Fueling for athletic performance -
Adding the wrong fuel can lead to the car breaking down. When we talk about fuel for humans, we are talking about calories or energy. Calories can be broken down into 3 macronutrients, which are Carbohydrate, Fat and Protein. Intense exercise results in an initial reduction in performance capacity.
Imagine trying to complete the same intense session directly after completing it. Naturally, there would be a reduction in performance compared to the opening session. There is a need for adequate recovery between sessions, with adequate nutrition a pivotal component.
The first and most important consideration is to ensure an athlete has enough calories. As athletes demand more of their bodies via exercise, the energy demands of the athlete exceed that of the average person.
Failure to reach the energy demands can lead to weight loss often muscle mass , illness, psychological and physical symptoms of overtraining and probably most worrying to the athlete a reduction in performance.
There are many equations to assist athletes gain estimates of the number of calories required such as the Harris-Benedict equation and Mifflin St Jeor equation.
However, most often it is the case that such equations will need to be adjusted following a period of trial and error. Carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel during high intensity exercise.
Research shows the greater the volume of training, the greater the carbohydrate requirement for athletes. vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Minerals will help with keeping energy levels up, maintaining bone health, and boosting overall immunity.
The micronutrients of key interest include iron, vitamin D, antioxidants, and calcium. Color is also key. By choosing a variety of colorful food from macronutrients, the vitamins and minerals in micronutrients have a better chance at working their magic.
A well-balanced diet is essential for growing athletes to maintain proper growth and optimize performance in all athletic undertakings.
Training hard and overworking the body can lead to inflammation and tearing of tissues. Having an adequate diet will aid in healing, rebuilding, and preparing the body for that next workout or competition. It is advised that recovery foods are consumed within 30 minutes of the activity, and then again within 1 to 2 hours.
This will help with reloading the muscles with glycogen and give the body proper recovery. Possible combinations include yogurt and fruit, a bagel with peanut butter and water, or that trusty orange slice with a sports drink.
The foundation for success on the field begins with smart choices in the kitchen. Proper preparation and knowledge of what works for your body is an excellent starting point.
Small changes in daily habits will lead to greater results in the end. Your relationship with food and exercise is one of the best things you can do for yourself and for your athletic performance. Are you looking for guidance on how to get your nutrition and movement back on track?
If you or your athletes have any questions or needs, Spooner Physical Therapy is here to help! Schedule an appointment or complimentary movement screen with one of our movement specialists here. Fueling Your Movement and Why It Matters.
Home Exercise Life Physical Therapy Sports Medicine Fueling Your Movement and Why It Matters. Previous Next. Food Fuels Movement Proper nutrition does not just begin at half time. Macronutrients Carbohydrates provide key fuel for the brain and central nervous system and also serve as a versatile component for muscular work.
Micronutrients Vitamins and minerals are the name of the game. Foods, not supplements, are the best sources of fuel. Supplements are generally expensive, have a poor taste, and still don't measure up to the nutrient quality of foods.
Supplements such as energy bars can be used if an athlete is struggling to maintain weight during intense training or when balancing school and practice. However, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich can provide just as much energy as a bar. Energy drinks generally contain large amounts of sugar and caffeine.
The sugar gives an athlete quick energy but usually causes them to "crash" at the end of practice or competition. The caffeine can have sideeffects as well, such as feeling anxious or jittery. Fluids are also a key to peak performance.
In general, active teens will need nine to as much as 15 cups of fluid each day. All fluids are hydrating so a glass of juice with breakfast and milk with other meals is part of the total recommendation.
