8 Nutrition Tips for Athletes
Being an athlete is a full-time job when it comes to nutrition! Athletes need to know their body and what they are putting into it to see the gains they want. Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand. If you are going to invest all that time and effort on improving yourself physically in the gym or on the field, then you need to put the same effort and attention into your diet. Wherever your athletic journey is taking you, here are some tips to help you be a top athlete.
Eat your Carbohydrates!
Carbs are essential in giving you the energy you need for your exercise. Not only that, but it is absolutely necessary in aiding recovery of all that lost energy. Your intake will depend on the intensity of your training session, but the generally accepted carb intake is 4-7 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight.
Get those Greens in!
Athletes often get lost in the idea of measuring carbs and protein and leave out one of the most vital parts of an athlete’s diet: Greens! Vegetables give the body the necessary vitamins and minerals to aid in the processing of proteins and carbs. Without these, our body’s uptake of these vital nutrients goes to waste!
Protein Protein Protein
Every established athlete knows the importance of adding protein to their diet. You can’t go to a gym without noticing someone shaking their protein shakes. It is important to anchor your meals with 20-30 grams of protein to maintain muscle and improve recovery.
A goodnight’s rest goes a long way
Our bodies do most of their recovery while you’re asleep believe it or not! Not only that but adequate sleep ensures we have the energy necessary to take on the tasks of the next day. Consider ingesting slow digesting protein before bed like egg whites or beef to help in recovery.
Drink Water During Your Session
Everybody knows drinking water throughout the day is important to general hydration, but some athletes fail to realize that hydration during a workout session is absolutely vital in making sure you get the most out of that session! A good guide to follow is ½ to 1 cup of water every 20 minutes while working out. This can go up to 2 cups if the weather is hot enough.
Salt the Cramps Away
If you find yourself cramping too much during workout, adding unrefined salt to your water or meals can be a great way to ensure your body does not dip in performance.
Consider Meal Prepping
Athletes can often have trouble ensuring a good diet solely because the lack of time in their lives. Between sessions, work, and competition it can be difficult to find time to make a proper meal or count calories. Meal prepping for the week is an easy way to not only make sure you’re eating right but is also a great way to save money!
Practice makes Perfect
Everybody’s bodies are different, and no diet is the answer to everything. We all face different challenges throughout the day, we have different financial backgrounds, and we digest things differently. It’s important to play around with your diet to figure out what’s best for you!