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EAT TO COMPETE!!! Optimal performance depends on your personal energy, which we get from mental attitude (I can do it, I want to do it and I am going to do it), from physical activity (persistance when it comes to trainings, you need to motivate yourself constantly) and at the third place there is proper nutrition. Even if you eat well, but not train, you are not going to get outstanding results, same when you eat well and train but your mental attitude is wrong, then you also not going to get anywhere. Also, you need to reduce alcohol intake and smoking, otherwise healthy food is not going to help much as well. 1. Carbohydrates – 60-70% of our diet, which is approximately 300 g (it is for people who do sports). Glucose is the simple sugar used by cells to produce energy. If the body does not need glucose for energy, then it stores it in the liver and muscles in a form called glycogen. If glycogen stores are full then glucose is stored as fat. A well-nourished adult can store approximately 500 g/2000 kcal of carbohydrates. Of this, approximately 400g are stored as muscle glycogen, 90-110 grams as liver glycogen and 2-3 grams circulate in the blood as a glucose. For low intensity excercise (distance running etc.) glycogen stores can last as long as 90 min, for prolonged high intensity exercise, glycogen stores can provide energy for about 20 minutes. Glycogen stored in the muscle is used directly by that muscle during exercise, it cannot borrow glycogen from other resting muscles. Simple carbohydrates you’ll find mainly in fruits, complex ones you’ll find in starchy vegetables (all kinds of potatoes, squashes, pumpkin), mildly starchy-fibrous vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, beets, broccoli, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms, pepper, spinach, zucchini), legumes (peanuts, lentils, peas and beans), all kinds of WHOLE grains (whole wheat, brown rice, rye, barley, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, oats). For example: 14 g – slice of whole bread, 15-20 g – banana, 15 g – apple, 44 g - ½ cup raisins, 15 g – orange, 29 g - corn on the cob, 28 g – cup of oatmeal, 21 g – apple, 26g – medium potato. 2. Protein – around 10-15 % of our diet, which is for people do sports, between 100130 g /day (men), 80-100 g (women). Protein sources: animal products (beef, chicken, fish, eggs, milk), grains, legumes (beans, lentils, peas, soy products), seeds and nuts, green leafy vegetables. Examples: 1 egg – 6 g, ½ cup tofu – 10 g, 1 cup lentills – 18 g, ½ cup of boiled broccoli – 2 g, 1 cup of yogurt – 10 g, chicken breast of 80 g (weight) – 29 g. Beef and pork contain good source of protein but are loaded with saturated fatty acids, on the other hand they contain more iron, then white meat like chicken, turkey, fish. These contain high quality of protein as well, so it’s best to choose lean cuts of red meat and alternating with white meats. Fish, nuts and seeds contain healthy oils, so it is good to choose these foods over meat and poultry. Eat in moderation, excess of protein leads to calcium resorption from bone as a response to the disruption of acid/base balance. 3. Fat – around 20 % of diet, 65-80g/day, good sources: nuts (coconut), seeds, oils (nonscented coconut oil is the best choice for cooking), avocados. 1 cup of whole milk (3.3%) – 8.2 g, 1 teaspoon olive oil – 4.5g, ½ cup of cashews – 31g, 1 avocado – 15-30 g, ½ cup brazil nuts - 46g 4. Essential nutrients: a) vitamins, b) minerals, c) essential fatty acids (EFA), d) essential amino acids (EAA). a) vitamins – the B-complex are used to convert proteins and carbohydrates into energy. Studies have shown that athletes, who lack vitamin B-complex have reduced high-intensity exercise performance and are less able to repair damaged muscles. Sources – whole grains, dark green vegetables, nuts and animal products. b) minerals – calcium 1-1.5 g/day (animal products, fish, eggs, beans, fruits, green leafy vegetables), iron – 10-15 mg/day (meat, shellfish, dried fruit, nuts, whole grains, egg yolks, legumes), magnesium 500-800 mg/day (dairy products, seafood, whole grains, legumes, green leafy vegetables), potassium – 3500 mg/day (meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, whole grains, fruits, vegetables), sodium – 2400 mg (meat, sardines, sauerkraut, green olives), selenium – 70 g/day (organ meats – liver, kidneys, seafood, whole grains, diary products, fruits, vegetables), zinc – 8-11 mg/day (red meats, sea food, whole grains, legumes, nuts). c) essential fatty acids (EFA) – omega 3 (-linolenic acid), omega 6 (linoleic acid). Play important role in life and death of cardiac cells, prevent depression, nerve function. Sources: fish, shellfish, flaxseed, hemp oil, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, walnuts d) essential amino acids – eight out of 20 aa are not synthetized in our body and we have to provide them with food. Complete protein contain all eight amino acids (meat, poultry, eggs, fish, milk products), whole grains like quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth. Plant foods are generally not the source of complete protein, but it is not necessary to always consume complete protein, provided that variety of foods is consumed. 