Flashback perfofmance the good old days of youth sports, athleyic orange slices dominated the playing perforamnce during half Fueling for athletic performance. These bright orange Natural detox supplement full Healthy appetite control easily digested carbohydrates, vitamin C, and water fuel young stars with a necessary and important boost that will keep them energized throughout the second half. From the youth sports players to the top professional athletes, nutrition is a key component to success in athletic performance. Take LeBron James for instance. During the NBA Playoffs, LeBron took a much-deserved break on the sidelines.Fueling for athletic performance -
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Wrist Sprains Fueling and Hydrating Before, During and After Exercise. How Should I Fuel and Hydrate BEFORE Exercise? of fluid How Should I Fuel and Hydrate DURING Exercise? For exercise lasting less than 60 minutes : Fuel: Eating may not be necessary for short practice or competition period Hydrate: Water is the fluid of choice during most physical activity For exercise lasting more than 60 minutes : Fuel: Having a carbohydrate rich snack can help maintain your energy level throughout the long practice or competition period Hydrate: Sports drink may be helpful by keeping you hydrated as well as maintaining electrolyte levels Try drinking oz.
Within minutes after exercise : Fuel: Fuel the body with carbohydrate and protein to maximize recovery Replenish the carbohydrate stores following exercise so the body is ready for your next workout Protein helps with the repair and recovery of the muscles Hydrate: Replenish fluid lost during exercise to help the body return to optimal body temperature Rehydrate with oz.
of water for every pound of water lost through sweat hours after exercise : Fuel: Eat a well-balanced meal with carbohydrate, protein, and fats Hydrate: Continue to rehydrate with fluids You can also hydrate your body by eating water-rich fruits and vegetables Remember, you cannot out-train poor nutrition and hydration.
of fluid one hour before exercise None or water oz. of fluid every 15 minutes Rehydrate with oz. You May Also Be Interested In. Article Sports Nutrition. Article Healthful Snack Choices for Youth Sports.
Meal: High carbohydrate, moderate protein, low fat and fiber. Balanced meal: Carbohydrate, protein, and fats. Drink oz. of fluid one hour before exercise.
While there are plenty of supplements on the market that claim to enhance athletic performance, the most important starting point for any athlete or coach is mastering the basics of a good diet. Understanding the main food groups and their role in supporting our bodies is vital to helping athletes and their teams make the right choices.
Carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, minerals, and a sufficient intake of fluids provide the basis for any healthy diet. Once those fundamentals are in place, a trained nutritionist or dietitian can help with fine-tuning a dietary plan to suit the individual needs of each athlete.
Carbohydrates provide our bodies with their primary source of energy, especially during intensive exercise. One gram of carbohydrate provides approximately four kilocalories of energy. This energy is stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver.
It can be released more quickly than other forms of energy and is readily available for working muscles to use during exercise. Research shows that keeping adequate levels of glycogen stored in the muscles helps to delay fatigue and gives a small boost to performance, especially for athletes competing in endurance events of 90 minutes or more.
The exact amount of carbohydrate an athlete should consume depends on multiple factors, including their training schedule, body composition, and fitness levels.
Current recommendations suggest an intake of grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight. Good sources of carbohydrates include fruit, whole grains, starchy vegetables, and yogurt. Many athletes know that protein is important for building and maintaining muscles, so it is no surprise that getting a lot of protein-rich foods is often a priority for them.
Protein is indeed a key building block for muscle growth and repair. It can also act as a secondary fuel source, although only once the body has run out of carbohydrate stores. Athletes do need a little more protein than non-athletes to support muscle repair, but most already get more than they need.
Excess protein is usually stored by the body as fat, so regularly consuming more protein than your body needs may lead to weight gain, as well as other health issues. As a rule, most adults should aim to eat no more than 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day.
Again, the exact amount of protein suitable for each athlete will depend on their individual needs. For example, the USADA suggests 1. While protein supplements remain popular among athletes, the best sources of protein are whole foods, which also contain other nutrients that our bodies need.
Lean meats, fish, legumes, whole grains, nuts, eggs, and dairy are all good options. While carbohydrates provide our bodies with their primary source of energy during intense activity, fat is also an essential fuel, especially during light to moderate exercise.
