Diet for Athletes

By. Sheikh Tulal Ahmad (NIS) Athletic

Each and every human being, be it a child or adult, needs good nutrition for proper body development and nourishment. However, as far as the athletes are concerned, they need optimal nutrition for the best performance. Eating the right foods helps you maintain desirable body weight, stay physically fit, and establish optimum nerve-muscle reflexes. Without the right foods, even physical conditioning and expert coaching aren't enough to push you to your best. Apart from good training, a proper nutrition is essential for blossoming in the industry of sports.
Food is what we eat, nutrition is what we need. Although the nutrition requirements vary according to the event in which the athlete participates, there are certain general guidelines regarding the diet of athletes. A healthy diet for an athlete includes the following elements:
• Carbohydrates
• Fats
• Proteins
• Vitamins
• Minerals
• Fibers
• Water
Carbohydrates are the chief providers (about 50%) of energy during early stages of a medium level exercise and when the exercise is of a short duration (about 1 to 1.5 hours). Carbohydrates provide more energy for the same amount of oxygen consumed as compared to fats. Oxygen is obtained from inhaled air; thus burning of carbohydrates results in less exhaustion. Carbohydrates are available in honey, fruit, milk, cereals, potatoes, other grain products and sugar.
Fats are the main energy providers during long duration exercises; while free fatty acids supply the remaining half of the energy during moderate exercise (the other half being provided by carbohydrates). Fats are a concentrated source of energy and their use in providing energy avoids the use of protein for the same purpose. This is useful as protein is required for the building up of tissues.
Proteins are the building blocks of the body, building and repairing tissues and muscles. They along with carbohydrates and fats also provide energy and play a significant role in strengthening the immune system. The intake of proteins may have to be increased for an athlete. However, excessive intake of proteins results in increased water requirement for eliminating nitrogen through urine, thus leading to dehydration. Extra protein intake also results in a higher metabolic rate that requires more oxygen.
Minerals are an important constituent of an athlete's diet. Potassium regulates muscle activity, iron is required for the formation of haemoglobin and therefore in carrying oxygen, calcium is essential for building strong teeth and bones and zinc is required for normal growth and for energy production in muscle cells. A normal diet is enough to replenish the loss of sodium due to sweating. Excessive sodium intake should be avoided. Potassium-rich foods like oranges, bananas and potatoes provide enough quantity of the mineral. Here again, excessive intake will lead to hyperkalemia, causing muscle weakness and palpitations. Iron is contained in meat, poultry, fish and dark green leafy vegetables. More than normal iron intake can lead to constipation. Dairy products are a good source of calcium.
Vitamins assist in better absorption of iron and play a role in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. They also act as antioxidants preventing cell damage. Athletes are more vulnerable to cell damage as they inhale more oxygen. Fruits and vegetables in general, contain vitamins. Fibers keep the bowels regular and reduce blood cholesterol.
Water levels directly affect fluidity of blood which transports nutrients, and therefore energy inside the body. Water also regulates the body temperature. Water is obtained through fluids. Low temperature fluids should be preferred as they are absorbed quickly. It is better to consume water at regular intervals during the day and not wait till thirst makes itself felt, as by then the athlete is exhausted. This is in addition to the ad hoc consumption during exercise.
As far as the nutritional diet of sportsperson is concerned, there are lot many things that deserve proper attention like selection of foods, timing of food intake, selection of nutrition supplement and many more. These things are again decided, keeping in mind several factors like the athletes' energy needs, body composition, nutritional needs etc.
Here are some sports nutrition diet tips:
• There is a need to consume fats and infact 20-25% of your energy should come from fats. If the fat intake would be less than that, it won't be able to make any contribution in boosting your performance level.
• There is a need to eat food before, during and after your exercise session, as that helps to control blood glucose level, thereby helping in enhancing your sports performance.
• When an athlete performs his/her sporting activity, lot of fluid loss takes place, which causes dehydration. Dehydration can eventually cause heat stroke. So, it is vital to drink adequate water during and after your sports performance.
• It is advisable for sportspersons to eat a balanced diet consisting of plenty of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Opt for complex carbohydrate food and the intake of fat should be in moderate quantities.
• It is vital to plan out your pre exercising or sports meal that works best towards charging your energy. Limit the quantity of salt and simple sugar.
• Don't change your diet plan before going in for your sports competition.
• Fasting is not recommended for sportspersons, as it is likely to hamper their performance level.
• If you feel some kind of an uncomfortness or pain in your abdomen or intestine, then you must have had a high fiber or high fat content food in your pre exercise/sports meal, so take care that it doesn't happen again.
Your body requires a variety of nutrient sources. Happily, there is a wealth of options available to you. A healthy diet for athletes should include a mix of the following foods: legumes (e.g., beans), pastas, lean meats (e.g., chicken), vegetables (e.g., tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower, potatoes, peas), fruits (e.g., melon, apple, bananas, grapes) vegetable soup, fish, whole-grain breads (e.g., brown bread), cheese (e.g., cottage cheese, low-fat spread cheese), brown rice, and dairy (e.g., yoghurt, skimmed milk). And, be sure to drink plenty of water: 8-16 glasses per day.
As an athlete, you owe it to yourself to fuel your body with the best foods you can find. You will feel better, look better, and perform better in the gym and on the field