What diet is best for athletes?
All athletes need a diet that provides enough energy in
the form of carbohydrates and fats as
well as essential protein, vitamins and minerals. This
means a diet containing 55-60 percent of
calories from carbohydrates (10 to 15 percent from sugars
and the rest from starches), no more
than 30 percent of calories from fat and the remaining
(about 10-15 percent) from protein.
That translates into eating a variety of foods every day
- grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, lean
meats, and low fat dairy products. The base of the diet
should come from carbohydrates in the
form of starches and sugars. Fluids, especially water,
are also important to the winning
combination. Dehydration can stop even the finest athlete
from playing his or her best game.
Are carbohydrates important for athletes?
When starches or sugars are eaten, the body changes them
all to glucose, the only form of
carbohydrate used directly by muscles for energy. Whether
carbohydrates are in the form of
starches (in vegetables and grains), sucrose (table sugar),
fructose (found in fruits and juices) or
lactose (milk sugar), carbohydrates are digested and ultimately
changed to glucose.
The body uses this glucose in the blood for energy. Most
glucose is stored as glycogen in the
liver and muscles. During exercise glycogen is broken down
in the muscles and provides energy.
Usually there is enough glycogen in muscles to provide
fuel for 90-120 minutes of exercise.
Most exercise and sport games do not use up glycogen stores
so eating carbohydrates during the
activity usually isn't needed. But for some athletes, eating
or drinking carbohydrates during
exercise helps maintain their blood glucose and energy
levels.
Most athletes need not be concerned with "carbohydrate
loading," the special technique of
eating a lot of carbohydrates for several days before an
endurance event. Instead, focus on getting
enough carbohydrates everyday. The best way to ensure plenty
of energy for exercise is to eat a
nutritious, balanced diet that is high in carbohydrates
and low in fat with lots of different foods.
Do athletes need extra protein or protein supplements to build
muscles?
Yes. Without adaquate protien consumption, you will be spinning your wheels with reguard
to your training program. No sports nutrition program is complete without proper adequate protein intake. Without enough high-quality protein, you are not going to grow at
the rate you deserve to grow no matter how hard you train in the gym!
A certian amount
of protein is needed to help build the muscles but a nutritious, balanced diet that includes two or three servings from the
meat/bean/egg group (6-7 ounces total) and two to four servings of dairy daily
will supply all of the protein that the muscles need. DO NOT OVER SUPPLY.
Extra servings of protein in foods or protein supplements do not assist in muscle development.
Unlike carbohydrates, protein cannot be stored in the body and any excess will be burned
for energy or stored as body fat.
What should an athlete eat before, during and after exercise?
The most important thing is to concentrate on eating a
nutritious, balanced diet every day. This
provides plenty of energy to grow and exercise. Here are
a few tips about eating before, during
and after exercise.
Before
· Have some high
carbohydrate foods like bananas, bagels or fruit juices. These foods are
broken down quickly and provide glucose to the muscles.
· The timing of
this meal depends on athletes' preference for eating before exercise, but
researchers have found that eating something from 1 half
hour before exercise helps keep
plenty of blood glucose available for working muscles.
· It is also critical
to drink plenty of cool water before exercise to keep muscles hydrated.
During
· Perspiration
and exertion deplete the body of fluids necessary for an optimal performance and
lead to dehydration. It is important to drink plenty of
cool water, at least a half a cup of water
every 20 minutes of exercise. Adding a teaspoon of sugar,
a little fruit juice or a small amount
of powdered drink mix flavors plain water and may encourage
fluid intake.
· Usually there
is no need to worry about replacing carbohydrates unless the exercise lasts over
90 minutes and is hard and continuous. When this happens,
drinking a sports drink or other
beverage with some sugar in it will fuel and water to the
muscles being exercised.
· Make a homemade
sports drink by mixing no more than 4 teaspoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of
salt and some flavoring (like a teaspoon of lemon juice)
in 8 ounces of water.
After
If the exercise was strenuous and lasted a long time, glycogen
stores may need refueling.
Consuming foods and beverages high
in carbohydrates or protien right after exercise, within 15 minutes, will replenish glycogen stores if they are low after exercising.
No matter the intensity of the exercise, it's important
to drink plenty of water and eat a
nutritious, balanced meal that
has lots of carbohydrate rich foods such as grains, pastas, potatoes, vegetables
and fruits. A teaspoon of sugar, at only 15 calories* per teaspoon, adds flavor to these foods and may increase taste appeal.
*Note: Like all carbohydrates, sugar has 4 calories per
gram, and there are 4 grams to
a teaspoon. The FDA's 1993 food labeling regulations require
rounding to 15 calories on
consumer packages.
