As an athlete, you need energy and nutrients to have the adequate fuel you need to perform. You also need a good supply of vitamins and minerals to recover after training. However, not all athletes use the same muscles in the same way. Some require food that helps them become stronger and more explosive, such as football players, while others require extra energy for extended periods, such as tennis players or runners. No matter which type of athlete you are, your need for the three basic macronutrients -- carbohydrates, protein and fat -- is the same. The only thing that will change is the percentage of each.
Explosive Athletes
If you are an athlete that requires energy for strength and explosive power, you need to consume enough calories and nutrients for your daily activities and for physical activity, muscle-building and repair. You should strive to get enough calories in your diet and make them "quality" calories. Do this by focusing on foods that will help you achieve the optimal muscle composition and energy levels you need to excel at your sport. To do this, eat frequently throughout the day, and eat plenty of fresh and whole foods, which are full of vitamins and minerals.
Diet Plan for Explosive Athletes
If you are the type of athlete who requires strength and explosive power, strive to get 8 to 10 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of your weight. When choosing carbohydrates, focus on whole grains, such as whole-wheat breads and cereals, as these are also high in fiber. In terms of your daily protein, you should aim to consume around 1.5 to 1.7 g of protein per 1 kg of your weight. Your daily fat intake should be the remainder of your daily caloric intake. Focus on healthy fats, such as monounsaturated fats, instead of unhealthy fats, such as saturated or trans fats. Because you might want to maintain, or gain, lean body mass, avoid foods with "empty calories," as these will fill you up but provide few nutrients.
Before each training session, have a low-fat snack that is high in carbohydrates and has some of protein. Your pre-exercise snack should also be low in fiber, to prevent unwanted gastrointestinal reactions. Finally, after-training, choose foods that are low in carbohydrates, but higher in protein, fiber and fat. This will provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to repair itself before your next training session.
Endurance Athletes
If you are an endurance athlete, you know you need calories for your day-to-day activities and for extended periods of strenuous activity. You also need extra calories so you can re-stock your glycogen stores, which usually need replenishing after a long training session as well as the adequate nutrients to repair muscles. Glycogen stores are your body's energy storage. For endurance athletes, it is important to focus on eating frequent meals throughout the day, as well as making and eating the right meals before, during, and after your training sessions.
Diet Plan for Endurance Athletes
Endurance athletes usually require energy for extended periods. Aim to consume from 8 to 12 g of carbohydrates per 1 kg of your weight every day. For your daily protein intake, aim to consume around 1.2 to 1.7 g of protein per 1 kg of your weight, and for your daily fat intake, strive to get from 0.8 to 1 g of fat per 1 kg of your weight.
Pre-training snacks are important for an endurance athlete. Eat a meal that is high in carbohydrates, has a little protein in it, and is low in fat and fiber. This will help your body access the quick energy you need to train. During-training snacks are also important, and should be carbohydrate-rich. These include sports drinks, sports gels, fruits, crackers and peanut butter. Finally, what you eat after your training will help your body replenish the energy stores it lost during exercising and recover before your next session. These meals should be low to moderate in carbohydrates; high in lean proteins, such as chicken, eggs or legumes; and high in fiber and healthy fats, such as canola and olive oil.
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