As athletes increase their fitness levels and are able to perform well at lower intensities, fat becomes more important as an energy source. Stored fat also provides essential energy for athletes competing in endurance and ultra-endurance events.
Fat plays other roles in our bodies too and is necessary for the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. High-fat diets have become a topic of interest in recent years, for athletes and non-athletes alike. These diets are typically associated with lower carbohydrate intake.
Although evidence suggests our bodies can adapt relatively quickly to a high fat, low carbohydrate diet, this comes at the cost of our ability to efficiently use muscle glycogen as a quick fuel source for high-intensity activity.
While there are some scenarios where athletes may consider this an acceptable sacrifice, the current sports nutrition guidelines do not support these diets as a strategy for enhancing performance. Of course, there are different types of fat and not all are made equally. While monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have many benefits for our health, saturated and trans fats raise LDL cholesterol levels and increase inflammation, which may slow recovery time.
Athletes should aim to reduce saturated and trans fats while maintaining a good intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Sources of healthy fats include nuts and seeds, oily fish, avocadoes, and oils like olive, walnut, peanut, and sesame. In addition to the macronutrients discussed above, athletes need to ensure adequate levels of micronutrients like vitamins and minerals.
The most important vitamins and minerals for athletes include calcium, vitamin D, B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium, vitamin C, and vitamin E. A varied diet that is rich in whole foods should provide adequate levels of most of these micronutrients. Fruits and vegetables are especially rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as dietary fiber, which is essential for gut health.
Eating a wide range of different vegetables and fruits also gives athletes access to the other phytonutrients present in these plant-based foods. These colorful compounds act as antioxidants, protecting our bodies against inflammation. As such, they may help to support recovery and reduce muscle soreness after exercise.
One potential exception to the food-first approach to nutrition for athletes is vitamin D. Since vitamin D is vital to bone health, not getting enough may increase the risk of injury. Athletes may choose to supplement with vitamin D to ensure adequate levels. Keeping well-hydrated should be one of the greatest nutritional priorities for any athlete.
Water is quickly lost during exercise and needs to be replenished to prevent dehydration. Not only does dehydration impair athletic performance, through decreased oxygen and blood supply to working muscles, but it also can have serious implications for our health.
Athletes need to keep up their fluid intake whether they are exercising or not and should pay special attention to how much they drink before, during, and after training and competitions. Being thirsty is, sadly, not an accurate guide for when we need to drink fluids.
Instead, athletes should pay attention to the color of their urine — dark urine is a sign of dehydration, while pale, clear urine indicates adequate fluid levels. This water needs to be replenished within 6 hours at a rate of 16 to 24 ounces — ml for every pound grams lost.
Water is the best choice if athletes are just trying to hydrate. However, during longer workouts or endurance events, athletes also need to consider replenishing electrolytes and carbohydrates. Aim for a daily intake of at least an ounce per pound of body weight or 50 ml per kilogram of body weight , plus enough to replenish anything lost during physical activity.
Ideally, athletes should aim to eat a meal hours before a training session or event to ensure adequate glycogen stores to fuel their activity. Eating before exercise also helps to prevent hunger and low blood sugar. This meal should focus on carbohydrates and a small amount of protein.
Avoid heavy, greasy, or fatty foods which take longer to digest. The closer to an event the meal takes place, the smaller it should be to avoid stomach cramps or upset. On event days, it is also best to concentrate on familiar foods that the athlete already knows they will tolerate well.
Fueling for athletic performance fuel and hydration before, during, performahce after exercise is Fuling to getting Fueling for athletic performance most out of your training and Healthy appetite control performance. Carbohydrates, atlhetic and fats peerformance the nutrients fro provide the body with energy. A balanced eating plan that supplies the right amount of fuel and fluid is important for sports performance. Summary of nutrition and hydration recommendations and examples can be found in the table at the end of this article. Remember, you cannot out-train poor nutrition and hydration. Food is fuel and your body needs good nutrition to train and perform at your best!
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