How to Eat Well If You're an Athlete

How to Eat Well If You're an Athlete

If you are a sportsman or sportswoman, you need to think
about your diet. This applies to people who have just
started exercising as well as top athletes - there is some
evidence that those in the process of getting fit have a
greater need for certain things - proteins for example -
than already fit athletes in training.

So what is good nutrition for a sporty lifestyle? If you
are exercising you are going to use more calories, so
someone who is not overweight should be eating more than
they do when not keeping fit. A rough guide is that you
need eight and a half Calories per kilogram of weight per
hour. So if you weigh in at 220 pounds (100 kilograms)
you would use 850 Calories during an hour of exercise.

If you are exercising regularly it is not usually a good
idea to cut back on your dietary intake at the same time -
first talk to your physician if you are thinking of doing
so. Generally speaking anyone in training should not aim
to lose more than two or three pounds a week.

Most studies agree that the most important thing when
training, and when cutting back your food intake, is to
maintain a balanced diet. This is the same for athletes
as for the general public.

That means you should be taking in most of your calories
from carbohydrates, which include vegetables, grains,
oats, wheat, rice, bread, pasta, etc. The exact number
that you should aim for is 57% of your diet.

Next, shoot for 30% fats. I don't mean saturated fats, the
type found in butter and vegetable shortening. I mean
healthy fats, the unsaturated version, which you can find in
oily fish like salmon and tuna, avocadoes, almonds and
olive oil.

Thirteen percent of your diet should be protein. Protein
is meat, fish, poultry and nuts. These items are essential
to the body's proper functioning.

Go easy on the junk food, including chocolate, cookies,
fried foods, and chips. Restrict your alcohol intake and
reach instead for water. Eat plenty of fruits and veggies,
as well as whole grains. These elements are the
cornerstones of healthy eating.

If you follow the advice above and make sure to vary up
your diet, you will be getting all the essential nutrients
and won't really need any supplements.

There are, however, a huge number of supplements
currently available. Most of them have not been
scientifically proven to work. Still, some athletes--such
as marathon runners and others in endurance sports--
may require iron supplements. This tends to be the case
with women more so than men, but you can get tested if
you suspect you need more iron.

Consulting a good nutritionist may be a smart idea, too.
And if you're hitting the road, consider supplementing, as
travel food is rarely healthy.

The other common dietary supplement used by many athletes
is an energy snack or drink. These are very useful for
athletes in training since they are often easier to consume
than a full meal. Ideal if you are having trouble eating a
couple of hours before a work out or soon after (both of
which are good ideas). Remember though that these bars and
drinks are packed with calories, so do count towards your
dietary intake.


Nutritionist Ann Sertanze provides expert help through
RHS Nutrition, a
specialist website offering nutritional advice for people
of all ages. Pay Ann a visit at http://www.rhsnutrition.com