What is the ideal athlete’s diet?
Date:
31/05/2011
Although diet cannot replace factors like training, effort, talent and personal exertion it still can make a difference in attaining the target of top level performance. Physical activities increase the body’s demand for nutrients. Athletes require more energy and loose more fluids. Following the rules of healthy eating helps the person feel better and maintain their form. Anadolu Medical Centre specialists share information on what a professional athlete’s diet should be.
Daily energy requirement of an athlete is something completely personal. The amount of energy required by the sports activity depends on the intensity, duration and frequency of exercise, body build and weight as well as level of form. Muscle’s demand for energy raises proportional to intensity, length and frequency of exercise.
Both world-class athletes and people who are involved in sports for fun try to attain top level of performance. Athletes and non-athletes alike need the same nutrients to give their best performance. These basic nutrients are carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.
Carbohydrates: Athlete or not, carbohydrates are the basic source of energy for the body. Carbohydrates must provide 60 to 65% of our energy requirement since this is the basic fuel for muscles.
Coupled with training, a carbohydrate rich diet helps attaining a successful performance. Basically carbohydrates can be grouped in two: Complex carbohydrates and sugars. Also known as starch, complex carbohydrates are found in vegetables, grains and legumes whilst simple carbohydrates (sugars) are found (naturally or added) in fruit, fruit juice, milk sweets and non-alcoholic beverages.
Fats: After carbohydrates, fats are the second source of energy for active muscles. Besides being a more concentrated source of energy for other bodily functions they also play other roles including the transportation of fat-soluble vitamins. This is why fats need to remain in your regular diet, but in moderation. Fats should account for about 30% of your energy need and the extent of saturated fats should be no more than 10% of this amount.
Proteins: Proteins have a number of critical tasks in regulating body functions. They build and repair body tissues, they create enzymes, hormones and other body chemicals, they transport nutrients, and they contract muscles and facilitate body’s fluid balance.
Proteins also provide energy. However consuming excess amounts of protein has no benefit for athletes. Common belief is that consuming large amounts of protein increases muscle density. However, in reality muscle density and strength only rises by training. Consuming more than normal amounts of protein makes no difference.
Vitamins and minerals: Besides a great deal of other functions some vitamins and minerals assist the body in using energy generated from carbohydrates, fats and proteins (nonetheless they do not provide energy themselves). Some vitamins and minerals help muscle contraction and relaxation.
Physically active individuals need to consume larger quantities of vitamins and minerals. You should be meeting your body’s requirements if you are consuming greater quantities of food.
Excess use of vitamins and minerals (above recommended levels) presents no advantage in terms of athletic performance.
Water: Water is fundamental for the existence of the organism. Although, depending on the individual’s fat reserve, it is possible to continue living without nutrition intake for 1 to 2 months however the body cannot live without water for more than 3 or 4 days.
Water is one of the most important components of the body. 60-70% of body weight and 70-75% of muscle tissue consists of water. Meanwhile only a mere 10-15% of fat tissue consists of water. These rates vary depending on the individual’s age, gender and body fat percentage.
Water is behind several critical functions within the body including digestion, absorption and transportation of nutrients, transportation of waste products to lungs and kidneys created as a result of metabolic activity and regulation of body temperature.
Oedema (excess water accumulation in the body) will occur if water intake is greater than discharge. On the other hand dehydration (excessive fluid loss) will develop if discharged water is greater than intake.
On average, each day our body will discharge around 2500 ml of water and take in about the same amount through different methods. It is critical to drink at least 2 litres of water per day to meet the body’s water requirements. Water need is directly related to the amount of energy burned on a daily basis. Putting it simply, 1 ml fluid is required for every calorie burned.
The sensation of thirst is actually a poor indicator of meeting the body’s water requirements. We might be too late if we drink water when we feel thirsty. Urine colour, on the other hand, is a good indicator. If your urine is small in volume and dark in colour instead of a pale yellow you should be drinking more water.
Differences in athletes’ nutrient requirements:
Athletes loose a lot of water and therefore require consuming additional amounts fluid to meet this loss. Endurance and strength is closely related to fluid consumption.
The body will demand energy-rich nutrients and especially carbohydrates, the basic source of energy to meet muscles’ increasing demand for fuel.
Risks of dehydration: Fluid loss that corresponds to approximately 2-3% of body weight will be enough to adversely effect performance. (This is equal to 1.5-2 grams for a person of 70 kgs). Dehydration has an adverse effect on strength, endurance and aerobic capacity.
Why is consuming enough water so important?
To generate energy: Fluids play a role in the energy generation cycle. As an integral part of blood, water assists the transportation of glucose and oxygen to muscle cells. This in turn generates energy. Blood also collects waste products from muscles generated as an outcome of energy generation. Blood volume will decrease with fluid loss and the heart will have to work more to feed cells with adequate amounts of oxygen.
To cool down: Exercise will raise body temperature. Fluids are not only critical in reducing body temperature they also help cool down. Evaporation of sweat will cool the body preventing overheating.
To transport other nutrients: Water helps transportation of electrolytes and other nutrients within blood circulation and assists discarding waste products in the form of urine.
To protect: Water embodies body tissue and organs thereby protecting them from exercise related concussions and impacts.
Dehydration is an important risk factor adversely effecting performance. A rise in fluid loss can bring about problems like heat stroke, heat exhaustion and muscle cramps. Severe dehydration can be life threatening.
