Athletes spend countless hours strengthening their bodies and honing their craft. Regardless of the level or type of athlete, nutrition has a significant impact on performance and health. Many athletes don't understand proper sport nutrition and fall into common traps. If you are a coach, parent, athlete or mentor, then you may be wondering what hot nutrition topics you should understand better.
Calorie Intake
Calorie intake is a hot topic among both male and female athletes. Being overweight can impair performance, and many athletes feel pressure to be thin. Some coaches reinforce this pressure, encouraging athletes to lose weight or eat less. Professional and student athletes may be offered professional guidance and nutritional counseling, but many athletes rely on information that they have read in magazines or heard on television. Eating too little may result in fat loss and muscle loss. Disordered eating may lead to the female athlete triad, also characterized by loss of menstruation and osteoporosis.
Low fat diets
Low fat products dominate grocery store shelves and campaigns publicize the relationship between fat intake and heart disease. It's no wonder that some athletes don't get enough fat. Many think that fat is bad for you or that eating fat will make you fat. Fat is crucial for hormone regulation, protection of organs and absorption of certain vitamins. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, no less than 15 percent of your total calories consumed should come from fat. Failure to consume enough fat may impair athletic performance.
Low Carbohydrate Diets
Low carbohydrate diets have gained popularity over the last decade. The Atkins diet and South Beach diet are two low carbohydrate diets that have received a lot of publicity. Like fat, some athletes think that carbohydrates will make them gain weight. Low carbohydrate diets are appropriate at times, but aren't always beneficial for athletes. Carbohydrates are your body's main source of energy and are especially important for endurance athletes. Failure to consume enough carbohydrate may result in impaired performance. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies can also result from low carbohydrate diets because fruits and vegetables are carbohydrates.
Alcohol
Alcohol use and abuse is as common among athletes as it is among the general population. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, alcohol was named the most abused drug by the National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Basketball League, National Football League and US Olympic Committee. Alcohol affects almost every system in the body, both acutely and chronically. Chronic alcohol use may result in nutritional deficiencies, muscle wasting, muscle weakness and altered hormonal response. Athletes should monitor their alcohol intake, avoid drinking more than socially for 48 hours prior to physical activity and rehydrate before consuming alcohol after exercise.
References
- "Physiology of Sport and Exercise"; Jack H. Wilmore, et al.; 2004
- "Essentials of Strength and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle, et al.; 2008
- Frontline; Did the Low Fat Era Make Us Fat?; Marion Nestle, et al.
- American College of Sports Medicine: Alcohol and Athletic Performance
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