Sports Nutrition

For some athletes nutrition and bodybuilding supplement use go hand-in-hand when implementing a steady training program.  It has been a constant battle amongst bodybuilders and athletes as to which diet is the best for optimal health, as well as athletic performance.  With all the different opinions and diets available, these battles will continue for years.  However, we must remember that sports nutrition, consists of a well balanced diet, but has some variations as to what and when it would be appropriate to consume certain nutrients.

To eat like a true bodybuilder and optimize your results in the gym, you need to pay attention not only to good nutrition, but also to when you eat.  For example, when you awake in the morning after a good nights sleep, you are in a catabolic state; your body had used a majority of its stored glycogen and has turned to your muscles to break them down for energy.  This is when a fast-digesting carb, such as a bagel with fruit jam rapidly spikes insulin levels—which is one of the few times in the day you want this to happen.

Between meals you want a decent dose of slow-digesting protein to steadily supply amino acids to your muscles until your next major feeding. (a good nutritional  choice would be 8 oz low-fat cottage cheese, 1 oz of mixed nuts.

Nutrition Enhances Overall Wellbeing

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, “physical activity, athletic performance, and recovery from exercise are enhanced by optimal nutrition.”  They recommend appropriate selection of food and fluids, timing of intake, and supplement choices for optimal health and exercise performance.  Also, do not forget to drink your water—this is the most important nutrient.  When you eat a balanced diet, and drink enough water, your body will make the most of your athletic talents and you will gain more strength, power and endurance when you train.

Hydration

Water is the most important factor in sports nutrition.  It makes up about 60 percent of body weight and is involved in almost every bodily function.  Your body cannot make or store water, so you must replace what you eliminate.  Everyone should drink at lest two quarts of water each day, and those in sports need more.  Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after sports events to stay hydrated and avoid overheating.

Consumption of sport drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes during exercise will provide fuel for the muscles, help maintain blood glucose levels and the thirst mechanism, and decrease the risk of dehydration or hyponatremia (risk of low sodium in the blood).

Fuel Sources

Eating a balanced nutritional diet is always the best choice and is another key factor to sports nutrition.  Therefore, it is recommended to obtain a combination of calories from various nutritional sources, such as carbohydrates, proteins and good fats, which will supply you with top energy performance.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, is another important nutrient,  which is the most important fuel source, and is available in fruits, vegetables, pastas, breads, cereals, rice and other foods, and should provide about 60-70 percent of daily calories.  Carbs will help you maintain body weight, and replenish glycogen stores.  It is also the main nutrient that fuels exercise of a moderate to high intensity.

>Eat Carbohydrates for at least several days before indulging in any sport activity, or exercise/competition, so you start with glycogen-loaded muscles.
>East more carbs during exercise/competition lasting more than an hour to replenish energy and delay fatigue.

Proteins

Proteins are essential body building nutrients and are key factors in sports nutrition.  They are generally used to maintain and repair body tissues and are normally used to power muscle activity.  Your body cannot store extra protein, so it burns it for energy or converts it to fat.

 The amount of protein an athlete needs depends on the level of fitness, (the more active you are, the more you need); exercise type, (endurance athletes and bodybuilders burn more fuel); total calories, (your body burns more protein if you do not consume enough calories to maintain body weight); and carb intake.

 Proteins are available in meats, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, dairy products and other foods, and should provide approximately 12-15 percent of daily calories

Fats

Fats should provide no more than about 20-30 percent of daily calories in sports nutrition.  There appears to be no health or performance benefit to consuming a diet less than 15 percent of energy from this nutrient.  Fat can fuel low intensity exercise for long periods of time. However, as we know, too much fat can cause serious problems, such as heart disease, certain cancers and other ailments.  Therefore, it is important that we eat “good fats” and stay away from the” bad fats.”

Good Fats

Monounsaturated fat (olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil and avocados), are the best nutritional choices and a good choice would be Polyunsaturated fat which includes:  safflower oil, sesame seed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and sunflower seeds and oil.  Lean meats—fat trimmed; poultry without skin, low-fat dairy products, (fat free or 1% milk and cheese) and fish.

Bad Fats

Saturated fats, which include fatty cuts of meats and poultry with skin, animal and dairy products such as whole and 2 percent milk, cheese, butter and lard, palm kernel oil (often found in packaged goods) and coconut oil (often found in packaged foods), is not a good nutritional source.

Trans fats, which are found in fried foods and in many processed baked goods, snacks and crackers have no nutritional benefit and have no place in sports nutrition, and in fact, are bad for your overall health.

Supplements

Athletes will not need vitamin/mineral supplements, if adequate energy to maintain body weight is consumed from a variety of foods.  However, supplements may be required by athletes who restrict energy intake, have severe weight loss practices, eliminate one or more food groups from their diet, or consume high-carbohydrate diets with low-micronutrient density.