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Suggestions for Food Intake |
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Suggestions for Food Intake for AthletesIn order to have an optimal health and performance it is important for athletes to eat well and keep themselves hydrated.
The type of foods athletes consume has a lot of influence on the way they practice and compete. Good nutrition is required for strong body to build muscle mass and to store energy for endurance activities. In the process of gaining optimal workout and recovery, often many athletes give less time and attention to eat nutrient rich food cleverly.
Eating a balanced meal should be emphasized to gain sufficient energy and a wide range of vitamins and minerals and other important chemicals like phytochemicals occurring naturally in foods. Fad diets are becoming increasingly popular, but one should keep in mind that these often restrict consumption of certain foods and is not for life time. So try to include all the food groups in your diet in a balanced form to avoid any nutritional deficiencies and follow them regularly.
Following are some suggestions for food intake for athletes which would help them to make wiser choices.
- Carbohydrates should form the basis of energy; 55-60% of energy should be derived from carbohydrates. Include whole grains, cereals, fiber rich cereals, brown rice, whole wheat and its products, whole meal pastas and breads in your diet.
- Have at least 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Select a wide range so that they suffice the nutritional needs of vitamins, minerals and fiber in the diet. Fruits are healthy choices and makes excellent snacks especially in between training sessions.
Make a meal appealing by including different colored vegetables, include salads in the meals and load your sandwiches with different vegetables. - Include healthy proteins in the diet in the form of eggs, milk, lean meats, chicken, pulses, legumes and sprouts. 12-15% energy should be gained from proteins. Calcium intake is necessary along with vitamin D and phosphorus to maintain healthy bones of an athlete.
- Fat consumption should not exceed beyond 20-25% of the total calories. Often when athlete’s fat consumption is increased they tend to gain weight with less lean muscle mass and compromised immune function that ultimately interferes with their performance. Reduce fat consumption and focus on healthy fats; replace saturated fats and trans fats with healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Avoid fatty, oily foods, meat or chicken loaded with fat.
- Keep yourself hydrated as it is very important to replenish the water lost during an exercise. Sports drinks rich in simple carbohydrates can be selected to keep the carbohydrates in the body leveled.
Have a balanced meal and include variety of foods in the diet, this will eliminate the need of taking any extra vitamins and minerals in the form of food supplements. |
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