Athletes have special nutritional needs, because they must eat to provide themselves with energy for competition. While an athlete might consume a diet with high caloric values, he must also learn to eat healthy foods that do not lead to health problems in the future. Following a mostly balanced diet that contains additional carbohydrates during the season provides the energy that these athletes need, while keeping them healthy.
Carbohydrate Needs
Carbohydrates should find their way onto every athlete's plate because they provide energy for competition. Although they contain a high calorie count, these calories turn into glycogen very quickly, which the body converts into energy. Do not over-consume carbohydrates, however; you should focus on making them a part of your healthy diet, rather than the only item in it. While endurance athletes might follow a diet containing 70 percent carbohydrates in the days leading up to an event, carbohydrates only provide 40 to 50 percent of the average athlete's energy.
Protein Needs
Most athletes do not need additional protein in their diets because they naturally consume enough each day. Six to 7 ounces of protein is all you need to stay healthy. This protein can come in the form of fish, poultry, lean cuts of beef, seeds, cheese, legumes and eggs. Your body converts any excess protein that you consume into fat.
Fat Needs
An athlete can consume more fat than the average person can because her body uses additional fats for energy once she burns your carbohydrate energy. When competing in a lengthy endurance race, as much as 75 percent of your energy might come from fats. This is because your body can only hold enough glycogen to last between 90 and 120 minutes. Once that time has elapsed, it begins burning fat for additional energy. The average athlete, however, should not consume more than 30 percent fat because it is unlikely that your body burns more than that during an event.
Pre-game Meal
Your pre-game meal provides much of the energy that you use during the event, making it an important part of your healthy diet. Your meal should contain mostly complex carbohydrates like pasta, whole grains and rice because they convert to energy the fastest. Consume between 500 and 1,000 calories at this meal, and eat it three to four hours prior to the start of the game. Do not consume foods that are high in fiber or fat, because your body does not have time to convert them into energy.
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