Currently, his clients include RCB’s Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Renuka Singh Thakur.
As a nutritionist, Fernando’s work goes beyond charts and meal plans. He says that the trend towards taking sports nutrition seriously is a much recent phenomenon, and hence many athletes are still unaware of its benefits. “90 per cent of my job is motivational and psychological training. It’s convincing athletes like Smriti
why she shouldn’t touch that delicious batata vada when the photo shoot crew is enjoying it. My approach with any athlete starts with a conversation about their goals. What do they want to achieve? More power? Fewer injuries? Do they struggle with digestion from eating out? Together, we identify four or five key focus areas,” he shares, adding, “How does this impact cricket? Picture Smriti Mandhana, who’s nutritionally aligned, with a lower resting heart rate during IPL. Compare that to a Smriti Mandhana who eats chole bhature, pastries – the wrong foods – she may have a slightly higher resting heart rate. During runs, her heart rate will be further elevated, creating hyper-excitability that could lead to errors. These small nutritional factors have a big impact.”
In recent decades, the steady stream of women’s achievements in traditionally male-dominated sports like cricket has challenged stereotypes about women’s abilities. Yet, Fernando says women actually have to put in more effort compared to their male counterparts due to their unique physiological needs. “There are clear biomedical and evolutionary differences between men and women.
Comparing the two is like comparing apples and oranges – it doesn’t make sense. My point is, women need to focus even harder on sports. Without hormonal cycles and blood loss due to menstruation, men don’t face the same challenges. Women in sports have to be incredibly disciplined with training, nutrition, and sleep because their bodies demand it,” he explains, adding, “However, in my personal experience, female clients demonstrate stronger discipline and resilience in following a nutrition plan compared to men. Men often excel in discipline once they reach the top level, but during their ascent, they tend to negotiate or display a more relaxed attitude towards nutrition.”