Fitness
Article
Nutrition and
Athletic Performance
A.D.A.M.,
Inc.
Definition
The relationship between food
consumption and athletic performance.
Function
Perhaps only an elite athlete would
value the subtle improvements in performance that dietary changes can
provide. There is a large body of evidence showing a relationship between
food consumption and athletic performance. A poor diet will almost
certainly have a negative effect on the performance of even the most
casual athlete. A good diet providing adequate calories, vitamins,
minerals, and protein will help provide the energy required to finish a
race or simply enjoy a recreational sport or activity.
Recommendations
The diet recommended for an athlete
differs little in composition from the diet suggested for any healthy
individual. The Food Guide Pyramid is an excellent guide, however, the
amount of each food group needed will depend on the type of sport, the
amount of training and the time in relation to activity or exercise.
Calorie needs vary with the size, age, sex and physical activity performed
by the individual so the number of servings a person requires will vary.
CARBOHYDRATES:
Complex carbohydrates are a diet staple.
They are found in foods such as pasta, bagels, whole grain breads and
rice. They provide energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals and are low in
fat. Carbohydrate loading (a concerted diet/training regimen) will
increase the body's energy stores of carbohydrate (called glycogen). It
has been shown to improve performance in endurance-type activities lasting
more than 1 hour. The classical method of carbohydrate loading has been
abandoned and replaced by a modified method which is safer and equally
effective at increasing muscle glycogen. The most important factor
influencing glycogen stores is to consume 50 to 60% of the calories from
carbohydrates on a daily basis.
Simple sugars such as soft drinks, jams
and jellies, and candy provide few nutrients but a lot of calories. They
may actually decrease performance when consumed directly before an
athletic event as they may cause hypoglycemia.
PROTEIN:
Protein's most important functions in
the body are to support growth and to repair body tissues. Many people
feel athletes need a high protein diet to support muscle growth despite
the fact that researchers have repeatedly proven this false. It is also a
myth that a high protein diet will promote muscle growth. Only strength
training and exercise will promote changes in muscle. Athletes, even body
builders, require only small increases over normal needs in order to
support muscle growth. Athletes easily meet this increased need by simply
consuming more total calories (eating more food). Americans already eat
more protein than they need, almost two-fold, so protein needs for muscle
development are being met before strength training begins. Excess protein
is used as energy and can be stored as body fat. Amino acid supplements
and excessively high intakes of protein are not recommended. They can
increase calcium loss, and put an added burden on the kidneys which are
required to filter the excess nitrogen protein provides.
WATER AND FLUID:
Water is the most important, yet
over-looked, nutrient by athletes. Water and fluids are essential to
maintaining good hydration and body temperature. Sweat losses to keep the
body cool can exceed several liters in a 1-hour period. Adolescents and
adults should replace any lost body weight lost during a exercise with
equal amounts of fluids. A good indication that you have fully rehydrated
is to check to see if your urine is clear. Cool water is the best choice.
Some suggestions for maintaining
adequate hydration are:
- Drink plenty of water, juice and milk.
- Avoid caffeine containing beverages. Caffeine is a diuretic and promotes fluid loss.
- Drink plenty of fluid before, during, and after exercise.
- Offer children water frequently during sports activities; they do not respond to thirst as readily as adults.
ACHIEVING DESIRED WEIGHTS FOR
COMPETITIVE PURPOSES:
Changing body weight to improve
performance must be done safely and effectively or it may do more harm
than good. Maintaining an unrealistically low body weight, rapid weight
loss, and unnaturally suppressing weight gain can have negative health
effects so it is important to set realistic body weight goals.
Young athletes attempting to lose weight
will benefit from a consultation with a Registered Dietitian; eating
disorders and poor dietary habits may result from experimentation with
diets. The Food Guide Pyramid is an excellent resource to ensure adequate
food intake to meet vitamin and mineral needs while safely achieving body
composition goals.
Make sure that you speak with a health
care professional to discuss a diet appropriate for your sport, age,
gender and amount of training.
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