Nutrition Tips for Athletes
Like many other aspects of sports and fitness, practice and development of healthy habits will increase the potential for maximum success. While everyone can benefit from a well-rounded diet, athletes need to pay special attention to the timing and quantity of foods and fluids consumed. Nutrition is a vital part of an athlete's training regimen.
Time Your Eating
Eat high-energy (high-carbohydrate) meals two to three hours before an athletic competition or workout. This will help your body sustain a high level of performance and also allow for needed digestion time. Foods high in carbohydrates include cereals, fruits, whole grains and pasta. Maintain peak performance by refueling post-workout with meals that include both carbohydrates and proteins, such as lean meats, fish, nuts, soy and eggs.
Monitor Nutrient Ratios
Study the specific performance goals for your sport and tailor nutrient ratios accordingly. While standard dietary guidelines call for a ratio of roughly 60 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent fat and 10 percent protein, athletes often need to vary these proportions to increase training success in their activities. In general, people burning calories at higher rates need diets lower in fat and higher in carbohydrates and proteins.
Maintain and Replenish Fluid Levels
Athletes can become dehydrated at rapid rates because of the loss of fluid through sweating. Dehydration is not only a serious health risk, it may also impair mental focus. Sports drinks provide a boost in electrolytes (such as potassium and sodium) and often contain carbohydrates. Monitor fluid loss during activity by weighing before and after an intense workout to estimate how much water you need to replenish and adding that to the amount of fluid consumed during activity. Sweat rates can vary from person to person and are often affected by environmental factors as well.
Avoid the Fast Food Trap
Snacking between meals can supplement an athlete's diet. Instead of stopping at a fast food restaurant when you're on the go, pack healthy snacks to avoid empty calories and high-fat snack. Snacks such as energy bars, vegetables, pita chips or fruit leather are portable and can supplement a high-performance diet.
About this Author
Stephanie Splater is a Fitness & Health teacher in Washington State. She has coached high school track for 12 years as well as volleyball and basketball. She has been published in local media and "The Washington Coach" professional journal. Splater recently completed a Master of Arts in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University.
Member Comments
by hecticmom on September 17, 2009 at 5:21 AM
My daughter plays volleyball, basketball and softball. All very different type of sports as far as energy requirements. I worry that she wears her self down with all the practices and then she takes very challenging courses in school. It requires about 6 hours of homework a night. Is there any supplements she should be taking to keep up this pace?
by hecticmom on September 17, 2009 at 5:23 AM
Also she has a hard time drinking sports drinks. They make her throat sore and create alot of mucous, it also effects her stomach, she says it feels like it just sits in her stomach and sloshes around and takes a long time to absorb. The only time she can drink sports drinks is when she has an hour or more before she has to be active again. So during competitions normally she will drink orange or apple juice watered down, is there a better alternative?