Athletes competing at a high level spend seemingly countless hours in the gym and on the field working on their strength, fitness and skills. But what's equally important to an athlete is what he puts into his body to fuel and build it. Without proper nutrition, you may be short-changing yourself on what goals you can achieve in sports. With proper nutrition, you can maximize your performance and feel great before, during and after the game.
Significance
Eating the wrong foods at the wrong times can have a significantly negative impact on your performance. Conversely, eating the right foods at the right times can help you have a good performance and move you closer to achieving your goals. Treat your body with great respect and care, trying your best to give it proper nutrition.
Types of Diets
Every athlete is different, and some athletes have different nutritional needs than others, depending on their goals. For example, an athlete who is undersized and needs to make significant strength and mass gains in the offseason will not consume the same quantities of foods that an overweight athlete would. Both have different goals and therefore need to plan their diets accordingly. For game-specific diets, there are three important nutritional periods: pre-game meal, during-game nutrition and the post-game meal.
Pre-Game and During-Game Nutrition
The pre-game meal needs to provide the athlete with sufficient energy, hydration and prevent feelings of hunger. If you are planning to eat a heavier meal, consume it three to four hours before the activity. If the meal is on the lighter side, two to three hours before should suffice. A large percentage of the meal should be carbohydrates, an essential nutrient for your body, which provides energy. Additionally, fruits and vegetables should factor in. During the game, if the exercise is intense enough, you should be consuming sports drinks and water to keep your hydration levels up, notes Colorado State University Extension.
Post-Game Nutrition
After the rigorous exercise that often comes with a game, consume foods that are high in carbohydrate content to replace glycogen stores. Chances are you sweat during a workout and lose a lot of fluids from your body. Consume plenty of fluids to make up for these losses. Also, potassium and sodium lost during the workout needs to be replaced. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of potassium and salty foods will provide you with sodium.
Warnings
It is important not to eat fast food before a workout as there is a strong chance it will cause stomach cramps and possibly vomiting, notes the Women's Sports Foundation. Serious athletes should only eat fast food on occasion as these foods are high in fat and are likely detrimental to your goals. Also, steroid use is illegal and is a form of cheating in sports. Any substance that unnaturally alters the body's chemistry to gain an unfair physical advantage over your opponent should never be practiced.
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