Performance-enhancing diet -
You also need to make sure you have enough fuel left after exercise to use for building strong bones and skin, fighting off illness and recovering from activity.
Eating enough food to match your activity level can be challenging. This can cause what is called low energy availability LEA. LEA is a sign that your body does not have enough energy left over after exercise to protect and grow your body.
LEA may even cause a female athlete to lose their monthly menstrual cycle. This is called amenorrhea. Female athletes without a menstrual cycle have about 6 times as many stress fractures in their career than those who do have a menstrual cycle.
Athletes typically need at least 3 meals and snacks daily to prevent LEA. Choosing whole foods is like picking the best tools for your athletic journey. They provide your body with the energy and nutrients it needs to perform at its peak. Eating whole foods gives your muscles fuel to help you run faster, jump higher and get stronger.
Here are some examples of whole-food choices. Carbohydrates are important for physical activity and can seriously boost your performance. They give you more energy for the effort you put in during your activity, compared to fats and proteins.
They are also important for keeping your hormone levels, like estrogen and progesterone, in check. Carbohydrate foods should make up the biggest part of what you eat as an athlete. Even a short period of carbohydrate restriction can affect your bone health.
This happens by lowering the number of bone-building substances while increasing the amount of elements that break down your bones. Overall, this can lead to weaker bones. Aim to fill your plate half full of carbohydrate foods such as pasta, bread, rice, potatoes, quinoa, couscous and others.
This guide is designed to be used for meals only. You will most likely also need to eat snacks between meals to keep your energy levels up. Snacks play a crucial role in fueling an athlete. Due to the high training demand of sports and recreational activities, it can be difficult to get enough fuel by consuming only 3 meals daily.
If you play a sport or engage in physical activity often, snacks per day between meals can help you stay energized and on top of your performance. Here are some snack ideas:. Tiny chia seeds offer 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon. A chia pudding or smoothie can get you nearly half the fiber you need in a day if you add portions of chia.
They also offer a source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids which offer anti-inflammatory properties to help the body recover from a tough workout. Cocoa is a wonderful beneficial food for athletes. It contains more phenolic antioxidants than most foods including catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins.
Research has found that these antioxidants help ease inflammation and help prevent the blood from becoming sticky, supporting the cardiovascular system and promoting heart health in athletes. Coconut water is higher in commercial sports drinks in potassium but lower than them in sodium.
For the best type of natural fuel post very sweaty workout, reach for unsweetened coconut water and a salty snack. One recent study on runners attempting a 1-mile race found that 60 minutes after ingesting 0. If you need some quick energy to prepare for a workout or to replace energy lost as a post-workout snack, look no further than pure, natural dates.
Aside from complex carbohydrates and natural sugar, dates contain calcium and magnesium, important minerals for bones and muscles to work optimally. They are perfect to take in a pocket for a long run or bike ride.
Like beans, edamame contains a perfect blend of protein and complex carbohydrates to fuel athletic performance. A cup of edamame contains 8 grams of fiber in addition to antioxidant isoflavones daidzein and genestein to help calm inflammation and irritation in the body after a tough workout.
Nutrient-rich eggs are a protein-packed pre or post-workout fuel. In order to get the optimal benefits from eggs, make sure to eat the yolks which contain significant amounts of protein, zinc, choline, and vitamins A and D. One egg fulfills about 10 percent of your daily protein needs and are perfect on-the-go snacks to pop in your gym or lunch bag.
Choose omega-3 enhanced eggs to increase your intake of healthy fats. While garlic may not be the most optimal seasoning to consume before working out, it can be a wonderful addition post-workout or simply as a general flavoring to cook with in the diet to calm inflammation and support gut health for athletes.
Add it to sauces, salad dressing, spread it on veggies or bread or roast it up on its own to serve with dinner tonight as an important part of your sports-replacement regimen. A powerful anti-inflammatory, gut-soothing herb, ginger is important for athletes.
People who experience GI distress when working out should consider ginger tea or grated ginger in smoothies or other foods.
Ginger contains strong anti-inflammatory compounds due to its gingerol and other phenolic antioxidant compounds. Include in both sweet and savory dishes as well as in dressings and sauces for a delicious taste as well as health benefits.
Have some for breakfast or dessert or simply grab a handful pre- or post-workout for a balanced snack that fuels the body and replaces energy spent.
Similar to coffee, green tea is known as an ergogenic aid to fueling sports performance. It contains powerful compounds called catechins and amino acid L-theanine which targets relaxation and the reduction in stress as well as antioxidant support.