5. Fiber – cell-wall component of plant materials. Daily intake: 40-60 g/day. There are two types of fiber: a) insoluble (mainly cellulose), which absorb large amounts of water and helps to create stool, it prevents digestive disorders and colon cancer. Sources: whole grains, skin of fruits and vegetables, b) soluble – combine with water and form gels, this type of fiber has the ability to reduce cholesterol levels. Source – oats, legumes) 6. Supplements – protein supplements, amino acids, vitamins, creatine – limited data on long term use, potential side-effects, generally there is no need for any supplementation with varied, balanced diet. 7. Acid - base balance: The maintenance of an acid-base balance in blood (proper pH) is critical for life. These days, we eat to many products that are acid-forming. The more acid forming products we consume the more stressed and tired we feel. Acid forming foods: caffeine products, meat, diary products (excluding kefir and yogurt), fish, seafoods, eggs, legume, whole grains, processed foods, Alkali – forming foods: most fruits (except cranberries, plums and prunes), vegetables, nuts (except chestnuts) 8. Hydration – For intensive trainings longer then 60-90 min, we need to replenish electrolytes lost with sweat. Electrolytes are ions – components, that carry the charge (sodium – Na+, potassium – K+, calcium – Ca2+, magnesium – Mg2+, chloride – Cl-, hydrogen phosphate – HPO42-, hydrogen carbonate – HCO3-). They are needed for many cellular reactions, proper hydration/blood pH/nerve and muscle function. Generally you should drink plenty of water, homemade sports drink (see recipe below: electrolyte lemonade), coconut water from young green coconut (has perfect balance of all electrolytes, its composition is identical to human plasma). In the United States, there has been already produced a healthy alternative to sports drinks – it is called “Iso5” and the main ingredient is coconut water! Sport drinks: Sports drinks provide some electrolytes, but also contain artificial sweeteners, colorants and preservatives. The regular and frequent use of sports drinks can lead to increased dental decay (sugar component). For proper hydration you may monitor the color of your urine or you may weight yourself before and after the training/match. 9. Superfoods – nutritionally packed foods: goji berries, acai berries, cacao, maca, hemp, spirulina and chlorella (algae). If I would try to give you one golden rule that applies to everybody I would be very much wrong, because such does not exist. Everybody has different genetic make up and metabolic rate and you need to observe and listen to your body. I am not going to ask you to become vegetarian, vegan or convince you to eat meat. What you need to do for the begining is to ADD small things to your already existing menu. The problem with most existing diets is effect yo-yo. Why? Because people are torturing themselves by cutting out most of the products and completely change the way they eat. After several months they literally attack the fridge and get back to their previous weight. You need to change things one at the time. This will help you to develop new habits and will also help you to be persistent while applying those new habits. VARIETY is the key to a balanced and healthy diet. Just watch what you eat and think what it contains: if you eat cereal in the morning, sandwich during lunch and pasta in the evening, then I am sure you provide enough carbs in your diet, but then you need to add some other foods loaded with minerals, vitamins, enzymes, protein and fat. Don’t worry about the numbers, I put them here just to give you an idea, but you really don’t have to count grams etc., unless you are trying hard to lose weight, but even in this case you should not torture yourself with numbers… add some healthy stuff to what you already eat and your body will balance everything out resulting in feeling more energized. How to lose excess body fat? You need to consider the amount of calories you take. Even if you eat fat free or low fat, the excess of carbohydrates and protein can be converted into fat. It is ok to eat less fat as a part of calorie restricted diet, because fat contains more than twice the amount of calories per gram than carbohydrates and protein, plus fat is more readily stored as fat because it doesn’t have to be converted like carbohydrates and protein. The best is to reduce amount of processed carbohydrates. You need to burn more calories than you consume, if you are still gaining weight, you need to reduce caloric intake, or increase physical