NUTRITION AND LIQUID CONSUMPTION
"Eat to Compete"
Naturally, the first step is to follow the Canada Food Guide. With the essential nutrients to include protein, carbohydrates, Fat, Water, Vitamins, and Minerals.
Proteins are comprised of amino acids (aa), both essential and non-essential. High quality protein are those of animal origin and supply all the essential aa. Low quality protein are deficient of one or more aa (grains, beans, and vegetables). Complementary proteins are low quality proteins when combined provide all essential aa (beans and rice or peanut butter and bread)
AA are needed for regeneration of cells. The higher the quality of protein the lower the requirement. Recommended dietary allowance (RDA) in adult men and women is 0.8 g/kg of body weight. 60 kg man X 0.8 = 48 g.
Endurance AND strength training in athletes can increase protein requirements. Aerobic endurance athletes need 0.8 g/kg up to 1.4 g/kg of body weight. Strength athletes need up to 1.7 g/kg of body weight. The rest of athletes need 1.5-2.0 g/kg of body weight.
REMEMBER, too much of something is not a good thing. Excess protein is broken down and converted to carbohydrates or body fat.
CARBOHYDRATES
Carbohydrates come in the form of:
Monosaccharides - glucose, fructose, galactose (fruit juices)
Disaccharide - sucrose, lactose, maltose (milk, beer)
Polysaccharides - starch, fiber, glycogen
These all provide fuel for the gas tank.
55% of your total calories should come from Carbohydrates (CHO). Not all athletes need a high carb diet, they need a BALANCED diet. (Not all Pasta). CHO intake needs to be individualized, and once an athlete finds a diet that works, it should be practiced regularly and maintained.
NOTE: aerobic endurance athletes performing 90 minutes need to replenish CHo (8-10 g/kg of body weight)
FATS
Provides protection and insulation for organs, and regulates hormones. It is the carrier for fat soluble vitamins (ADEK). 30% of calories come from fat in the diet. There are very few performance enhancements from significantly reducing fat in the athlete's diet. In fact, an emphasis on low-fat or no-fat diets may prove negative for many. (Baechie and Earle, 2000)
When to decrease dietary fat intake:
1. To increase CHO intake to support training
2. Weight loss, reduce total caloric intake. Fat is the nutrient choice to decrease.
3. To decrease elevated blood cholesterol
Diets extremely low in fat (<15% may decrease testosterone production leading to decreased metabolism and muscle development. (Baechie and Earle, 2000)
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Heavy training may alter tissue concentration of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin deficiencies can result in decreased performance, especially B vitamins. This does not mean an increase in performance with over supplementation.
FLUID & ELECTROLYTES
K, Cl, Mg are needed for muscle contractin and nerve conduction.
These are nutrient that affects performance the most.
When fluids are consumed at will, leads to voluntary dehydration. Consumption of fluids must be at regular intervals pre, during and post exercise.
Each pound (0.45 kg) lost during exercise represents 0.5L of fluid loss. This must be replaced before next practice (Beachie and Earle, 2000).
URINE MUST BE CLEAR, yellow urine is a sign of dehydration!
0.5L of fluids should be consumed during pre-activity.
0.25L at regular intervals (15-20 min) during competition even when not thirsty.
Post-Activity - replace each pound (0.45kg) with 0.5L of fluid.
There does not appear to be physiological benefit from CHO consumption for athletes participating in events less than 1 hr long.
Drinks containing too much glucose, fructose, or sucrose are hypertonic and may draw water from blood plasma into the intestinal tract, dehydrating the athlete even more (Amheim and Prentice, 1997). This means more than 1 or 2 sports drinks will be negatively effective. WATER is the best source of fluids. NO research shows energy drinks help an athlete in any way. In fact many ingredients are not identified on the label and some drinks may contain banned performance enhancers. They also contain unidentified amounts of caffeine which may hinder an athletes performance as well.
PRE-COMPETITION NUTRITION
3-4 hours before competition to provide the body with fluid and energy for optimal performance. It should be something the athlete likes, is well tolerated, and has been eaten before. Do not try new meals before a competition, try them before practice sessions.
POST-COMPETITION NUTRITION
Eat immediately after competitions to replenish glucose lost from exercise. Must contain CHO and be a balanced meal. CHO consumption immediately after a competition resulted in more positive body protein balance and that CHO alone and a mixture of CHO, protein, and fat resulted in similar glycogen synthesis (Beachie and Earle, 2000). Immediate water replenishment is essential.
DIFFERENT GAME TIMES
If a competitor has a morning game, eat a large meal the night before and be fully hydrated before going to bed. Have a small snack (fruit or granola not high in sugar) before bed and eat a small breakfast. An athlete should get up at night to urinate.
For an afternoon game, athlete should have a large breakfast and a small mid morning snack.
For an Evening game, athlete should have a large breakfast, mid-morning snack, and a large lunch.
GAINING WEIGHT
Formula: Diet (2500 extra Kcal) + Resistance Training = Increase in muscle mass (1-2lb gain in lean tissue/week)
Eat larger portions at meals, eat more items at meals, higher calorie foods, eat frequently (5+ times per day), meal replacement drinks, Increase protein (1.5-2 g/kg of BW)
WEIGHT LOSS
Ability to maintain minimal body fat is largely genetic. Gaining muscle and losing fat simultaneously depends on level of training. Substantial amounts of body mass cannot be lost without losing lean body mass. Maximum rate of weight loss is 1% of body mass/week. Gradual weight loss ensures maximum fat loss and preservation of lean tissue. Weight loss is best done in off/pre season.
RAPID WEIGHT LOSS
Will NOT result in loss of body fat. Goal is to decrease total body weight in order to compete in a specified weight class. Done by restricting foods and fluids 3-10 days prior to weigh in. (Boxing, wrestling, etc. NOT Hockey)
ITEMS TO AVOID IN ATHLETES DIETS:
Cream Pasta Sauce, mayonnaise, margarine, pop, fried items, high fat deserts, double cheese burger, salads loaded with dressings, cream soups, fries, high fat foods, whole milk.
ITEMS TO CHOOSE AS AN ATHLETE:
Tomato/vegetable based sauces, light dressing/margarine, plain meals, water, milk , juice, baked, broiled, steamed grilled, poached, roasted, fruit, grilled chicken burger, side dressings, broth based soups, rice, potatoes, salad, less than 3g fat/ 100 meals, skim or 1% milk.