Athlete Nutrition
Proper athlete nutrition is important not just on the day of competition, but on a daily basis.
All the energy you need for exercise comes from the food you eat and the fluids you drink and each category – carbs, fats and protein- of food is essential for performance and health. Eating a variety of foods is important to be able to receive all the nutrients your body needs.
Eating a meal or snack an hour or so before athletic activity will provide energy without having a full stomach. It is also important to replenish the body’s stores after athletic activity. A meal or snack within one hour of activity will assure this. Carbohydrates should be the main focus, along with protein in smaller amounts.
Protein:
▪ Protein has diverse functions in the body and an important role in sports performance. Primary role of protein is as the building blocks of bones, muscles, skin, hair and other tissues.
▪ Its structure contains carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen. They are made up of chains of single building blocks called amino acids.
▪ It can act as a secondary fuel source in ultra endurance exercise, as insufficient carb can lead to the disassembly of body tissues to use the protein as energy.
▪ A sedentary individual’s daily protein needs can be easily calculated as follows: body weight in kgs x 0.75g . If , for instance, they are 70kgs, they will need 70 x 0.75 = 52.5g of protein per day.
▪ Strength (1.6-1.7g per kg of body weight) and endurance (1.2 – 1.4g per kg of body weight) athletes doing intense exercise will have an increased need for protein but excessive amounts do not enhance gains in muscle or strength growth.
▪ Protein or amino acids are without a doubt essential as the building blocks of muscles and you can’t do without them if you want to build lean and healthy muscles, however it is your overall nutrition for your body type and proper exercise that count the most.
▪ Protein requirements can be estimated by measuring nitrogen levels in the urine, excess is excreted by the kidneys. Protein above the recommended amount can damage kidneys and lead to an accumulation of toxic ammonia in the blood.
▪ Foods high in protein also tend to be high in fat and excess protein is converted to body fat, therefore leading to weight gain.
Mass Nutrition Guidelines
Fat:
▪ Fat is also an essential nutrient in a balanced diet and has some virtues, when not consumed too much or too little.
▪ Fat provides us with energy and enables other nutrients to perform their jobs better. When fats are eaten as part of healthful foods, they provide an important energy source for athletes in training.
▪ Fat stores cushion vital organs and insulate the body. Dietary fats provide us with essential fatty acids and aids the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and slow digestion providing a sense of fullness after a meal.
▪ Around 25-30% of total energy should come from fat and less than 10% should be from saturated fats (meat fat, dairy, palm oil, coconut oil, egg yolk), polyunsaturated (fish oil, sardines, mackerel, vegetable oils) 10-12% and monounsaturated (almond – olive – rapeseed oil, avocado and seeds) should also make up 10-12%.
▪ High fat intake is linked with heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity and other chronic diseases. And a no-fat diet will kill you, a very low fat diet will make you very ill. Avoiding fat deprives you of EFA’s that your body must have to survive and to thrive. People who begin to use EFA’s correctly report dramatic improvement in energy levels within days of putting them into their diet.
▪ Essential fatty acids are also linked with improved attention, concentration and reduced symptoms of depression.
Vitamins:
▪ Vitamins are not the direct providers of energy but have to be consumed daily to serve as links to regulate metabolic reactions that release energy bound in food molecules.
▪ They are important for growth, immunity, nervous system andhormones.
▪ Those who exercise have a higher vitamin requirement but they also tend to have a higher calorie intake so they increase the amount of vitamins without making any changes to diet.
▪ The vitamins A, C and E are the main antioxidants in the diet. Antioxidants are the weapon your body uses to neutralize free radicals, stopping them from becoming harmful to your health. Increasing the fruits and vegetables is the best way to increase the antioxidant levels in the body.
Cortisol Supplements for performing better? Not likely..
Minerals:
▪ Minerals play a crucial role in athlete nutrition and performance. Exercise may affect body’s supply of iron, potassium, sodium and calcium. To replenish sodium lost through sweating, eat normally following the competition. Avoid excessive amounts of sodium. Eating potassium-rich foods such as oranges, bananas and potatoes supplies necessary potassium.
▪ Potassium is important to help regulate muscle activity and in maintaining fluid, also vital during nerve transmission.
▪ Iron carries oxygen and is another important mineral for athletes. Anemia refers to severe depletion of iron stores and can result in fatigue, weakness and headaches. Iron deficiency is common in sports people especially female athletes. Check out ‘People at risk of iron deficiency‘..
▪ Zinc assists in growth and development and in white blood cell immune function.
▪ Sodium is essential in nerve transmission and muscle contraction and regulates volume of body fluids.
Benefits of Manganese
Water:
▪ Water makes up around 60% of our body weight and critical for all body functions.
▪ Sufficient fluid intake is important before, during and after the exercise – to comfort, performance and safety.
▪ Replacing the fluid lost during the exercise is essential to sustaining performance, preventing dehydration and avoiding injury.
▪ Eight glasses of water (2-2.5 litres) a day is recommended.
▪ A loss of 2+ per cent of one’s body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramps, dizziness and fatigue.
▪ Two simple methods of estimating adequate hydration: 1. A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated. 2. Any weight lost is likely from fluid, so try to drink enough to replenish those losses. Any weight gain could mean you are drinking more than you need.
▪ Avoid energy drinks. They make dehydration worse and come with other side effects.
▪ Water is needed for life.
Carbohydrates:
Nutrient which can be most efficiently broken down to produce energy: preferred energy source in athlete nutrition.
More on Athletic Nutrition and Carbohydrates
Glycemic index:
Use of Glycemic Index in athlete nutrition may have some value when considering pre- and post- training meals. These are eaten according to whether they are rated as low, medium or high.
More on Athletic Nutrition and Glycemic Index
Fitness Basics
Soccer Nutrition Guide
Return from Athlete Nutrition to Glycemic Index home page
References:
Lifetime Dynamic Training (2005): Athlete Nutrition and Weight Management Level 3, Part 1.
Maximuscle.com, ‘What are Fats?’ article: Athlete Nutrition
Clark, Nancy (2003). Nancy Clark’s Sports- Athlete Nutrition Guidebook. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
University of Illinois Extension. “Sports and Athlete Nutrition : The Winning Connection.” Available from urbanext.uiuc.edu/hsnut
Coleman, Ellen (2003). Eating for Endurance, Athlete Nutrition . Boulder, CO: Bull Publishing.
