Key Components to a Healthy Diet
Being an athlete of any kind requires a sufficient nutrient
intake to maintain a healthy diet. A few important nutrients make an athlete’s
diet much more different than a non-athlete’s diet. Just some of these
nutrients include carbohydrates, fats, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins,
minerals, and antioxidants. During a high intensity or cardiovascular workout,
the body experiences a more efficient way to burn calories and use oxygen and
burn fat by using different muscles of the body. It is important to keep in
mind that just because athletes can burn up to several thousands of calories
more than an average person, does not mean that they should just eat more and
more fatty foods and create a poor diet. For optimal performance an athlete
should remember what nutrients to get more of, and one’s that they should
restrict.
Carbohydrates such as pasta, grains, pancakes, and whole
grain breads increase the energy that can be used during a workout. The term
“carb loading” has been used to describe an athlete’s overall diet concerning
the use of carbs. This increases an athlete’s endurance and also aides in
limiting fatigue. This concept works by
first decreasing the amount of carbs to 40-50% 4 or 5 days before an
endurance-type event while increasing the amount of protein taken in. After
this, 2 or 3 days before the event, carbs in the diet go back up to 70-75%,
eating about 3 high carb meals with protein and fat also. Doing this increases
how easily glycogen can be used and burned for energy.
Protein is another major concern for athletes and is needed
for prime performance just like carbohydrates. How much protein and what kinds
are also a concern. Too much protein can cause clogging of the colon and kidney
stress. To figure out the right amount of protein that is needed, one should
measure this in proportion to calories. For example if a wrestler is wanting to
gain weight and build muscle an additional amount of protein is definitely
needed- especially since the calorie intake increases to almost 3,000 a day
with a protein consumption up to 150-200 grams per day. Aerobic or
cardiovascular exercise does not require as much protein as body builders or
wrestlers do. In order for young
athletes to maintain proper development, they should focus primarily on more
good protein foods versus adults along with low fat and complex carbohydrates.
Fluid balance and hydration are another key concept that all
athletes should always be aware of. Electrolytes consist of sodium, potassium,
and chloride that aide in fluid consistency, nerve impulses, and muscle
contraction. Since electrolytes are lost through sweat, it is vital that highly
active people of any age maintain a healthy supply of fluids, especially during
summer or hot weather.
Antioxidants such as vitamins A, E, C, beta-carotene, and
selenium help in healing the cells that were damaged by oxygen. Fruits and
vegetables are high in antioxidants, which makes them an important food that
should be consumed daily by an athlete. Even for non-athletes, fruits and vegetables
should be a part of everyone’s diet because they decrease the risk of cancer
and heart disease.
