Rowing is an intense sport that demands both total-body muscular strength and high levels of cardiovascular fitness. Training for competitive rowing is typically intense, which means rowers need plenty of calories for fuel. Women rowers have particular nutritional needs, as they may risk amenorrhea or anemia if their diets are low in energy and nutrients. If you have any specific concerns about your training diet, consult a doctor or nutritionist.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are an athlete's primary source of fuel, and studies of collegiate women rowers, reported in "Nutrition In Sport," showed rowers that ate high-carbohydrate diets had more muscle glycogen and greater power output compared to women on a lower-carbohydrate diet. The book recommends competitive rowers eat between 3 and 5 g of carbohydrate per pound of bodyweight, per day. Good sources of carbohydrates include wholegrain bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes, squash and legumes.
Protein
In order to repair and build muscle women rowers need higher levels of protein than nonathletes. "The Female Athlete's Body Book" recommends between 1/2 and .9 g of protein per pound of bodyweight. It also notes that as long as women get the calories they need for training from a balanced diet they probably don't need protein supplements. Since excess protein causes calcium excretion and may lead to osteoporosis it is important to avoid overdoing it with protein supplements and adequate amounts from lean dairy, meat, fish and plant sources instead.
Iron
One key nutrient for women is iron. It is vital for the formation of red blood cells and oxygen transport, making it critically important for athletes. Because of menstruation, women are typically at higher risk of anemia, which can lead to fatigue, damaged immunity and poor athletic performance. Rowers should eat an abundance of iron-rich foods, such as beef, turkey, chicken, fortified cereals, spinach and beans.
Nutrient-Dense Foods
Endurance rower Roz Savage, in her book "Rowing The Atlantic," writes that her diet was based on simple, nutrient- and energy-dense foods including nuts, dried fruit, powdered milk, nut-and-seed bars, oatmeal, beans, tuna, beef and chocolate. The majority of these foods provide multiple micronutrients, for example, both fat and protein, or both carbohydrate and protein, helping to ensure an adequate supply of calories and nutrients. Though taken to an extreme for Savage's cross-ocean rowing, this basic principle applies to female rowers in ordinary circumstances -- the more nutrient-dense food you eat the better.
Member Comments