Whether you play soccer, swim, run marathons or do power lifting, you need to eat a nutritious, well-balanced diet to fuel your body. All athletes need a diet that provides enough energy from three macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats and protein. Depending on whether you are an endurance athlete, strength athlete or team sports athlete, your body has slightly different nutritional needs.
Team Sports
If you participate in team sports, you should nourish your body for cardiovascular endurance and short bursts of intense activity. Carbohydrate intake should be at least 6 g per kilogram of body weight; a kilogram is about 2.2 pounds. During rigorous training such as two-a-days, you need 8 to 10 g per kilogram. Eat nutrient-dense carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables and whole grans. Your protein intake should range from 1.4 to 1.7 g per kilogram and come from lean meats, eggs, beans tofu or soy. A fat intake of 0.8 to 1.0 g per kilogram is appropriate for all athletes and should come from unsaturated fats such as peanut butter, nuts, seeds and olive oil.
Endurance Sports
If you engage in endurance sports, your body needs calories to replace those you expend through exercise in addition to replenishing glycogen or energy stores. In addition, you need nutrients to repair lean muscle mass. Endurance athletes should get a minimum carbohydrate intake of 5 to 7 g per kilogram of body weight. When engaging in more intense training, increase to 10 to 12 g per kilogram. Protein intake should be 1.4 to 1.7 g per kilogram.
Strength Sports
If you are a strength athlete such as a bodybuilder or football player, eating the right foods is important to replace calories expended through exercise and to repair and build lean muscles. Your carbohydrate intake should range from 5 to 7 g per kilogram of body weight for low-intensity training. When you engage in moderate or heavy training, increase your carbohydrate intake to 7 to 12 g per kilogram and 10 to 12 g per kilogram respectively. The recommended protein intake for endurance athletes is 1.2 to 1.7 g per kilogram.
Hydration
Regardless of what sport you participate, in remaining hydrated is as important as providing your body with nutrient-rich foods. You should drink eights glasses of water per day in addition to replacing fluids lost through perspiration during exercise. One easy way to monitor if you are hydrated is if the color of your urine. It should be pale yellow; darker urine indicates you should rehydrate.
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