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My Hybrid Athlete Diet (Running + Lifting) - VLOG 007Athlete nutrition tips -
As a Sports Dietitian, it is no surprise I spend lots of time talking about sports nutrition for both training benefits and performance. Competitive and recreational athletes put so much effort into their physical training, but many do not see the results they desire because of improper fueling strategies.
However, performance-specific strategies what to eat before, during, and after a workout or competition in addition to considering supplements are much less effective if your day-to-day nutrition practices are out of whack.
Let me explain it this way. If you got sick and your doctor got you to take 5 different medications to help you get better, would you know what medication worked for you?
Likely, you would try one medication at a time. That is the same approach to take with performance-focused nutrition. Taking one step at a time allows us to maximize the benefit from each step, before moving on to the next.
It may feel like a slower approach, but in the long run, you can benefit more overall from your nutrition strategies.
Performance nutrition has to start with good overall daily nutrition and hydration practices. It may sound overly simple, but here are some initial questions to use as a method of evaluating your current nutrition practices before implementing any performance-specific nutrition strategies.
The main role of protein is to act as a building block for DNA, muscles, tissues and cells. With adequate intake, protein helps muscle to maintain strength and function and repair tissues after a workout.
Pair your protein with form of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are a source of energy. Learn more about carboyhydrates with this guide. Struggle to drink enough water?
Here are some tips. Strong daily nutrition practices will help support your training and performance. Only after you have mastered your day-to-day nutrition, and you stop seeing performance and training improvements, do you need to start looking at performance-specific strategies.
As you might have guessed, the implementation of performance-specific nutrition strategies will be methodical as well, ensuring the maximum benefit from the methods implemented.
Bonus tips for all athletes: SLEEP! A key factor for performance that should not be underestimated. Stuck on ideas of what to eat? Search our blog for hundreds of recipes, simple ideas, and more to guide your sports nutrition journey. Our private one-on-one Sports Nutritionist Services will ensure you are getting the best credible advice for everyday nutrition and performance fueling strategies.
Learn more about our Sports Dietitian counselling services here: Athlete Sports Nutrition Counseling or simply contact us below to see how we can help:.
My Top 5 Foods for Hiking Fuel. How to Keep Lunch Meal Prep Super Simple. Fitness enthusiast and lover of all things food, Jana is passionate about helping her clients improve their relationship with food and their body.
She is a strong, motivational leader. Jana also offers the balance of a warm, supportive coaching style to nudge her clients from their comfort zone while feeling safe and supported.
She specializes in mental health, eating disorders, body image and sports nutrition. Your email address will not be published. Athletes may need more protein than less-active teens, but most get plenty through a healthy diet.
It's 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.
Good sources of protein are fish, lean meats and poultry, eggs, dairy, nuts, soy, and peanut butter. Carbohydrates are an excellent source of fuel. Cutting back on carbs or following low-carb diets isn't a good idea for athletes. That's because restricting carbs can make you feel tired and worn out, which can hurt your performance.
Good sources of carbs include fruits, vegetables, and grains. Choose whole grains such as brown rice, oatmeal, whole-wheat bread more often than processed options like white rice and white bread.
Whole grains provide the energy athletes need and the fiber and other nutrients to keep them healthy. Sugary carbs such as candy bars or sodas don't contain any of the other nutrients you need.
And eating candy bars or other sugary snacks just before practice or competition can give athletes a quick burst of energy, but then leave them to "crash" or run out of energy before they've finished working out. Everyone needs some fat each day, and this is extra 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. Choose healthier fats, such as the unsaturated fat found in most vegetable oils, fish, and nuts and seeds. Limit trans fat like partially hydrogenated oils and saturated fat, found in fatty meat and dairy products like whole milk, cheese, and butter.
Choosing when to eat fats is also important for athletes. Fatty foods can slow digestion, so it's a good idea to avoid eating them for a few hours before exercising. Sports supplements promise to improve sports performance. But few have proved to help, and some may do harm. Anabolic steroids can seriously mess with a person's hormones , causing unwanted side effects like testicular shrinkage and baldness in guys and facial hair growth in girls.
Steroids can cause mental health problems, including depression and serious mood swings. Some supplements contain hormones related to testosterone, such as DHEA dehydroepiandrosterone. These can have similar side effects to anabolic steroids.
Other sports supplements like creatine have not been tested in people younger than So the risks of taking them are not yet known. Salt tablets are another supplement to watch out for. People take them to avoid dehydration, but salt tablets can actually lead to dehydration and must be taken with plenty of water.
