Athletes should pay attention to a few things in terms of their diet. Because the right composition of the menu is important for a successful workout. What role do carbohydrates, proteins and fat play in proper nutrition? Worth knowing tips on the subject of nutrition and sport can be found here.
Carbohydrates – for muscles, nerves and brain.
Especially important for all athletes is a sufficient amount of carbohydrates in the diet. From them, glycogen is formed in the body, which provides energy to the muscles. The brain and neural pathways can also meet their energy needs almost exclusively through carbohydrates and dextrose, respectively. If not enough carbohydrates are supplied, concentration and coordination suffer.
Keep blood glucose levels constant
Athletes should therefore keep their glycogen stores stable. Depending on the intensity of the workout, well-filled “glycogen stores” provide energy for 60 to 90 minutes. If you want to build up sufficiently large stores, you should consume between 55 and 60 percent of your total energy intake in the form of carbohydrates every day.
Better than simple sugars (glucose, fructose) are the complex carbohydrates found in all cereal products (bread, cereal flakes, rice, pasta), potatoes, vegetables and fruit. They supply the body with minerals, vitamins and fiber, provide their energy slowly and continuously and keep blood sugar levels constant.
Simple carbohydrates, on the other hand, which should not be consumed in excessive quantities (maximum ten percent of daily energy intake), are suitable for a quick energy boost. Competitive athletes can temporarily increase their carbohydrate intake (to about 70 percent) when they need more (for example, shortly before a competition). Most, for example, consume plenty of pasta the evening before the competition, a carbohydrate-rich snack up to two hours before the start and carbohydrate-rich drinks (for example, fruit juice spritzer) during or after the sport.
Proteins – for muscles and defense
The body needs proteins among other things for muscle building and in its enzyme and defense system. For a sufficient supply, a daily intake of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is sufficient. However, the actual protein intake in Germany is significantly higher than this recommendation (between 1.2 and 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight). Even a slightly higher requirement can therefore be met without any problems.
If you really want to do your body good, you should eat a combination of vegetable and animal protein, such as potatoes and eggs, potatoes and milk, or cereals and fish. For animal protein sources, low-fat products and fish should be preferred.
Minerals – balance in time
During sports, the loss of minerals through sweat is not insignificant and should be compensated as soon as possible. Sports drinks, especially mineral water, diluted fruit juices (1:3 to 1:1) and tea (but not black tea) are suitable for this purpose. Despite these precautions, athletes often have a poor supply of magnesium and iron, which can affect performance.
The reason: athletes need plenty of iron in their blood for optimal oxygen transport to their muscles. The deficiency can be detected by a blood test and corrected with the appropriate diet.
Vitamins – not an issue for recreational athletes
For recreational athletes, an additional vitamin supply via dietary supplements is not necessary. Only in the case of an intense athletic load (competitive sports), the use of multivitamin preparations can be useful.
Snacks between meals – good against performance lows.
Snacks that are rich in carbohydrates and at the same time low in fat, for example fresh fruit (especially bananas), whole-grain cookies, dried fruit, whole-grain bread with cottage cheese or low-fat sausage or cheese varieties, as well as low-fat milk-based mixed drinks, are suitable as snacks to counteract any performance lows that may occur. They keep blood sugar levels constant and prevent low performance and poor concentration. They also supplement the supply of vitamins, minerals and trace elements. But be careful: snacks should not unnecessarily drive up total calorie intake.
