Fuel the body for improved performance!
Eating a balanced diet which includes all of the body’s essential nutrients is important when training regularly or intensely for any sports event. However, this is also important for our long-term health. It is necessary to include the correct quantity of carbohydrates and protein into our diet to fuel the body’s needs when exercising. Including carbohydrates is crucial as they help deliver protein to the muscles as well as being the bodies preferred fuel. Protein can aid appetite control and help maintain blood sugar levels if added to all meals. Rather than avoiding or limiting these groups we should be including them to enhance growth and recovery and importantly avoiding injury.
Any guidelines for recommended daily amounts of protein, carbohydrates or other food groups quoted will be assuming a sensible weight for an individual’s height and build. This acceptable or optimal weight will differ from one individual to another. Some may choose to weigh themselves and others will simply choose to judge by other factors.
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends 1.2-2grams of protein per kilogram body mass per day for individuals who exercise regularly. These quantities are dependent on frequency, intensity and volume of training. Therefore, a professional athlete will require more protein to maintain and build muscle than the average person who attends a couple of exercise classes per week. Good sources of protein include eggs, beans, fish and chicken and other lean meat.Another important factor to note when examining your own diet is that animal protein contains all the essential and non-essential amino acids the body needs but plant-based proteins (except for Soy and Hemp) need to be combined to achieve this. A lack of protein can have an effect on recovery, body composition and immunity.
Carbohydrate is the body’s primary energy source. A lack of carbs can have many detrimental effects on the body such as fatigue, poor recovery, high risk of injury, poor growth to mention just a few. It is important to note that women are more sensitive to carbohydrate intake than men so fasting and limiting amounts are not considered advisable. The ISSN recommends to consume and 3-8 grams of Carbohydrates per kilogram body mass per day depending on exercise duration, intensity and volume. It is recommended to include around one third carbohydrate in all meals. Choosing whole grain bread, pasta and rice is advisable to give a steady release of energy.
If you are serious about training or may have experienced fatigue or persistent niggles or any of the symptoms mentioned above, it may be time to seek advice or examine your eating habits. Perhaps you could record a food diary during training periods to help determine if you are receiving the correct proportions of carbohydrates, proteins, fats and other essential nutrients. Optimal effects will be observed depending on how you distribute portions throughout the day. It is best to eat a carbohydrate rich low-fat snack or light meal 2-3 hours before exercising and then again soon afterwards to promote good recovery. It is only really necessary to consume carbs during exercise if the duration is longer than 60 minutes or the activity is very high intensity. The most effective way to consume protein is to ideally include it in all three meals per day or in small amounts (approx. 20g) at regular intervals (approx. 3hrs) around training periods. There is no more gain in protein synthesis after sport by increasing the dose above 20g unless you are trying to fulfil your daily intake. Keeping the body hydrated is also crucially important during training. A 2% dehydration will decrease sports performance. Don’t let thirst be an indicator of hydration.
An improvement in sports performance can be gained by effective training however, the body will perform better given the correct balance of fuel and nutrients. Hopefully, by following basic nutritional guidelines you can both improve performance, improve recovery, reduce injury and continue to enjoy the sports you love!
