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Important Nutrition Guidelines for Athletes Why is Nutrition important? Eating a quality diet will benefit you in many different ways. This includes: !" Higher levels of energy !" Less likely to fatigue during activity !" Improved academics !" Maintain athletic body composition The fundamental differences between an athlete’s diet and someone of the general population are that athletes require additional fluid to cover sweat loss and additional energy to fuel physical activity Why is it important to eat frequently? Infrequent eating patterns (eating 1-3 meals per day) will impact your performance and may cause the body to store more fat. An athlete needs more than 3 meals a day to make up for energy lost during activities. A snack is a good way to help you keep up energy levels inbetween meals and to eat every 3-4 hours. A snack could consist of a protein shake, sandwich, and/or fresh fruit. Planning your meals and snacks to fit your daily schedule is important. !" Active 13-18 year olds need approximately 2200 calories/day to sustain energy/performance levels !" Some athletes may require more calories per day depending upon daily activity and intensity of activity Why is breakfast important? In the morning blood sugar levels are low and metabolism is at its highest. Our body will not function if our energy supplies fail, so it is important to eat breakfast in order to help cope with the demands and activities of the day. If we don’t consume enough fuel in the form of carbohydrates, our bodies break down fat into glycerol and fatty acids, to compensate for the energy deficit. The liver, kidneys, and muscles absorb the glycerol and fatty acids, and the mitochondria (the power house of the cell that functions in energy production) convert them into ATP (source of energy for physical activity) , which fuels all of the body’s processes. Consuming Nutrients for muscle gain and recovery: The timing of nutrients, especially protein and carbohydrates, are extremely important to repair damaged muscle tissues caused by activities. Having a combination of protein and carbohydrates immediately post workout can improve muscle recovery by 250% as opposed to not eating or drinking. An athlete needs 60%65% carbohydrates in their daily diet and 12% 15% protein of their energy intake [1]. Athletes should eat .5g – 1g per pound of body weight of protein. It is also important to fuel your body before exercise; however how much you eat depends upon the amount of time left before the event. During endurance exercise you lose electrolytes, so hydrating with electrolytecontaining-fluids such as Gatorade or PowerAde is very important! Why is it important to fuel sports nutrition? Fuel burned during exercise is highly dependent on the intensity and duration of exercise performed, gender, and prior nutritional status. Events over 2 hours: !" Protein should be ingested if the event is over 2-3 hours to prevent the body from breaking down muscles for energy !" Due to digestion, avoid taking in a lot of solid foods because they may cause stomach issues during the event Events under 2 hours: !" Consuming carbohydrates during exercise lasting longer than 45 minutes ensures the muscles have adequate energy, especially towards the end of the workout !" When you exercise at a low to moderate intensity, fat is the primary fuel source; at increased intensity, your body uses more carbohydrates for fuel !" Eat plenty of carbohydrates because after you glycogen (which is stored in your muscles and liver and the fastest form of energy available as well as released up to 3 times faster [2] ) supply has decreased your body starts to burn fat decreasing the intensity of exercise How does nutrition supplementation impact your performance? Appropriate supplementation can be extremely beneficial for strength, performance, and recovery goal, however most supplementation is unnecessary! Multivitamins are an option in ensuring proper nutrient is received . Examples of com- mon supplements include: !" !" Whey protein is most common—( Origin is milk, process where milk is being turned into cheese) Creatine - naturally occurring amino acid. Why is important to have a plan for good nutrition? Athletes who have a good quality diet have a plan in place to achieve their goals. A good plan might include bringing a packed lunch to an event to avoid concession stands and fast food, having healthy food in your house/apartment, as well as planning any nutrients that may be needed if you are a vegan, vegetarian, diabetic, etc. What is carbohydrate loading? A high-carbohydrate, low-fat meal consisting of complex carbohydrates (such as pasta) the night before the competition may help to build up your glycogen level. The goal of this motive is to increase glycogen availability in order to avoid running out of carbohydrates during competition/ activity. Why is it best to avoid fast food? Many options on fast food menus are high in calories, fat, and sugars. A day of balanced nutrition can be wasted selections at a fast food restaurant. When eating out, try to choose healthier restaurant options or make smarter choices off of the menu by using nutritional information found online or at the restaurant. Why is it important to stay hydrated? Environmental conditions such as heat, humidity, and direct sun can lead to heat illness in athletes. Body temperature, electrolyte balance, and absorption of key vitamins and minerals are altered depending on your hydration status. It is important to go into any active event (practice, lifting, game) hydrated. Dehydration can significantly impact your performance. Even mild levels of dehydration (3%-5% of body weight) can hurt athletic performance. If you have not had enough fluids, your body will not be able to effectively cool itself through sweat and evaporation. [3] It is important to maintain your hydration during the event as well as rehydrating after the event. Consuming up to 150% of weight lost during an exercise session may be necessary to cover sweat loss[1] !" Clear – Straw colored urine = proper hydration levels !" Dark yellow urine – inappropriate hydration References: 1."Nutrition and Athletic Performance." Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 32.12 (2000): 2130-145. Print. 2. Hoch, A., K. Goossen, and T. Kretschmer. "Nutritional Requirements of the Child and Teenage Athlete." Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America 19.2 (2008): 373-98. Print. 3."Heat Injury and Heat Exhaustion - Your Orthopaedic Connection - AAOS." AAOS - Your Orthopaedic Connection. Web. 22 June 2011. <http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/ topic.cfm?topic=A00319>.