When you’re an athlete, you need to be doing everything you can to remain at the top of your game. Your competitors are going to be training hard and eating the right foods in order to get ahead. You need to do the exact same thing. One of the most important areas you need to have a handle on is nutrition, as your body is a machine that requires fuel. It doesn’t matter which sport you perform. Nutrition is a key element and can be a deciding factor that determines whether or not you win an event.
Getting the right amount of nutrition is not difficult when you know what you should be eating. Many of you may not have a professional trainer on hand to make suggestions as to what you need to consume. The knowledge is the easy part, the application is where it gets difficult. To help you out with your nutrition, we have provided the key nutrients that you need when you’re training as an Athlete. Continue to read on to learn more.
Protein
No matter what sport you’re doing, protein is probably the most important macronutrient you need to be consuming. Protein is the core to everything you do in sport and is one of the main building blocks in the human body. This is because protein helps the development and recovery of muscles. When you’re training, protein should be included via both supplements and high-protein foods like chicken, lean meat or legumes. This will help you to recover quicker and build your muscles at a faster rate. You should consume this within 30-60 minutes of your workout for best results, along with some carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are the main source of your energy and without these, your muscles wouldn’t be able to function properly. If you want to be the best athlete you can be, any sports and spinal physiotherapist will tell you that carbohydrates need to be included in your diet. There are a variety of foods that contain carbs, including pasta, bread and potato. Use carbs to recharge and keep your muscles moving.
Fats
Fats scare a lot of rookie athletes off, thinking that it will be the bane of their training. Although excess fats are something you need to avoid, a sports and spinal professional will advise you that healthy fats will actually aid your training. When I say healthy fats, I am referring to the fats that are contained in oily fish and things like Olive oil and nuts. With the right intake, you can actually lose weight quicker and build up your muscle to body fat ratio.
Micronutrients
As well as the macronutrients, you also need to consume the micronutrients as well. The main ones that you need to include in your diet as an athlete are iron and calcium. Iron helps the blood carry oxygen to the muscles and surround organs, whereas, calcium promotes strong bones and joints. Iron can be consumed via supplements or lean meats, and calcium can be consumed via dairy products, leafy greens, legumes and seafood.
Conclusion
Having the correct diet is incredibly important if you want to have success as an athlete in the modern world. Training is not enough and you will need to keep your body fueled with good foods to insure your success. An informed health professional will be able to advise you on the correct direction to take when it comes to your training program and sport. As always, if you require expert assistance, please call 9144-1510 now to schedule an appointment with one of our physiotherapists.
