It is essential that athletes consume the right amount of nutrition for both their general health and their training needs.
It is essential to eat a diet that provides enough energy and nutrients to meet the demands of training and exercise. Besides helping a person perform optimally, it facilitates recovery as well.
The following factors may need to be considered by athletes:
- The amount of calories they need
- Quantities and ratios of macronutrients
- When to eat and when to snack
- For recovery and performance, vitamins and minerals are essential
- Drinking water
Performance can be improved by tailoring these factors to an athlete’s body weight, composition, training time, and sport.
Nutritional macronutrients
Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025
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The following are the optimal macronutrient ratios for adults:
- The majority of calories come from carbohydrates, 45–65%
- A protein-rich diet accounts for 10–35% of calories
- Twenty to thirty percent of calories are derived from fat
International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) notes that these ratios can be adjusted depending on the goal of physical activity.
An endurance athlete would consume more carbohydrates, whereas a strength athlete would consume more protein.
According to a review published in 2018
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According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), athletes should consume the following macronutrient ratios:
Dietary carbohydrates
impactsupplements.com.au places a great deal of emphasis on carbohydrates because they play a crucial role in athletic performance.
The energy source of choice for many athletes is carbohydrates, particularly when they are exercising at high intensities and for long periods of time. The reason for this is that they provide ample glycogen storage and blood glucose to fuel exercise.
Athletes will need different amounts of carbohydrates depending on the amount of exercise they perform.
For athletes who weigh 50-150 kg and train moderately intensely (2–3 hours per day, 5–6 times per week), the ISSN suggests consuming 5–8 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight, or 250–1,200 g per day.
The ISSN recommends 8–10 g/kg of body weight, or 400–1,500 g, of carbohydrates per day for athletes weighing 50–150 kg who train for high volume intense training, defined as 3–6 hours per day of intense training.
In the case of a 150 kg athlete who performs high volume, intense training, about 1,200-1,500 grams of carbohydrates should be consumed daily.
Carbohydrates that are healthy for athletes include whole grains, such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, and pasta, as well as starchy vegetables, such as potatoes.
Glucose
Sports nutrition also relies heavily on protein, as it provides the body with the necessary amount of amino acids for muscle growth and repair.
More than two times the recommended daily amount (RDA) may benefit athletes doing intense training.
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Dietary protein is an important component of their diet.
Intakes based on dietary reference values, for example
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A woman’s daily protein requirement is 46 grams, while a man’s is 56 grams. Thus, athletes may benefit from consuming 92 g and 112 g of protein per day.
Many athletes can safely consume 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, compared to the recommended daily allowance of 0.8 grams.
An ISSN number
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Optimal protein intake may range from 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight.
As a result of high levels of protein, athletes can avoid protein catabolism and slow recovery, which over time can lead to injuries and muscle wasting.
For an athlete weighing 50–150 kg, 60–300 grams of protein translates into 60–300 grams of protein per day when training moderately intensely.
The ISSN recommends 1.7–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for high volume intense training, or 85–330 grams of protein for athletes weighing 50–150 pounds.
There are several healthy protein sources, including:
- Poultry and meat that are lean
- The seafood and fish industry
- Dairy and egg products
- Soybeans and lentils
- A variety of soy products, including tempeh and tofu
The fat
Dietary fats are essential for maintaining bodily functions such as hormone metabolism and neurotransmitter production.
A diet high in healthy fats also promotes satiety and can provide a concentrated energy source for athletes.
ISSN is
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Athletes should consume moderate amounts of fat, about 30% of their daily calories. It is safe for them to consume up to 50% of their daily calories as fat in order to meet their training needs at higher volumes.
Reduce fat intake to 20% of daily calories for athletes looking to lose body fat.
Some athletes choose to eat a ketogenic diet and consume more fats. ISSN review indicates, however, that the diet’s effectiveness is not sufficiently supported by evidence.
Nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish, and olive oil have healthy fats.
The importance of micronutrients, supplements, and hydration
The essential vitamins and minerals athletes need to support their general health and athletic performance should be consumed by them.
Generally, eating a varied, balanced diet will provide adequate amounts of essential vitamins and minerals.
Some athletes may choose to take vitamin or mineral supplements or ergogenic aids, such as creatine. The ISSN
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It is recommended that consumers evaluate the validity and scientific merit of dietary supplement claims.
The efficacy and safety of many dietary supplements are unknown, including:
- 5′-adenosine triphosphate
- An amino acid with branched chains
- Acid phosphatidique
- A glutamine-rich diet
- Agonine
Scientists have shown, however,
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Other ergogenic aids, such as caffeine and creatine monohydrate, are safe and effective.
Athletes should be aware that some athletic associations prohibit the use of nutritional supplements.
Athletes should also maintain adequate hydration. Sweat loss of 2% or more of a person’s body weight can significantly impair their performance according to the ISSN and other sports nutrition experts.
Since sweat losses are a combination of fluids and electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, athletes may benefit from using sports drinks, milk, or both to hydrate.
Calorie-sufficient
Energy expenditure through activity must be matched by adequate calorie intake for athletes.
An ISSN number
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Athletes training intensely for 2–6 hours per day 5–6 days per week may burn over 600–1200 calories per hour during exercise.
The average less active individual, on the other hand, typically requires 25–35 calories per kg of body weight daily, whereas athletes engage in this level of activity, which may require 40–70 calories per kg of body weight per day.
It has been estimated that athletes weighing 50-100 kg may need between 2,000 and 7,000 calories every day, according to the ISSN. According to the study, athletes weighing 100–150 kg may need 6,000–12,000 calories daily to meet their training demands.
Time of meal
Athletes’ performance depends on when they eat and snack. Meal timing and composition can support training goals, reduce fatigue, and optimize body composition.
There are different guidelines for the timing and amount of nutrition for different types of athletes.
The ISSN, for example
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Protein on its own or carbohydrates and protein together should be consumed up to 4 hours before and up to 2 hours after exercise by strength athletes.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), strength athletes should consume protein before and after exercising.
An endurance athlete, on the other hand, would need to consume mostly carbohydrates and a small amount of protein roughly 1–4 hours before exercising.
There are two ISSNs
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As part of their recommendations, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American College of Sports Medicine emphasize the importance of meal timing in optimizing recovery.
It is possible for some people to experience digestive discomfort if they eat too close to exercising. After eating, you should not exercise too quickly and eat an appropriate amount.