Healthy Eating For Athletes

Athletes have different nutritional needs than people who are sedentary. Athletes expend more energy and calories and need to take in more calories and other nutrients to help repair muscles and recover. Talking with a sports nutritionist may be beneficial for those who do a significant amount of training.

Calories

According to Chris Carmichael, author of the book "Food For Fitness," the amount of calories needed depends on the amount of training and the gender, height and weight of the athlete. The amount of calories will also vary each day. On rest days or during the off-season, athletes do not need as many calories as they do on training days or during the sport's season.

Fat

Fat comes in two varieties: healthy and unhealthy. Unhealthy fats include trans fats and saturated fats. These unhealthy fats are found in butter, animal products, baked goods and dairy products.These unhealthy fats can raise cholesterol levels and should be avoided, reports the American Heart Association. Healthy fats include polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats. These fats can help lower cholesterol and are found in nuts, seeds, fish and oils. Consuming healthy fats provides long-lasting energy for athletes.

Protein

The amount of protein needed depends on the amount of training. Those who are training less than eight hours a week should consume 0.5 g of protein per pound of body weight. Chris Carmichael recommends that those training between 8 and 12 hours a week should consume 0.55 g per pound of body weight. Those who are training more than 12 hours a week should consume 0.60 g of protein per pound of body weight.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are another essential nutrient for athletes, and again the amount of carbs depends on the amount of training. Carmichael recommends that those training less than eight hours a week consume 2.5 g of carbs per pound of body weight. Those training between eight and twelve hours a week should consume 2.75 g of carbohydrates per pound. Athletes training more than 12 hours a week need 3.0 g of carbohydrates per pound.

Vitamins, Minerals and Electrolytes

Having a balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, proteins and carbs provides the vitamins and minerals an athlete needs. According to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, taking a vitamin supplement is not needed in most cases. Electrolytes are nutrients that balance the fluid in the body. Potassium and sodium are examples of electrolytes and can be found in sports drinks. Sports drinks are only needed when activity is longer than two hours or during hot weather.