Post by Coach Campbell on Jul 12, 2010 19:02:24 GMT
Simple Sports Nutrition Tips
Simple Sports Nutrition Tips for Training and Competition
By Elizabeth Quinn
Carbohydrate in the form of glycogen is the fuel that makes exercise possible, so adequate carbs must be eaten each day if you hope to train consistently. Protein and fat also have a place in your diet and should be consumed daily. In general, each meal should contain a varied combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Several Hours Before You Workout
Photo (c) ULTRA.F / Getty ImagesThe pre-exercise meal will vary depending upon your exercise style. If you workout in the evening, lunch should include easily digestible foods high in complex carbohydrates, such as pasta, breads, fruits and vegetables. A big salad with a small amount of protein works well. Select a small amount of lean meat such as chicken or fish, and experiment with what works best for you.
If you exercise first thing in the morning, you'll probably feel best if you eat a light breakfast of fruit, toast, or an egg. Again, everyone is different, so experiment with what works best for you. Regardless of what you choice to eat, you should drink plenty of water before and during a morning workout.
Thirty Minutes Before You Workout
Photo (c) Thomas Northcut / Getty ImagesDepending upon the type and duration of workout you do, you'll want to eat a small snack and drink some water a half hour before you get going. Trail mix is great for aerobic workouts over 60 or 90 minutes, but if you are going hard for thirty minutes, you probably only need a half of an energy or granola bar, a large banana, a few graham crackers, fig bars, or pretzels. For a shorter workout, you may not want to eat anything at all, but can get a few calories from drinking about 8-10 ounces of a sport drink.
You should also start drinking water before your workout so you've consumed about 6-12 ounces in the the hour before your workout.
During Your Workout
Photo (c) Ross Land / Getty ImagesProper hydration during exercise depends upon the intensity and duration of exercise, the fitness of the athlete, and weather conditions. In order to simplify the recommendations, a good starting point is to drink 8-10 fl oz of water every 15 min during exercise.
If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink every 15 - 30 minutes. Exercising for more than about 90 minutes usually requires that you replenish lost carbohydrates.
If your workout is less than an hour, odds are you don't need to consume anything extra.
Hydration After Your Workout
Photo (c) picturegarden / Getty ImagesAfter your workout, drink enough water to replace water lost through sweat. The best way to determine this is by weighing yourself before and after exercise. For every pound of body weight lost, you'll need to consume about 3 cups of fluid.
Another way to determine how much liquid to consume is to check the color of your urine. Dark, concentrated urine may indicate dehydration. Your urine should be relatively clear in color.
Eating After Your Workout
The post-exercise meal should be eaten within two hours of a long or intense workout in order to replenish glycogen stores for continued exercise. While research shows eating 100-200 grams of carbohydrate within two hours of endurance exercise is essential to building adequate glycogen stores, eating a combination of both carbohydrate and protein seems to be an even better option. Studies have found that a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein seems to the ideal combination of nutrition. And although solid foods can work just as well as a sports drink, a drink may be easier to digest make it easier to get the right ratio and meet the 2-hour window.
Simple Sports Nutrition Tips for Training and Competition
By Elizabeth Quinn
Carbohydrate in the form of glycogen is the fuel that makes exercise possible, so adequate carbs must be eaten each day if you hope to train consistently. Protein and fat also have a place in your diet and should be consumed daily. In general, each meal should contain a varied combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Several Hours Before You Workout
Photo (c) ULTRA.F / Getty ImagesThe pre-exercise meal will vary depending upon your exercise style. If you workout in the evening, lunch should include easily digestible foods high in complex carbohydrates, such as pasta, breads, fruits and vegetables. A big salad with a small amount of protein works well. Select a small amount of lean meat such as chicken or fish, and experiment with what works best for you.
If you exercise first thing in the morning, you'll probably feel best if you eat a light breakfast of fruit, toast, or an egg. Again, everyone is different, so experiment with what works best for you. Regardless of what you choice to eat, you should drink plenty of water before and during a morning workout.
Thirty Minutes Before You Workout
Photo (c) Thomas Northcut / Getty ImagesDepending upon the type and duration of workout you do, you'll want to eat a small snack and drink some water a half hour before you get going. Trail mix is great for aerobic workouts over 60 or 90 minutes, but if you are going hard for thirty minutes, you probably only need a half of an energy or granola bar, a large banana, a few graham crackers, fig bars, or pretzels. For a shorter workout, you may not want to eat anything at all, but can get a few calories from drinking about 8-10 ounces of a sport drink.
You should also start drinking water before your workout so you've consumed about 6-12 ounces in the the hour before your workout.
During Your Workout
Photo (c) Ross Land / Getty ImagesProper hydration during exercise depends upon the intensity and duration of exercise, the fitness of the athlete, and weather conditions. In order to simplify the recommendations, a good starting point is to drink 8-10 fl oz of water every 15 min during exercise.
If exercising longer than 90 minutes, drink 8-10 fl oz of a sports drink every 15 - 30 minutes. Exercising for more than about 90 minutes usually requires that you replenish lost carbohydrates.
If your workout is less than an hour, odds are you don't need to consume anything extra.
Hydration After Your Workout
Photo (c) picturegarden / Getty ImagesAfter your workout, drink enough water to replace water lost through sweat. The best way to determine this is by weighing yourself before and after exercise. For every pound of body weight lost, you'll need to consume about 3 cups of fluid.
Another way to determine how much liquid to consume is to check the color of your urine. Dark, concentrated urine may indicate dehydration. Your urine should be relatively clear in color.
Eating After Your Workout
The post-exercise meal should be eaten within two hours of a long or intense workout in order to replenish glycogen stores for continued exercise. While research shows eating 100-200 grams of carbohydrate within two hours of endurance exercise is essential to building adequate glycogen stores, eating a combination of both carbohydrate and protein seems to be an even better option. Studies have found that a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein seems to the ideal combination of nutrition. And although solid foods can work just as well as a sports drink, a drink may be easier to digest make it easier to get the right ratio and meet the 2-hour window.
