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Here 5 reasons why sportsmen and women need
fuel 24/7.
1. Sports people need to fuel up in the morning, since their
stored fuel reserves will have dropped during an overnight fast.
Training and racing take a toll on the body, and starting the
day with a
healthy meal balanced with carbohydrates, protein, vitamins
and minerals provides a solid nutritional foundation for
performance.
2. Hydration is an essential need all people share. Because
hydration directly impacts athletic performance, it is even more
important for athletes to keep fluid levels topped off –
especially during an event like cycling where the s cyclists
can lose multiple litres of fluid say an endurance event.
Hydration is essential, as are electrolytes – important body
salts which support proper muscle function and help regulate
body temperature. It’s important to hydrate during the event,
but also important to sip fluid throughout the day to fully
rehydrate before the next stage or match. Sports drinks provide
not only necessary fluid, but also electrolytes that have been
lost through perspiration. Sports drinks contribute
carbohydrates, too, to help fuel working muscles during the
event.
3. Carbohydrates are the primary fuel during exercise and
they’re essential to keep the body running. In an endurance
race, calories are king and getting enough is essential for
performance. Making sure to get plenty of carbohydrates both
before and during the race is key, and proper nutrition during
the event also helps shorten recovery time, which is very
important in a multi-day event. In addition to
carbohydrates, a small amount of protein during exercise can
help speed recovery.
4. After a sports event, the body needs the right ratios of
carbohydrates and protein to begin recovering.
Recovery is two-fold, and requires carbohydrate for
replacing glycogen stores as well as protein for rebuilding
damaged muscle.
5. Supplementation is essential, as the nutritional
needs of sports people and endurance athletes typically can’t be met with
food alone. Exercise drains nutrients from the body. But that being said, it is important to keep in mind
that supplementation is just that – a supplement to a regular
healthy diet. Every athlete should get the majority of their
calories and nutrients from whole foods, primarily healthy
sources of healthy carbohydrates – whole grains, fruits and
vegetables – and protein from lean meats, poultry, fish, low fat
dairy products and plant sources such as soy.
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