• Fluid intake is critical whichever discipline of sports you are involved in.
• Consume plenty of fluid before, during and after physical activity. Make a habit of always having water with you.
• Consume fluids even if you do not feel thirsty.
• Options like water, fruit juice, athlete’s drinks all help to meet the body’s need for fluid.
• Do not consume alcohol before and during a period of intense workout. Alcohol increases dehydration and adversely effects coordination, balance, muscle reflexes and visual perception. On the other hand alcohol’s suppressing, depressive qualities effects brain abilities, power of judgement and reduced reaction time. Alcohol’s effect on liver can cause the body to feel tired at an early stage.
Replacing body weight lost by dehydration:
• Get weighed before and after intense exercise and drink 0.5 litres of water for every kilo lost.
• Check urine colour. Sweat will not evaporate easily in hot and humid weather failing to cool the body effectively. This is why it is very possible that body temperature will rise whilst exercising in humid weather.
Early signs of Dehydration:
Early signs of dehydration include rashes on skin, fatigue, increased body temperature, spell of dizziness following an increase in respiration and heart beat rates, increased lassitude and respiratory difficulty during exercise. Fluid intake prior to appearance of symptoms prevents symptoms getting severe.
Not all athletes require consuming commercial sports drinks. However these drinks become important in providing extra energy to the muscles with supplementary carbohydrates for athletes involved in exercise for more than one hour. Sports drinks may be replaced with semi-diluted fruit juices.
NUTRITIONAL BUILD-UP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMPETITIONS
Nutrition is not something that is only significant before competitions. Similar to physical condition proper nutrition requires continuity. It is impossible for an athlete to deliver top-level performance if he or she has failed to practice correct nutrition habits throughout the training and competition season.
Pre-Competition Diet:
Meals before competitions actually have very little effect on the energy sources that allow our bodies to perform a great deal of activities. The most important quality of this meal is to maximise liver glycogen levels and suppress the feeling of hunger.
It is important to make the right choices in what to eat for this meal and their amount. Time of eating is as critical as the menu. Ideally the body needs 2-3 hours to digest a carbohydrate rich meal, 3 hours for a protein rich meal and 4 hours for a fat rich meal. As a general rule last meal before the competition should have been eaten 3-4 hours before. This period is enough for proper digestion.
Eating a main course close to competition time will mean that blood will focus on helping the digestion process, hindering effective circulation in muscles involved in exercise. This will have adverse effects on performance. Competitions at early hours of the day mean that the athlete should get up early and have a good breakfast allowing enough time for digestion. Athlete should maintain his or her diet in the week running up to the competition and refrain from making any fundamental changes.
It is important to keep to fluid support in the period before and just prior to the competition. Athlete should drink water, sports drinks and semi- diluted fruit juices and fluid loss should be monitored closely against dehydration.
Refrain from alcohol consumption. Alcohol damages coordination and causes dehydration.
On competition day, 2-3 hours before the event, athlete should eat a light meal rich in complex carbohydrates (fat-free toasted sandwich, cheese sandwich, pasta, boiled potatoes, etc.). Starting from 24 hours before the race refrain from consuming fatty, hot, spicy and very fibrous foods since they can cause gas and other discomforts. Keep clear from protein rich foods since not only do they have no effect in energy generation they also cause dehydration.
Nutrition During the Competition:
Should more than one race take place on the same day – Consume plenty of fluid during the competition to ensure proper hydration. Especially prefer complex carbohydrate rich foods to help maintain glycogen stocks. Consuming simple carbohydrates are also beneficial however do not east such foods 1-2 hours before the competition. This is enough time for blood glucose levels to return to normal.
For example, between 2 races:
If there is more than 3 hours to the race:
1. Ayran (savoury yoghurt drink), cheese sandwich fruit or fruit juice,
2. Milk, cereal, dried or fresh fruits
3. Yoghurt, boiled potatoes or pasta, fruit juice.
If there is 2 hours to the race:
1. Fat-free cheddar toasted sandwich, fruit juice
2. Fruit salad
3. Fat-free gozleme (thin pastry with cheese filling), fruit juice.
If there is 1 hour to the race:
1. Semi diluted fruit-juice
2. Sports drinks
Post-Competition Diet:
Priority following the competition is to re-establish body’s fluid balance by replenishing fluid lost through sweating. The ideal choice for this is:
- Water, carbohydrates and fruit juices containing vitamins and minerals (electrolytes),
- Soft foods containing fluid, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals (watermelon, melon, grapes and soup)
- Fluid, carbohydrate, sports drinks containing small amounts of vitamins and minerals or non-alcoholic beverages.
- Water is the cheapest and most well tolerated option.
After the race:
Thinking you might be dehydrated, you must drink the water you have with you even if you do not feel thirsty. Always have with you foods and drinks that will provide fluid and carbohydrate restoration. Do not forget that you have to replenish the energy lost following the race. The best way to replenish lost energy is to eat carbohydrate rich foods and drinks about 2 hours after the exercise.
Ready foods:
Keep clear from food sold openly presenting the potential of spoiling. Such foods can easily go off in hot weather with the risk of potential poisoning. These foods are rich in fat and therefore should not be consumed during the competition. Should you need to consume ready foods please make sure you know the contents, they are packaged well and within the sell by date clearly indicating production permit and storage conditions. Make sure the packaging is not damaged and you are able to trust retailer’s storage conditions.