Nuts and seeds may be under-represented sports fuel. They mix with other foods known to fuel sports performance like fresh or dried fruit or granola — also on this list.
Hazelnuts are high in vitamin E which has been shown in some studies to boost training performance in elite athletes. Tiny hemp seeds are a natural source of essential anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids helpful in calming inflammation in the body.
Athletes need to get a reliable source of essential fatty acids to ensure optimal performance and inflammation support and hemp seeds contain these compounds in addition to complex carbs and protein.
Nutty-flavored hemp seeds are perfect for sprinkling on cereal, oats or adding to granola. Use honey to sweeten fuel like energy balls, oats, cereal, granola and in whole-grain sandwiches to fuel your next long run or ball game. Kiwi fruit has a couple important properties for fueling athletes.
In addition to natural carbohydrates and fiber to keep the muscles working properly, kiwis are rich in antioxidant vitamin C and important electrolyte mineral potassium. A perfect individual serving of energy-promoting fruit, tart green kiwi fruit are a perfect snack to grab pre- or post-workout.
Whichever melon you enjoy the most, any type will support athletic performance. Cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon all contain a high water content to support hydration, complex carbs for supporting long-burning energy and vitamins, minerals and antioxidants critical to the body.
Chop up melon or blend into a smoothie for breakfast on a big training day or for a hydrating snack after your workout. Another whole grain like oats, rice or quinoa, millet originated in Asia and Africa and can be used in a number of recipes including muffins, porridge, salads, fritters, gratin or served as a side-dish.
It is a gluten-free grain that offers complex carbohydrates for long-burning energy as well as vitamins and minerals that athletes need including b-vitamins and magnesium.
There has been a lot of talk in this post about the importance of carbohydrates and for good reason: carbs are THE most important source of fuel for athletes. The type of fiber in whole grain oats can actually help your muscles get more fuel and nutrients as needs increase with lots of activity.
Slow burning complex carbohydrates like oats provide steady blood sugar to optimize energy over time. Oranges are an amazing on-the-go snack to take to a game, an event or the gym.
Whether you choose regular oranges or small tangerines and mandarins all offer complex carbohydrates, water and vital nutrients including vitamin C, known to reduce oxidative stress in athletes. Papaya contains proteolytic enzymes that help break down the protein in your diet, optimizing digestion.
You can get access to this benefit by eating papaya or taking chewable supplements. This spicy herb has been studied as a dietary supplement in athletes shown to calm oxidative stress that comes along with hard physical activity.
Parsley contains antioxidant flavones which impart the slightly bitter taste. Free radicals are actually produced during muscle contraction so fueling the body with antioxidant support to help quench this damage is key.
Include parsley in green juice and smoothies, salads and sauces. An exciting study came out recently in the British Medical Journal that indicated that eating pasta in the context of a low-glycemic dietary pattern read: lean protein, fruits, veggies, healthy fat and whole grains helps to reduce body weight and support health.
It can be mixed into energy balls, bites or bars, stirred into oats or spread onto toast for a pre- or post-workout snack. Athletes need to replenish their stores with electrolytes including potassium and sodium.
Certain foods can get you exactly what you need. Best of all, pickles also contain magnesium and iron to help meet the needs of athletes. The LG Health Hub features breaking medical news and straightforward advice to help individuals of all ages make healthy choices and reach their wellness goals.
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LG Health Hub Sports Medicine. Health Hub Home Sports Medicine What Athletes Should Eat: Back to the Basic Food Groups What Athletes Should Eat: Back to the Basic Food Groups Published: March 6, Authors: McKenna Welshans, MBA, RD, LDN, ACSM-EP, CSCS, CSSD. Protein Whole eggs white and yolk Greek yogurt Milk String cheese Lean red meats Poultry.
Healthy Fat Avocado Peanut butter Nuts and seeds Olive or canola oil Hummus Flax seed add to baking or cooking. McKenna Welshans, MBA, RD, LDN, ACSM-EP, CSCS, CSSD McKenna Welshans, MBA, RD, LDN, ACSM-EP, CSCS, CSSD, is a sports nutritionist with LG Health Physicians Sports Medicine.
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In Wisconsin clinic and hospital locations masks are required during Prebiotics for enhanced immune function patient interactions. In Illinois Performancd-enhancing and hospital Performance-enbancing masks are required in some areas and strongly Performance-enhancing diet in others. Learn more. Every athlete strives for an edge over the competition. Daily training and recovery require a comprehensive eating plan that matches these physical demands. The keys to peak nutrition performance aimed to complement your training and competition are reviewed below. The energy needs of athletes exceed those of the average person.
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