If you are an athlete, you have unique nutrition needs. Because you work out more than your less-active peers, you need extra calories to fuel both your sports performance. You also need added nutrition to fuel your growth!
So what happens if you don't eat enough? Your body is less likely to achieve peak performance and may even break down when high-intensity demands are made on it. If your body is deprived of additional calories, you simply cannot be as fast and as strong as you should be.
For example an athletic, rapidly-growing 15-year-old boy, may need 4,000 calories a day just to maintain his weight. On the other hand, an inactive girl of the same age will need fewer than 2000 calories to keep her weight steady.
Did you know?
It is actually more difficult to gain muscle than to gain or lose fat.
Do-it-yourself sports drinks
* Glucose water
* Nimbu pani (fresh lime water)
* Nimbu pani using coconut water
Your sports diet schedule
2 – 3 hours before sporting event/ exercise session:
Complex carbs + protein
A complex carb main dish along with a small portion of protein works wonders. Examples of complex carbohydrate and proteins combos include a chicken sandwich, paneer and salad roti roll, roti with veggie and dal, cereal and milk, toasted veggie sandwich and lassi, or pasta with paneer and veggies.
Complex carbs : cereals, roti, bread, crackers, rice, pasta, fruits and veggies. It's best to go for whole grains when possible!
Proteins : meat, chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, soya products, and dairy products. Opt for lean meats and low fat dairy when possible.
1 hour before the game:
Consider not eating anything for the hour before you compete or have practice because digestion requires energy — energy that you want to use to play well. Also, eating too soon before any kind of activity can leave food in the stomach, making you feel full, bloated, crampy, and sick.
Within 45 minutes of your workout:
It's absolutely vital that your glycogen stores are replenished post workout. If you don't replenish these stores, you can run out of fuel for immediate exercise. Athletes often refer to this as "bonking" or "hitting the wall."
The post-exercise meal should ideally be had 45 minutes after exercise. Why? Because this is the time when the muscles absorb the most nutrients, and when glycogen, an energy reserve in your muscles, is replaced most efficiently.
If you are looking for the best way to refuel your body after long, strenuous exercise, a 4:1 combo of carbohydrate and protein seems to be the best choice – for every 4 grams of carbohydrates, consume 1 gram of protein.
Post workout, concentrate on easy-to-absorb carbs, combined with proteins. Your body needs carbs that are quickly absorbed, to give you the maximum nutrient boost (Avoid biscuits, chocolates and candy bars – as they are not nutrient-rich foods!).
Carb–protein post workout combos
*Milk or yoghurt and fruit
*Smoothie with milk, fruits and few nuts
*Fruits and cottage cheese
*Apple or banana and a handful of nuts
Sports energy drink vs. water
You need to be adequately hydrated to replenish fluids (sweat) lost during strenuous exercise and sports activities. Dehydration can cause dizziness, weakness and fatigue. Please remember, colas do not qualify as sports drinks!
Sports energy drinks are suitable if you are exercising at a high intensity for a prolonged period of time – that is more than 60 minutes.
If you are going to be exercising for less than 60 minutes, do not worry about consuming a sports drink. Commercial sports drinks are formulated for athletic use, with the primary purpose being fluid and electrolyte replacement (particularly elements such as sodium and potassium).
Three muscle builders
1. Exercise
2. Get adequate nutrition
3. Get enough rest for muscle recovery
Carb + protein = power-packed performance!
Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for athletes. No matter what sport you play, carbs provide the energy that fuels muscle action. Protein works in tandem with carbohydrates, to build muscle. An adequate carbohydrate intake prevents protein from being used as energy.
Remember, muscle growth comes from regular training and hard work. It is true that athletes need a little more protein than most people, a daily intake of 1 gram to 1.5 gram of protein per kilo of body weight. This helps to build large, strong muscles. But taking in too much protein can actually harm the body, causing dehydration, calcium loss, and even kidney problems.
The writer is a certified Clinical Exercise Specialist, Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist.
