Diet
If you want to be keeping healthy, one of the main things you need to control is what you eat. Good nutrition, combined with physical activity will help you maintain your desired level of fitness, prevent chronic diseases, and promote general health. Since I am particularly interested in what different types of athletes should be eating, this page will have many tips on what food you need to consume to be succesful in your particular area of sport. There will also be, however, information about general diet.
General Diet
What types of food should I be eating to keep a balanced diet?
A balanced diet consists of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, helathy fats, and healthy proteins. The most important part of having a balanced diet is of course, 'balancing', the food groups. You should be eating the right amount of each food group. The picture of the food pyramid below will help you understand what food must be consumed more than other food.
A balanced diet consists of vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, helathy fats, and healthy proteins. The most important part of having a balanced diet is of course, 'balancing', the food groups. You should be eating the right amount of each food group. The picture of the food pyramid below will help you understand what food must be consumed more than other food.
Athletes
Do nutrition needs of an athlete differ from other students?
Your nutritional requirements aren't much different from a student who has chosen to be less active.
You have the same needs for a variety of nutrients including vitamins and minerals and about the same requirements for fat.
Your need for protein is only slightly higher as an athlete than that of the non-athlete.
Important nutritional difference you have as an athlete is that your carbohydrate needs are generally much higher. Your body's most efficient energy source.
If your sport or physical activity patterns require a higher energy intake you can eat more from all the food groups, and may even have extra room for foods usually thought of as empty calorie treats (more desserts, soda, higher sugar granola bars, etc.).
5 food groups give you the major nutrients your body needs:
· Protein
· Carbohydrates
· Fats (also called lipids)
· Vitamins
· Minerals
· important "nutrient" for athletes is water
How should I eat before I compete or exercise?
"Pre-game meal"
It is impossible to make up for sparing on meals and snacks during the week by eating one super meal on game day. Your muscles and endurance level can't be fooled that easily.
Your energy will remain highest during a competition or exercise routine if you have eaten a light meal or snack about 2 or 3 hours prior to exercising.
This allows your body to have some available energy in the form of circulating glucose.
The small meal or snack should be mostly carbohydrate, while it could have some protein.
It should also be very low in fat, to allow your stomach to digest this food quickly. Some Examples are:
Examples
· Yogurt with graham crackers
· Bowl of cereal with low-fat milk
· Low-fat granola bar
· Fig newtons and a glass of low-fat milk
· Bagel with slice of low-fat cheese
· Fruit smoothie made with non-fat yogurt
· Oatmeal made with raisins and low-fat milk
Timing full meals on the day of your competition
It will take about 4 to 5 hours for complete digestion of a normal sized meal. Some athletes are more nervous before competing.
Anxiety usually slows the digestive process. Which would result in them having to allow more time before exercising. To solve this problem you could:
Eat a lower fat meal.
Use relaxation techniques (perhaps look at the meditation page.
Anything that you know might calm you down, and not affect your digestive process.
Does it matter what I eat after I exercise?
You may not know it, but this is the most important time to pay attention to what you eat, even though many athletes don't think too much about the "post-game" meal.
What you are putting into your body and feeding your muscles within the first 30 minutes to 2 hours after you work out or compete can make a very big difference on your performance the next time.
Paying attention to immediate replacement of carbohydrates is especially important (build glycogen)
This helps to prevent chronic fatigue and acute burnout that some athletes experience.
You should not be eating any fatty junk food after exercise. This is one of the worst things you can do.
'Can I be a vegetarian and still be a powerful athlete?'
It is definitely possible to be a strong and competitive athlete while keeping a vegetarian diet and many people have done so. However, you will have problems keeping up with the protein-needs of the traditional athlete diet. Proteins are found in other foods than meat, but in smaller quantities. This means you need to eat a bit of all these substitutes to keep proteins in your diet(for instance protein powders). It is a myth that vegetarian diets are not suitable for athletes, and many athletes have proved this including NFL star Tony Gonzalez, cyclist Dave Scott, and Track Star Carl Lewis.
Your nutritional requirements aren't much different from a student who has chosen to be less active.
You have the same needs for a variety of nutrients including vitamins and minerals and about the same requirements for fat.
Your need for protein is only slightly higher as an athlete than that of the non-athlete.
Important nutritional difference you have as an athlete is that your carbohydrate needs are generally much higher. Your body's most efficient energy source.
If your sport or physical activity patterns require a higher energy intake you can eat more from all the food groups, and may even have extra room for foods usually thought of as empty calorie treats (more desserts, soda, higher sugar granola bars, etc.).
5 food groups give you the major nutrients your body needs:
· Protein
· Carbohydrates
· Fats (also called lipids)
· Vitamins
· Minerals
· important "nutrient" for athletes is water
How should I eat before I compete or exercise?
"Pre-game meal"
It is impossible to make up for sparing on meals and snacks during the week by eating one super meal on game day. Your muscles and endurance level can't be fooled that easily.
Your energy will remain highest during a competition or exercise routine if you have eaten a light meal or snack about 2 or 3 hours prior to exercising.
This allows your body to have some available energy in the form of circulating glucose.
The small meal or snack should be mostly carbohydrate, while it could have some protein.
It should also be very low in fat, to allow your stomach to digest this food quickly. Some Examples are:
Examples
· Yogurt with graham crackers
· Bowl of cereal with low-fat milk
· Low-fat granola bar
· Fig newtons and a glass of low-fat milk
· Bagel with slice of low-fat cheese
· Fruit smoothie made with non-fat yogurt
· Oatmeal made with raisins and low-fat milk
Timing full meals on the day of your competition
It will take about 4 to 5 hours for complete digestion of a normal sized meal. Some athletes are more nervous before competing.
Anxiety usually slows the digestive process. Which would result in them having to allow more time before exercising. To solve this problem you could:
Eat a lower fat meal.
Use relaxation techniques (perhaps look at the meditation page.
Anything that you know might calm you down, and not affect your digestive process.
Does it matter what I eat after I exercise?
You may not know it, but this is the most important time to pay attention to what you eat, even though many athletes don't think too much about the "post-game" meal.
What you are putting into your body and feeding your muscles within the first 30 minutes to 2 hours after you work out or compete can make a very big difference on your performance the next time.
Paying attention to immediate replacement of carbohydrates is especially important (build glycogen)
This helps to prevent chronic fatigue and acute burnout that some athletes experience.
You should not be eating any fatty junk food after exercise. This is one of the worst things you can do.
'Can I be a vegetarian and still be a powerful athlete?'
It is definitely possible to be a strong and competitive athlete while keeping a vegetarian diet and many people have done so. However, you will have problems keeping up with the protein-needs of the traditional athlete diet. Proteins are found in other foods than meat, but in smaller quantities. This means you need to eat a bit of all these substitutes to keep proteins in your diet(for instance protein powders). It is a myth that vegetarian diets are not suitable for athletes, and many athletes have proved this including NFL star Tony Gonzalez, cyclist Dave Scott, and Track Star Carl Lewis.