activity. What do you want to avoid: - processed carbohydrates – white pasta, white bread, white rice. These products are nutrient depleted (25% less protein, at least 17 key nutrients depleted), but also have high glycemic index (measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood sugar levels), which means that they will release sugar to our blood stream very quickly and overstimulate insulin production. High insulin levels can result in inflammation, weight gain and insulin resistance, which may lead to type II diabetes. In addition, insulin resistance in muscle cells reduces glucose uptake (local storage of glycogen). If there is no specification on the product that it is WHOLE wheat/rice, then it is processed product, - white table sugar (sucrose, saccharose) in pure form or in snacks (bars, cookies etc), sugar-loaded soft drinks and table white salt (use instead sea salt) - fried/deep fried foods, (production of toxic acrylamide, e.g. french fries, crisps) - fast foods, Generally processed food makes your body more acidic, which in turn will make you feel more stressed and tired. What are you going to add to your menu: - organic (if possible) raw fruits and vegetables, - nuts - rich in fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants, vit. E, folic acid, copper, magnesium, manganese, selenium, nuts lower the risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, dementia, gallstones, when consumed on a daily basis, nuts increase longevity for about 2 years. Although they contain lots of fats (unsaturated healthy fats), they don’t increase body weight. Nuts will make you feel full for longer periods of time – perfect for breakfast! 1-2 days before training/match – meals should include whole grain pasta, brown or whole grain rice, whole grain bread. Try not to consume to much protein or fats, since they slow down the digestion and do not promote glycogen storage in muscles. Drink plenty of fluids, preferably in the form of water. The day before match – rest. 2-4 hours before training – consume meal rich in carbohydrates (65-125 g) – e.g. piece of bread with tomato slices and low fat- cheese, one or two bananas with yogurt, small portion of spaghetti etc. 2-3 hours before training – light meal, e.g. sandwich, salad, soup 1 hour before training: Green smoothie, eventually some crackers Just before training – liquids (avoid simple sugars, if exercise is to last more than 30 min.) Try not to feel hungry just before the exercise. Consuming carbohydrate within the first 30 min. after exercise optimizes replenishement of glycogen stores, so straight after training you should go for: -water, your homemade sport drink, fruit juice, date/honey- containing snacks, banana, watermelon, melon, pineapple/mango pieces, raisins, sports bar (only with good ingredients – NO SUGAR), fresh corn on the cob (corn generally) Meal after training to replenish glycogen (generally 100-200 g of carbohydrates should be replenished within 2 hours after the exercise): 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein, so 1/3 of your plate can be protein (e.g. lean meat/ chicken/turkey (all organic if possible), tofu) and 2/3 can be carbohydrates (boiled or eventually baked potato, whole grain pasta, brown or whole white rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranto and quinoa - complete protein grains). Examples of 100-200 g carbohydrates: 3 cups of pasta, 2 cups of rice, 3 cups of mashed potatoes, 6 cups of mixed vegetables with corn, or peas. Additional tips: - eat small meals, but more often (stabilizes blood sugar), - eat only healthy snacks (piece of fruit, carrot, bars without sugar etc… ) – you’ll find them in health food stores, - drink lots of water, only herbal teas, less or no coffee, try to avoid alcohol, - try not to miss a meal (especially breakfast) RECIPES: 1) Nut shake: mix 1 cup of soaked in water (24h) and rinsed nuts (any kind) with fruit (e.g. banana, apple), add some milk (soy or cow’s milk), or water. Blend. QuickTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. 2) Green smoothie: blend at least 4 cups of spinach (best young spinach) with 2 cups of water, add 1-2 bananas, mango, apple, honey to taste (if you like sweeter taste). Blend and drink. QuickTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. 3) - Electrolyte lemonade – (to drink after workout or in the summer): 4 lemons (you may try with less – maybe with 2 lemons for the begining) 1 tablespoon of flax or coconut oil 1 tablespoon (or less) sea salt fruit (e.g. strawberries), add as much as you like to taste 6 cups of filtered water honey to taste Peel lemons, add the rest of ingredients and blend. This drink not only is refreshing, but contains electrolytes, helps to detoxify the liver, kidneys and gallbladder. It is a powerfull immune system booster and energizer! QuickTime™ and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. Ask for more recipes! ([email protected])