Basics of sport nutrition
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The Basic Concepts of Sport Nutrition
Food and fluids can have a great effect on the way we feel and on the ability of the human body to perform repeated bouts of intense physical exercise. It is only when coupled with the correct form of training that diet can help improve and maintain optimum performance. Our choice of foods or 'diet' is one of the many important choices we all have to make.

Food choices are unique to each individual and depend on many factors such as availability, time, personal likes, along with mood and other psychological factors.

I believe the main dietary considerations are related to the following:
Provision of carbohydrates to provide energy.
Maintenance of fluid balance.
Control of body fat.
An understanding of the body's individual requirements and some nutritional knowledge enables athletes to select their own individual diet from the wide variety of foods available to us today. One way of assessing both individual foods and diets, is to compare the amount of energy (kcal) provided by carbohydrate, protein and fat. These figures can be expressed in terms of a percentage of the total energy in the food or diet.

Recommended percentage energy breakdown are as follows:
Normal Athlete
Carbohydrate 50% 50-60%
Fat <35% 25-35%
Protein 10 to 15% 10 to 15%

These figures are guide-lines only. There is no single correct diet.

In this country most people chose to eat foods which have too much of their energy from fat and not enough from carbohydrates. Many individuals however, seem to have the balance about right.

Percentage Energy Calculations
For an individual food the calculation is very easy to do since the information needed can usually be obtained from the nutrition label on a food. You first need to know the amount of energy in a gram of each of the nutrients. This is expressed as either kilocalories (kcal) or kiloJoules (kJ). Strictly speaking, we should use the System Internationale (SI) units of kiloJoules, but in this country we tend to use kilocalories. (carbohydrate=4kcal/g, protein=4kcal/g, fat=9kcal/g, alcohol=7kcal/g).

To calculate the figures for one day's food you need to keep a food diary, recording the weight/portion size of each food eaten. Using food tables or a suitable computer program and the label information, you then add up the total weight of each nutrient (carbohydrate, fat and protein) eaten during the day. You also calculate the total kilocalories in the day's food.

Multiply the nutrient weight in grams by the correct factor to give the amount of energy from the particular nutrient you are dealing with
Divide the answer by the total energy in the food (or day's diet) and multiply the result by 100 to give a percentage
The figures below are for individual foods, but the principle is exactly the same when working with a day's food.
You can see that the crisps have more carbohydrate by weight, but more energy (kcal) from fat.

Percentage Energy Calculations From Various Nutrients In A Food
CRISPS per 100g factor kcal %
Energy 558.0kcal - 558.0 -
Protein 5.4g 4 21.6 3.8
Carbohydrate 54.4g 4 217.6 38.9
Fat 36.7g 9 330.3 59.2


MUESLI BAR per 100g factor kcal %
Energy 431.0 kcal - 431.0 -
Protein 6.5g 4 26.0 6.0
Carbohydrate 62.7g 4 250.8 58.0
Fat 17.1 9 153.9 35.5

The general diet for an athlete is usually described as high carbohydrate, low fat with a high fluid intake.

My general advice is that the diet should be primarily based on foods that contain vitamins, minerals and starchy (complex) carbohydrates. These include bread, rice, potato, pasta, cereals, fruit, dried fruit, fruit juice and vegetables.
A typical pre-match meal would have most of the energy from carbohydrate and little from fat. Choices could include soup, bread, potatoes, low fat pasta meals (not cheesy), baked beans, vegetables, salad, lean meat, skinless chicken, grilled fish, fruit and yoghurt.
For athletes doing large amounts of exercise it is sometimes necessary to eat sugary (simple) carbohydrates such as jam, syrup, honey, some biscuits, some cakes, sugary fizzy drinks and cordial drinks are included. These foods in general contain lower levels of vitamins and minerals and therefore should not be the main foods in anybody's diet.

Fluid intake should be high. This is because water is the main transport medium within the body and is vital for temperature regulation. In addition, athletes often have high fluid losses due to sweating.
If an athlete wishes to lose bodyfat then they have to be more selective with their foods. They must still eat a high carbohydrate diet to provide the energy for exercise but try to reduce their intake of foods which contain fat and oil. These include cheese, pastry, sausage, burgers, peanuts, crisps, butter, margarine, some chocolate and some biscuits.

I hope that this brief summary will be of use to you and that you enjoy learning about nutrition as much as I do.

