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Nutrition Guide
For Athlete
In today’s world it is very hard for
athletes to stay on track of their diet and follow a healthy nutrition guide.
There is so much unhealthy food, fast food and other high calorie foods abundant
in the marketplace and it can be tough to stick to a strict regime. It is very
important for athletes to resist the temptation and stick to a healthy guideline
for the foods that they consume on a regular basis in order to be able to
perform at their peak level.
Often times the hardest part of
planning a healthy diet is to find the proper and correct information relating
to foods and the benefits that stem from different foods and food groups. An
athlete should do their best to weed out all the over-hyped products and magic
foods that are so immensely marketed today and stick to some basic foods for a
successful diet.
There are basically six essential
food groups that athletes need to stick to for their healthy balanced nutrition
guide. These include; protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, water, minerals and fat.
Below we will examine each carbohydrates and protein and why they are so
beneficial to a healthy diet as well as what vitamins and minerals they provide.
Protein is an essential nutrient for
any athlete and the right amount of it in your diet is the best way to maximize
your body’s efficiency. Protein should be at least a quarter of an athlete’s
caloric intake per day. This way an athlete will have the energy and nutrients
needed in order for the body to provide energy and have enough fat to stimulate
growth of muscle mass. Protein can lead to gained fat in the body, but only if
an athlete is not exercising on a regular basis. Protein supplies the power for
the body and without out, there is no hope for gained muscle mass or
optimization of the body. Protein contains all kinds of nutrients, vitamins and
amino acids that energize and maintain muscle.
Carbohydrates can be found in all
kinds of foods from vegetables right through to pasta and cereals. A proper
nutrition guide for athletes should include a lot of carb-rich foods that will
keep muscles, the liver and blood flow at optimal levels. It is essential for
athletes to consume 4 grams of carbs per pound that they weigh. So, if an
athlete weighs 200 pounds, they should consume 800 grams of carbohydrates on a
daily basis.
Fruits are an essential part of an
athlete’s healthy diet but careful consideration has to be taken before
consuming them. Too many raw fruits can lead to digestion problems, so consuming
a lot of raw fruit before a game or excersive can be a negative for an athlete’s
performance. Athletes should try and consume between 3-4 servings of fruits a
day, but the cooked variety can be much more beneficial.
Vegetables and the consumption
needed for athletes is comparable to that of fruits. They are necessary for the
maximization of an athlete’s diet but should be consumed mostly in their cooked
form. Raw vegetables consumed on a consistent basis can lead to excess gas in
the stomach and affect athletic ability.
Dairy is another extremely important
food group for athletes but needs to be monitored carefully with respect to
their nutrition guide. Too much dairy in a diet can wreak havoc on an athlete’s
performance but protein from dairy can be extremely beneficial. Anywhere from
2-3 servings of dairy a day can help, but any more than that can have negative
effects.
The last essential food group for
athlete’s is fat. It is often the most important group but needs to be monitored
the closest. While fat in the body does turn into muscle mass, too much of it
can shut down the ability for the body to create muscle. Athlete’s need to find
a perfect balance of fat and protein in order to keep their body’s at their peak
level. Consuming 6 servings of fat is beneficial if an athlete is undergoing a
strict exercise regime, otherwise 2 or 3 will be adequate. |