Too much salt can cause nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea and may damage the stomach lining. In general, you are better off drinking fluids to stay hydrated.
Usually, you can make up for any salt lost in sweat with sports drinks or foods you eat before, during, and after exercise. Speaking of dehydration , water is as important to unlocking your game power as food.
More refined carbohydrate foods such as white bread, jams and lollies are useful to boost the total intake of carbohydrate, particularly for very active people.
Athletes are advised to adjust the amount of carbohydrate they consume for fuelling and recovery to suit their exercise level. For example:. A more recent strategy adopted by some athletes is to train with low body carbohydrate levels and intakes train low.
There is accumulating evidence that carefully planned periods of training with low carbohydrate availability may enhance some of the adaptations in muscle to the training program. However, currently the benefits of this approach to athletic performance are unclear.
The GI has become of increasing interest to athletes in the area of sports nutrition. However, the particular timing of ingestion of carbohydrate foods with different GIs around exercise might be important.
There is a suggestion that low GI foods may be useful before exercise to provide a more sustained energy release, although evidence is not convincing in terms of any resulting performance benefit.
Moderate to high GI foods and fluids may be the most beneficial during exercise and in the early recovery period. However, it is important to remember the type and timing of food eaten should be tailored to personal preferences and to maximise the performance of the particular sport in which the person is involved.
A high-carbohydrate meal 3 to 4 hours before exercise is thought to have a positive effect on performance. A small snack one to 2 hours before exercise may also benefit performance.
It is important to ensure good hydration prior to an event. Consuming approximately ml of fluid in the 2 to 4 hours prior to an event may be a good general strategy to take.
Some people may experience a negative response to eating close to exercise. A meal high in fat, protein or fibre is likely to increase the risk of digestive discomfort.
It is recommended that meals just before exercise should be high in carbohydrates as they do not cause gastrointestinal upset. Liquid meal supplements may also be appropriate, particularly for athletes who suffer from pre-event nerves. For athletes involved in events lasting less than 60 minutes in duration, a mouth rinse with a carbohydrate beverage may be sufficient to help improve performance.
Benefits of this strategy appear to relate to effects on the brain and central nervous system. During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue. Current recommendations suggest 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate is sufficient, and can be in the form of lollies, sports gels, sports drinks, low-fat muesli and sports bars or sandwiches with white bread.
It is important to start your intake early in exercise and to consume regular amounts throughout the exercise period. It is also important to consume regular fluid during prolonged exercise to avoid dehydration.
Sports drinks, diluted fruit juice and water are suitable choices. For people exercising for more than 4 hours, up to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is recommended. Carbohydrate foods and fluids should be consumed after exercise, particularly in the first one to 2 hours after exercise.
While consuming sufficient total carbohydrate post-exercise is important, the type of carbohydrate source might also be important, particularly if a second training session or event will occur less than 8 hours later.
In these situations, athletes should choose carbohydrate sources with a high GI for example white bread, white rice, white potatoes in the first half hour or so after exercise.
This should be continued until the normal meal pattern resumes. Since most athletes develop a fluid deficit during exercise, replenishment of fluids post-exercise is also a very important consideration for optimal recovery.
It is recommended that athletes consume 1. Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair. Protein needs are generally met and often exceeded by most athletes who consume sufficient energy in their diet.
The amount of protein recommended for sporting people is only slightly higher than that recommended for the general public.
Last Updated October This article Caffeine effects created by familydoctor. org editorial staff and nutrtiion by Practical weight control Revitalize immune function, MD. Caffeine effects Athlwte athlete, your physical health is key to an active lifestyle. You must take special care to get enough of the calories, vitamins, and other nutrients that provide energy. You need to include choices from each of the healthy food groups. In order to perform your best at game time, your body needs the right nutrition Revitalize immune function hydration. Nutrittion these Athlrte sports nutrition tips Waist measurement and body weight Caffeine effects Sports Medicine — nutrifion, Caffeine effects, and Nutritioh your Athhlete competition — Revitalize immune function help maximize your athletic performance and avoid potential injury. Visit Sports Nutrition at UPMC Sports Medicine for more on how to fuel your body the right way and get the most out of every practice and game. Drink 1 water bottle or 20 ounces of fluid 1 hour before practices and games. Be sure to drink at least 1 water bottle for each hour of practice and competition. Eat every 3 to 4 hours, beginning with breakfast and a morning snack.
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