Athletes focus much of their effort on physical training and
honing their skills on the field.
Countless hours of thought and practice are put in to improve and master
their sport. However, most don’t put the
same energy into their nutrition routine.
I see an awful lot of candy wrappers and empty chip bags on the
sidelines and in the gyms. Obviously,
these choices aren’t ideal for optimizing health and performance. By following basic nutrition guidelines,
athletes can ensure that they are at their best before, during, and after
activity.
Before Exercise
The amount of energy, or calories, an athlete should consume
is dependent on his or her gender, height, weight, and activity level. So making broad recommendations is difficult. Most
teenagers and adults burn about 1400 calories a day just going about their
routine at school and work. So athletes
need more than that to cover the energy used during practices and games.
Consult with your doctor or a sports dietician to determine your proper calorie
needs.
Carbohydrates are essential for peak athletic performance,
as the body uses this nutrient more efficiently during exercise than fats and
protein. The best recommendation is to
eat 1 to 4 grams of carbohydrate per Kg of body weight one to four hours before
exercise (1 Kg = 2.2 pounds). A
longer-lasting carbohydrate combined with a protein is a good choice. This could be something like peanut butter on
whole-wheat toast. For endurance
training (7-10g/kg/day) and high intensity activities (5-8 g/kg/day), the
recommendations change a bit.
For protein, the advice again depends on the individual
athlete. More protein is required for
athletes in critical growth periods or around puberty. But a good rule of thumb for daily dietary
protein intake is 1.2 to 1.7 g/kg/day.
Fat has a bad reputation among athletes, but it serves
several important functions. It’s a
source of more energy when the carbohydrate stores run low. Fats provide essential fatty acids the body
can’t make on its own and helps to absorb certain vitamins. So fat isn’t evil—it’s helpful! 20 to 35% of total calories should come from
fat, with less than 10% from saturated fat sources.
During Exercise
Carbohydrates are key during exercise, especially glucose
and electrolytes. For longer lasting
activities (more than one hour), try to consume an additional 30-60 grams of
carbohydrates.
After Exercise
Recovery requires carbs, ideally within 15-30 minutes after
the activity. The body’s cells are
especially receptive to glucose absorption during this period. 1-1.5 g/kg of rapid-acting carbohydrate is
recommended immediately after exercise.
Or, take in a ratio of 4 g or carbohydrate to 1 g of protein. Lowfat chocolate milk is a tasty choice that
fits the bill. After 30 minutes, focus
on a good balance of the three nutrients (carbs, protein, and fat) for your
next meal.
As you can see, a little bit of planning can go a long way
toward making sure an athlete is making healthy choices and performing at his
or her best with enough of the right kind of gas in the tank. Good nutrition can help keep you performing at
your best and keep you from running out of energy at the wrong time.
