Achieving the best results – is one of the most important goals of every athlete. There are of course many more of them, and many of them coincide with those put before nutrition.
A proper, properly balanced diet is an inseparable element of the life of every person practicing sport. It depends on her health, well-being and fitness. It affects both development and achieving satisfactory results. It should be developed taking into account factors such as gender, age, height, weight, health and current intensity of training. However, every diet, regardless of individual characteristics, has similar goals. Check what are the main nutritional goals of each athlete!
Optimal body weight
Body weight is of great importance not only in sports, where players are qualified in age or weight categories – it is a guarantee of the right form. The weight cannot be too low or too high – it must be optimal. Even in long-distance running, one kilo too much can make the rider come second instead of the first.
That’s why athletes often lose weight before competition. Their main goal is to reduce body fat while maintaining maximum muscle mass. After all, muscles are the most important thing.
The right energy balance
Adequate energy supply is of great importance in nutrition of athletes. For people who train a lot, the energy expenditure is relatively high, so they need to provide the body with enough energy to fill the gaps. Therefore, knowing individual needs is important. The same goes for people who want to burn fat or increase their muscle mass.
The energy value of consumed meals should cover the daily expenditure and fully meet the needs. Both too high and too low value can have a negative impact on the achieved results.
Carbohydrates – the basis of the athlete’s diet
Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy. The demand for athletes is about 50-70% of the total demand for total energy. Make sure you take carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. In addition, they should be easy to digest, digest and store.
Athletes usually take them during training. This allows them to replenish energy while saving resources. Recommendations for eating carbohydrates depend primarily on the training load – a different amount of carbohydrates should be taken by a person whose load is relatively light, and another one who is very high. All arrangements should be based entirely on the individual situation of the individual, including gender, age, effort and type of sport.
Protein after training
As you know, proteins are considered the basic building material – they enable normal muscle growth and development. During exercise, their synthesis in the muscles is inhibited, and only after the end of the exercise it increases – that’s why proteins should be taken after training.
The demand for physically active people is about 1-2 g per 1 kg of body weight. This value is individual and depends, among others, on the type and intensity of training. When taking protein, you need to pay special attention to the level of calcium in the body, because increasing its level can lead to the loss of this element.
Dietary fats
The diet of athletes must not lack fat – they should constitute 25 to 30 percent. energy demand. Products containing mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids should be taken. Instead, you should limit your animal fat intake.
Not only the form of fat meals, but also their type is important. For example, heavy meals should not be eaten immediately before training, as this may cause discomfort during exercise and any subsequent digestive problems.
Vitamins and minerals to improve physical performance
Of course, you can’t forget about vitamins and minerals. High energy expenditure can lead to shortages of some micro- and macroelements, which is why you should often do research to constantly monitor the situation. Do not allow any deficiency in any of the elements, as this could lead to a decrease in both concentration and physical performance.
What vitamins most athletes lack? First of all, those from group B, but also A, C and E. In the diet of a physically active person, iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium should not be missing – these are the elements that we lose with sweat.
Daily requirements for vitamins and minerals can be covered by enriching the diet with antioxidants. However, if someone trains intensively and the supply of this type of ingredients with food is insufficient, it is worth considering taking nutrients or supportive preparations. However, any supplementation should be consulted with a dietician.
How can a dietician can help?
A proper diet will make you have more energy, improve your performance, increase endurance and achieve better training effects. A dietician will help you choose it.
Today, not only professionals cooperate with this type of specialists. Those peoaple who visit gyms and fitness clubs to improve their appearance and well-being also contact a dietician to make they effort more effective.
The dietitian creates a tailor-made diet based on the current state of health, type and frequency of trainings, as well as the lifestyle and possibilities of preparing meals. If necessary, the dietician also recommends supplementation.
With the help of a nutrition specialist, you will achieve satisfactory results in sport and avoid nutritional mistakes. Over time, you will develop habits and get to know which products are good for you and which ones should be permanently eliminated from your diet.
Read more: Dietician Warsaw
