Fernando Alonso (43 years old): "I stopped eating meat and fish because I felt heavy."

Professional sports require special attention to all aspects that can affect physical well-being. As one of Spain's most important athletes, it's no surprise that Fernando Alonso pays careful attention to his physical preparation, both through sports and nutrition.

Everything counts when it comes to giving your best on the track, because much of what happens is determined by the car you're driving, but the key always lies in the driver , their natural talent, and their preparation. Therefore, if you feel something isn't working as it should, it's time to change it, and that's what led the Asturian to adopt a vegetarian diet, although not strictly.

Fernando Alonso: "I felt heavy"

This was the confession the driver made during an interview with journalist Melissa Jiménez for DAZN, published in 2024. Alonso decided to change his diet because he wasn't feeling as well as he should have and his digestion was slow. "Usually, I eat very little," he confessed to the journalist, who asked him if he followed a special diet for his profession.

"Eight or nine months ago, I started to stop eating meat and fish," the pilot explained about his dietary changes, a choice not driven by moral criteria, as can sometimes be the case, but rather by personal health and well-being. "I felt a little bad, I felt heavy, and my digestion took a little longer. Without being super strict, I have a somewhat vegetarian diet now."

So, although it seems that on some occasions they do choose to eat animal products again, Alonso prioritizes vegetables, legumes and fruits in his daily life .

Heavy digestion: symptoms and advice

Each person is unique, and what works for Fernando Alonso may not necessarily be the same as what works for others to avoid those difficult digestions, also known as functional dyspepsia. This type of discomfort can be caused by many factors, such as an excess of fatty foods in the diet , which overloads the stomach, but also by a lack of fiber, overeating or insufficient chewing, a lack of physical activity, and also stress and anxiety. Sometimes it is caused by a food intolerance.

Symptoms usually appear during or immediately after eating , and the most common include abdominal discomfort, a feeling of fullness or heaviness, bloating or abdominal distension, burning in the stomach or chest, gas, belching or flatulence, mild nausea, or a feeling of fatigue after eating.

Avoiding this feeling isn't always easy, but some tips that can be followed and that are usually effective include eating smaller portions (even if that means eating more throughout the day), chewing well, drinking water between meals, exercising, reducing stress, and also making some dietary changes.

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For example, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of fatty foods , such as fried foods, as well as those that are difficult to digest, while increasing the consumption of foods rich in fiber, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits.

References

Functional Dyspepsia - Symptoms and Causes - Mayo Clinic . (n.d.). https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/functional-dyspepsia/symptoms-causes/syc-20375709