Growing up as a kid, I played multiple sports. I also liked to play outside a lot with my friends whether that was on a playground or just kicking a ball around. One thing my parents always told me is “eat your vegetables.” They would never let me get up from the dinner table until I finished my vegetables. Today, I think that is some of the greatest advice, especially now, since I am a collegiate athlete.
“An athlete’s diet should be similar to that recommended for the general public, with energy intake divided into: 45 to 65% from carbohydrates, 5 to 25% from protein and 20 to 35% from fat. Athletes who exercise strenuously for more than 60 to 90 minutes every day may need to increase the amount of energy they consume, particularly from carbohydrate sources”(https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/sporting-performance-and-food). I think a lot of athletes miss out on protein. We need more protein to gain muscle and stay healthy with all the activity we do. “During digestion, all carbohydrates are broken down into sugars (primarily glucose), which are the body’s primary energy source. After absorption, glucose can be converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscle tissue. It can then be used as a key energy source during exercise to fuel exercising muscle tissue and other body systems. Athletes can increase their stores of glycogen by regularly eating high-carbohydrate foods.If carbohydrate in the diet is restricted, a person’s ability to exercise may be compromised because there is not enough glycogen kept in storage to fuel the body.If dietary protein intake is insufficient, this can result in a loss of protein (muscle) tissue, because the body will start to break down muscle tissue to meet its energy needs, and may increase the risk of infections and illness”(https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/sporting-performance-and-food). I thought all of this information was necessary to put in my blog. If you do not eat correctly or eat enough, this could affect many things, especially if you’re an athlete burning many calories every single day. As an athlete, if you do not drink enough fluids, and not just water but other important minerals, you could feel dehydrated and unwell.”
Water is a suitable drink, but sports drinks may be required, especially in endurance events or warm climates. Sports drinks contain some sodium, which helps absorption. A sodium content of 30 mmol/L (millimoles per liter) appears suitable in sports nutrition.While insufficient hydration is a problem for many athletes, excess hydration may also be potentially dangerous. In rare cases, athletes might consume excessive amounts of fluids that dilute the blood too much, causing a low blood concentration of sodium. This condition is called hyponatraemia, which can potentially lead to seizures, collapse, coma or even death if not treated appropriately”(https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/sporting-performance-and-food). If you do not eat enough before a practice or game or even lift, you could feel tired and not have enough energy to do what you need to do. This happens to me sometimes when I have morning practice. I find myself not eating before. I feel tired and have no energy during these morning practices. Even if I were to just eat a little something, especially with sugar, I would feel a lot better during my activity. “The energy needs of athletes exceed those of the average person. It’s not uncommon for male and female athletes, especially those still growing, to have caloric needs exceeding 2,400-3,000 kcal and 2,200-2,700 kcal per day, respectively. The amount of energy found within a given food is dependent on the macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) content of the item”(https://www.uwhealth.org/news/eating-for-peak-athletic-performance). Basically, as an athlete, you need plenty of protein and carbs in your diet in order to perform at your best.
“Carbohydrates receive a great deal of attention in sports nutrition due to the vital role they play in athletic performance.Carbohydrates are typically the preferred fuel source for many athletes, particularly for high intensity and long duration exercise. This is because they supply ample glycogen storage and blood glucose to fuel the demands of exercise.To maintain liver and muscle glycogen stores, athletes will need different amounts of carbohydrates depending on their exercise volume.For moderate amounts of intense training, defined as 2–3 hours per day of intense exercise performed 5–6 times per week, the ISSN suggests consuming 5–8 grams per kilogram (g/kg) of body weight, or 250–1,200 g, of carbohydrates per day for athletes who weigh 50–150 kg.For high volume intense training, defined as 3–6 hours per day of intense training in 1–2 daily workouts 5–6 days per week, the ISSN recommends 8–10 g/kg of body weight, or 400–1,500 g, of carbohydrates per day for athletes weighing 50–150 kg”(https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/nutrition-for-athletes#macronutrients). As I stated above, carbohydrates are essential for performance. This is just a little guide to knowing what you should eat in order to perform and enhance your well being.