Contact the author Trevor Lea SRD MMedSci or visit his homepage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Basic Concepts of Sport Nutrition
Food and fluids can have a great effect on the way we feel and on the ability of the human body to perform repeated bouts of intense physical exercise. It is only when coupled with the correct form of training that diet can help improve and maintain optimum performance. Our choice of foods or 'diet' is one of the many important choices we all have to make.

Food choices are unique to each individual and depend on many factors such as availability, time, personal likes, along with mood and other psychological factors.

I believe the main dietary considerations are related to the following:
Provision of carbohydrates to provide energy.
Maintenance of fluid balance.
Control of body fat.
An understanding of the body's individual requirements and some nutritional knowledge enables athletes to select their own individual diet from the wide variety of foods available to us today. One way of assessing both individual foods and diets, is to compare the amount of energy (kcal) provided by carbohydrate, protein and fat. These figures can be expressed in terms of a percentage of the total energy in the food or diet.

Recommended percentage energy breakdown are as follows:
Normal Athlete
Carbohydrate 50% 50-60%
Fat <35% 25-35%
Protein 10 to 15% 10 to 15%

These figures are guide-lines only. There is no single correct diet.

In this country most people chose to eat foods which have too much of their energy from fat and not enough from carbohydrates. Many individuals however, seem to have the balance about right.

Percentage Energy Calculations
For an individual food the calculation is very easy to do since the information needed can usually be obtained from the nutrition label on a food. You first need to know the amount of energy in a gram of each of the nutrients. This is expressed as either kilocalories (kcal) or kiloJoules (kJ). Strictly speaking, we should use the System Internationale (SI) units of kiloJoules, but in this country we tend to use kilocalories. (carbohydrate=4kcal/g, protein=4kcal/g, fat=9kcal/g, alcohol=7kcal/g).

To calculate the figures for one day's food you need to keep a food diary, recording the weight/portion size of each food eaten. Using food tables or a suitable computer program and the label information, you then add up the total weight of each nutrient (carbohydrate, fat and protein) eaten during the day. You also calculate the total kilocalories in the day's food.

Multiply the nutrient weight in grams by the correct factor to give the amount of energy from the particular nutrient you are dealing with
Divide the answer by the total energy in the food (or day's diet) and multiply the result by 100 to give a percentage
The figures below are for individual foods, but the principle is exactly the same when working with a day's food.
You can see that the crisps have more carbohydrate by weight, but more energy (kcal) from fat.

Percentage Energy Calculations From Various Nutrients In A Food
CRISPS per 100g factor kcal %
Energy 558.0kcal - 558.0 -
Protein 5.4g 4 21.6 3.8
Carbohydrate 54.4g 4 217.6 38.9
Fat 36.7g 9 330.3 59.2


MUESLI BAR per 100g factor kcal %
Energy 431.0 kcal - 431.0 -
Protein 6.5g 4 26.0 6.0
Carbohydrate 62.7g 4 250.8 58.0
Fat 17.1 9 153.9 35.5

The general diet for an athlete is usually described as high carbohydrate, low fat with a high fluid intake.

My general advice is that the diet should be primarily based on foods that contain vitamins, minerals and starchy (complex) carbohydrates. These include bread, rice, potato, pasta, cereals, fruit, dried fruit, fruit juice and vegetables.
A typical pre-match meal would have most of the energy from carbohydrate and little from fat. Choices could include soup, bread, potatoes, low fat pasta meals (not cheesy), baked beans, vegetables, salad, lean meat, skinless chicken, grilled fish, fruit and yoghurt.
For athletes doing large amounts of exercise it is sometimes necessary to eat sugary (simple) carbohydrates such as jam, syrup, honey, some biscuits, some cakes, sugary fizzy drinks and cordial drinks are included. These foods in general contain lower levels of vitamins and minerals and therefore should not be the main foods in anybody's diet.

Fluid intake should be high. This is because water is the main transport medium within the body and is vital for temperature regulation. In addition, athletes often have high fluid losses due to sweating.
If an athlete wishes to lose bodyfat then they have to be more selective with their foods. They must still eat a high carbohydrate diet to provide the energy for exercise but try to reduce their intake of foods which contain fat and oil. These include cheese, pastry, sausage, burgers, peanuts, crisps, butter, margarine, some chocolate and some biscuits.

I hope that this brief summary will be of use to you and that you enjoy learning about nutrition as much as I do.

