Athlete's Guide To Nutrition
For people who are into sports professionally it is very important for them to understand that there is a lot more to eating than chewing only carbohydrates and sports drink. The good news is that eating to reach our best performance standard does not really require a special diet. It is all about adding the right foods into our fitness plan in the right amounts. Athletes work out more than a regular non athlete person so they generally need extra calories to fuel both their sports performance and their growth. Depending on how active they are they will need that amount of food supplements.
What happens if athletes do not eat enough? Their bodies are less likely to accomplish peak performance and it may even break down rather than build up muscles. We may have heard about "carb loading" before a game. But when it comes to powering our game for the long time, it's a bad idea to focus on only one type of food.
Carbohydrates are an imperative source of fuel, but they are not the source of energy an athlete needs. It also takes vitamins, minerals, protein, and fats to stay in fit. Calcium helps to build strong bones that athletes depend on, and iron carries oxygen to muscles. Milk, cheese, curd and are high on calcium content whereas food items such as spinach lean red meats (meats with not much fat on them); green, leafy vegetables; and iron-fortified cereals are high on iron. These should be included in one's diet.
In addition to calcium and iron, we need a whole bunch of other vitamins and minerals that do everything and help us from getting sick. Eating a balanced diet, including lots of different fruits and veggies, should provide the vitamins and minerals needed for good health and sports performance.
Athletes may need more protein than less-active people, but most athletes get plenty of protein through regular eating. It is a myth that athletes need a huge daily intake of protein to build large, strong muscles. Muscle growth comes from regular training and hard work. And taking in too much protein can actually harm the body, causing dehydration, calcium loss, and even kidney problems. Good sources of protein are fish, lean meats and poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, soy, and peanut butter.
Carbohydrates provide athletes with an excellent source of fuel. Cutting back on carbs or following low-carb diets is not a good idea for athletes because limiting carbohydrates can cause a person to feel tired and worn out, which eventually affects performance.
Good sources of carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, and grains. Choosing whole grains (such as brown rice, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread) more often than their more processed counterparts like white rice and white bread is a good option. That's because whole grains provide both the energy athletes need to execute and the fiber and other nutrients they need to be healthy.
Everyone needs a certain amount of fat each day, and this is particularly true for athletes. That's because active muscles quickly burn through carbs and need fats for long-lasting energy. Like carbs, not all fats are created equal. Experts advise athletes to concentrate on healthier fats, such as the unsaturated fat found in most vegetable oils. Choosing when to eat fats is also important for athletes. Fatty foods can slow digestion, so it's a good idea to avoid eating these foods for a few hours before and after exercising.