Athlete's Diet
![Picture](/uploads/7/8/1/9/7819540/6022888.jpg?420)
Athletes require good training but in turn that means they require a well thought out meal plan. Their diets must include the dietary needs for them to have an optimal performance in whichever physical activity they compete in. An athlete always needs an adequate amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats for energy use as well as an abundance of water to keep hydrated (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html)(http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/tips/olympic-nutrition-tips/#page=2)(http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/tips/olympic-nutrition-tips/#page=3).
Carbohydrates are the super fuel for athletes who are in training or need a lot of fuel for a big performance whether it be immediate use in power or endurance training. The brain and muscles feed off of glucose (explained below) which makes incorporating them into an athlete's diet crucial (http://runners-fuel.blogspot.ca/2011/01/simple-vs-complex-carbohydrates.html). There are two major distinctions between carbohydrates which are simple vs. complex. Complex carbs that come from whole grains like pasta or starchy vegetables such as potatoes are always best for optimal performance because the carbs are broken down within the body and converted into either glycogen that’s stored for later use or glucose that’s used right away as fuel (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html). For an endurance athlete it’s best to load up on these carbs 2-3 days in advance but on the day of the event, eat your last meal 3-4 hours before to let the body digest anything left in the stomach (http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/tips/olympic-nutrition-tips/#page=7)(http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes). During the high intensity, power exercise it’s important to continue replenishing the fuel for your body with simple carbs like fruit, which are less refined (easier to digest, quickly go into blood stream) that can help give the body a quick boost (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes).
Protein doesn’t particularly act as fuel for the body but rather as a means of tissue building in the muscles for repair and recovery (http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Nutritional_Program_for_Athletes/1237)(http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes). Too much protein and the athlete could be putting strain on their kidneys and colon while too little could result in a slower healing time for muscles plus a longer period of time taken to gain the muscle mass (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html). Keeping a relatively moderate protein intake is necessary for muscle tissue growth so that means for athletes, eating poultry, eggs, nuts, and fish regularly to get that healthier protein (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes). Power athletes such as weightlifters or football players tend to eat an excess of protein, but this is not actually necessary. Both power and endurance athletes in general need slightly more protein in their diets due to constantly needing muscle repair except that the body can really only metabolize a certain amount of protein and any excess protein intake only harms the body by raising toxicity levels (http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2013/07/how-much-carbohydrate-protein-and-fat-you-need/).
High-fat diets used to be a big thing for some athletes but now, for the most part, frowned upon because it slows down the athletes as well as increasing their body fat percentages (http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Nutritional_Program_for_Athletes/1237). Eating unsaturated fats like nuts, olives, vegetable oils, etc. are a definite plus because although a high-fat diet is bad for an athlete, they still need their regular fat intake for their brains, nervous system, hormone levels, and joints. Fat does contribute to fueling the body during long periods of exercise so having the right kind is necessary for a good performance (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html).
Keeping hydrated is always a must for all athletes because the risk of dehydration is very high and it can cause both muscle fatigue and cramping (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html). Drinking water before, during, and after exercise is crucial for an athlete to perform at their very best. Cold water is also preferred over room temperature water due to the cold having the ability to absorb quicker into the body and cool the body down (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes?page=2). This is a sample recommendation drinking schedule for an athlete from the website: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html
Carbohydrates are the super fuel for athletes who are in training or need a lot of fuel for a big performance whether it be immediate use in power or endurance training. The brain and muscles feed off of glucose (explained below) which makes incorporating them into an athlete's diet crucial (http://runners-fuel.blogspot.ca/2011/01/simple-vs-complex-carbohydrates.html). There are two major distinctions between carbohydrates which are simple vs. complex. Complex carbs that come from whole grains like pasta or starchy vegetables such as potatoes are always best for optimal performance because the carbs are broken down within the body and converted into either glycogen that’s stored for later use or glucose that’s used right away as fuel (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html). For an endurance athlete it’s best to load up on these carbs 2-3 days in advance but on the day of the event, eat your last meal 3-4 hours before to let the body digest anything left in the stomach (http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/healthy-eating/tips/olympic-nutrition-tips/#page=7)(http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes). During the high intensity, power exercise it’s important to continue replenishing the fuel for your body with simple carbs like fruit, which are less refined (easier to digest, quickly go into blood stream) that can help give the body a quick boost (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes).
Protein doesn’t particularly act as fuel for the body but rather as a means of tissue building in the muscles for repair and recovery (http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Nutritional_Program_for_Athletes/1237)(http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes). Too much protein and the athlete could be putting strain on their kidneys and colon while too little could result in a slower healing time for muscles plus a longer period of time taken to gain the muscle mass (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html). Keeping a relatively moderate protein intake is necessary for muscle tissue growth so that means for athletes, eating poultry, eggs, nuts, and fish regularly to get that healthier protein (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes). Power athletes such as weightlifters or football players tend to eat an excess of protein, but this is not actually necessary. Both power and endurance athletes in general need slightly more protein in their diets due to constantly needing muscle repair except that the body can really only metabolize a certain amount of protein and any excess protein intake only harms the body by raising toxicity levels (http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com/2013/07/how-much-carbohydrate-protein-and-fat-you-need/).
High-fat diets used to be a big thing for some athletes but now, for the most part, frowned upon because it slows down the athletes as well as increasing their body fat percentages (http://www.healthy.net/Health/Article/Nutritional_Program_for_Athletes/1237). Eating unsaturated fats like nuts, olives, vegetable oils, etc. are a definite plus because although a high-fat diet is bad for an athlete, they still need their regular fat intake for their brains, nervous system, hormone levels, and joints. Fat does contribute to fueling the body during long periods of exercise so having the right kind is necessary for a good performance (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html).
Keeping hydrated is always a must for all athletes because the risk of dehydration is very high and it can cause both muscle fatigue and cramping (http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html). Drinking water before, during, and after exercise is crucial for an athlete to perform at their very best. Cold water is also preferred over room temperature water due to the cold having the ability to absorb quicker into the body and cool the body down (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/nutrition-tips-athletes?page=2). This is a sample recommendation drinking schedule for an athlete from the website: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foodnut/09362.html
Recommendations for hydration.
|