A diet for an athlete can determine how many records are broken and how many competitions are won or lost. Sports nutrition goes right along with training to prepare for an event or get in shape for a season. If you're aiming for peak performance, pay close attention to your diet to achieve a winning advantage.
Diet and Performance
Although record-breaking sports achievements depend on a variety of factors --- good genes, good training, drive and conditioning --- first-rate nutrition is not negotiable. The International Olympic Committee Medical Commission Working Group on Sports Nutrition urges all sports participants to consider diet a key element of successful training and performance. "Diet" refers to a nutrition control program, not a weight-loss program. An IOC report credits a nutritionally balanced, high-energy diet with consistent competitive performances, increased confidence and maintenance of an ideal body weight and physique.
Crucial Carbs
Carbs are to most athletes what wind is to yacht racers. According to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, athletes who follow high-carbohydrate diets consistently outperform athletes who eat low-carb, high-protein diets. Carbs provide 40 to 50 percent of the energy expended during a sport. The body turns carbohydrates into glucose, which is stored in the muscles as glycogen. During longer or more vigorous exercise, the stored glycogen provides a steady source of efficient fuel. Colorado State University Extension says that switching to a diet of 70 percent carbohydrates for three days before an event can help long-distance athletes. But the University warns that the practice of depriving the body of carbs for a week to boost carbo-loading right before an event can be risky for the heart.
Eating for Endurance
Eating to improve endurance means finding the balance between storing enough glycogen in the muscles and consuming too many calories and adding excess weight. Fueling with carbohydrates is essential for endurance sports, but Ohio State University Medical Center's division of sports medicine says a key strategy is to eat a small meal or snack every two to four hours to feel better and perform better. OSU's doctors recommend including protein in snacks to support muscles. Plates for three balanced meals each day should have one-third whole grains, one-third fruits and vegetables and a one-third protein.
Value of a Sports Dietitian
The serious athlete consults a sports dietitian to develop an optimum nutrition plan based on type of sport, level of engagement, body composition, weight and training goals. The dietitian calculates calorie expenditure, seasonal training and performance fluctuations, habitual fluid and fuel choices and food sensitivities. The athlete keeps a food log, and the diet is fine-tuned regularly for consistent improvement and injury prevention.
Weight Control
Losing weight is tricky for athletes. If enough calories are not consumed, the body loses lean muscle tissue, not fat. In fact, a weight-loss diet could backfire, leading to increased fat mass, a lower metabolic rate, poor performances and overtraining injuries. Sports nutritionists at the College of William and Mary base weight management plans on meal frequency. Weight-control diets depend on small meals that provide a steady stream of macro and micro nutrients throughout the day. Major weight loss happens off-season and must be completed six weeks before the season begins. A loss of no more than 1 to 2 lbs. a week is recommended.
References
- Montana State University: Sports Performance Can Improve With Attention to Nutrition
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Nutrition for Endurance Athletes
- College of William and Mary: Sports Performance Nutrition
- Colorado State University Extension: Nutrition for the Athlete
- University of Texas: IOC Report on Nutrition for Athletes
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