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Why Nutrition is so Important for Athletes
Professional athletes spend many hours training their
bodies, specifically their muscles, to run faster, jump higher, or increasing
their agility. All of those hours in the gym may be wasted however if the
athlete has a poor diet.
Eating either too many calories in a day or too few can
make an athlete feel sluggish while performing. Not eating a balanced proportion
protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and fluids can also have a negative effect on
athletes. An imbalanced diet can impede performance, decrease the ability to
build muscle, and decrease overall endurance.
Working with a nutritionist is highly recommended for all
professional athletes. The nutritionist will then create a strict diet plan
which the athlete will need to adhere with as much self discipline as s/he does
while competing. If the athlete gives an honest effort at this strict diet plan,
their overall performance will most likely improve.
The number of calories an athlete should consumer in a day
is dependent on a variety of factors including age, height, sex, weight, weight
loss goals, and number of calories burned per day during workouts. Calories
should be consumer every several hours. Breakfast is a very important aspect of
maintaining energy levels because it is the first meal you consumer after a
seven or eight period without caloric intake.
Any old calories will not do, athletes need to consume the
right kind of calories in order to improve their overall optimal performance.
Foods that are high in nutrients such as milk, peanut butter, and whole grain
breads are all nutritious foods and good choices for snacks.
The largest part of an athlete’s diet should be
carbohydrates, which are responsible for the body’s main energy source that
affects both stamina and endurance. Carbohydrates should be a particular concern
for endurance athletes who need stores of energy to last for hours during
competition. Good sources of carbohydrates include whole grain pasta and bread,
starchy vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, and corn, and also fruit.
Consuming the wrong types of carbohydrates, coming mainly from processed and
sugary foods, will result in sluggishness and a decrease in performance.
Protein is also very important to the athlete because it
works to build and repair muscle tissue and shorter bursts of energy. When you
consume too much protein however, the body will store it as fat. Healthy sources
of protein come from lean meat, fish, and legumes.
The proper amount of fluid intake is essential for all
athletes to prevent dehydration, injury, and fatigue. Fluids are lost whenever
an athlete exercises, which is why it is so important to drink plenty of water
after a workout. Drinking caffeine and sugary drinks can also have the opposite
effect, causing further dehydration. It is recommended that most people should
drink 8-10 glasses of water per day. This number may need to be increased for
athletes, especially after workouts or competitions.
Finally, vitamins such as calcium and iron are essential to
all athletes. These two vitamins alone are responsible for carrying oxygen in
the blood and keeping bones strong. Both of these vitamins are essential for an
athlete’s performance and to prevent injury. Good sources of iron are found in
red meat, shrimp, and bread. Good sources of calcium are found in most dairy
products, leafy green vegetables, and calcium fortified supplements.
By maintaining a balanced diet and eating a proportionate
amount of calories per day will ensure an athlete’s optimal performance. The
diet is second only to training in achieving desired performance results.
Without the proper diet, the athlete will suffer. An imbalanced diet could lead
to injuries, unwanted weight loss/weight gain, and an overall sluggishness.
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