Contact the author Trevor Lea SRD MMedSci or visit his homepage


The Basic Concepts of Sport Nutrition
Food and fluids can have a great effect on the way we feel and on the ability of the human body to perform repeated bouts of intense physical exercise. It is only when coupled with the correct form of training that diet can help improve and maintain optimum performance. Our choice of foods or 'diet' is one of the many important choices we all have to make.

Food choices are unique to each individual and depend on many factors such as availability, time, personal likes, along with mood and other psychological factors.

I believe the main dietary considerations are related to the following:
Provision of carbohydrates to provide energy.
Maintenance of fluid balance.
Control of body fat.
An understanding of the body's individual requirements and some nutritional knowledge enables athletes to select their own individual diet from the wide variety of foods available to us today. One way of assessing both individual foods and diets, is to compare the amount of energy (kcal) provided by carbohydrate, protein and fat. These figures can be expressed in terms of a percentage of the total energy in the food or diet.

Recommended percentage energy breakdown are as follows:
Normal Athlete
Carbohydrate 50% 50-60%
Fat <35% 25-35%
Protein 10 to 15% 10 to 15%

These figures are guide-lines only. There is no single correct diet.

In this country most people chose to eat foods which have too much of their energy from fat and not enough from carbohydrates. Many individuals however, seem to have the balance about right.

Percentage Energy Calculations
For an individual food the calculation is very easy to do since the information needed can usually be obtained from the nutrition label on a food. You first need to know the amount of energy in a gram of each of the nutrients. This is expressed as either kilocalories (kcal) or kiloJoules (kJ). Strictly speaking, we should use the System Internationale (SI) units of kiloJoules, but in this country we tend to use kilocalories. (carbohydrate=4kcal/g, protein=4kcal/g, fat=9kcal/g, alcohol=7kcal/g).

To calculate the figures for one day's food you need to keep a food diary, recording the weight/portion size of each food eaten. Using food tables or a suitable computer program and the label information, you then add up the total weight of each nutrient (carbohydrate, fat and protein) eaten during the day. You also calculate the total kilocalories in the day's food.

Multiply the nutrient weight in grams by the correct factor to give the amount of energy from the particular nutrient you are dealing with
Divide the answer by the total energy in the food (or day's diet) and multiply the result by 100 to give a percentage
The figures below are for individual foods, but the principle is exactly the same when working with a day's food.
You can see that the crisps have more carbohydrate by weight, but more energy (kcal) from fat.

Percentage Energy Calculations From Various Nutrients In A Food
CRISPS per 100g factor kcal %
Energy 558.0kcal - 558.0 -
Protein 5.4g 4 21.6 3.8
Carbohydrate 54.4g 4 217.6 38.9
Fat 36.7g 9 330.3 59.2


MUESLI BAR per 100g factor kcal %
Energy 431.0 kcal - 431.0 -
Protein 6.5g 4 26.0 6.0
Carbohydrate 62.7g 4 250.8 58.0
Fat 17.1 9 153.9 35.5

The general diet for an athlete is usually described as high carbohydrate, low fat with a high fluid intake.

My general advice is that the diet should be primarily based on foods that contain vitamins, minerals and starchy (complex) carbohydrates. These include bread, rice, potato, pasta, cereals, fruit, dried fruit, fruit juice and vegetables.
A typical pre-match meal would have most of the energy from carbohydrate and little from fat. Choices could include soup, bread, potatoes, low fat pasta meals (not cheesy), baked beans, vegetables, salad, lean meat, skinless chicken, grilled fish, fruit and yoghurt.
For athletes doing large amounts of exercise it is sometimes necessary to eat sugary (simple) carbohydrates such as jam, syrup, honey, some biscuits, some cakes, sugary fizzy drinks and cordial drinks are included. These foods in general contain lower levels of vitamins and minerals and therefore should not be the main foods in anybody's diet.

Fluid intake should be high. This is because water is the main transport medium within the body and is vital for temperature regulation. In addition, athletes often have high fluid losses due to sweating.
If an athlete wishes to lose bodyfat then they have to be more selective with their foods. They must still eat a high carbohydrate diet to provide the energy for exercise but try to reduce their intake of foods which contain fat and oil. These include cheese, pastry, sausage, burgers, peanuts, crisps, butter, margarine, some chocolate and some biscuits.

I hope that this brief summary will be of use to you and that you enjoy learning about nutrition as much as I do.

Contact the author Trevor Lea SRD MMedSci or visit his homepage


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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Eating on the road(taken from Tokey hill and the US olympic
committy)

Good nutrition is an essential part of athletic competition and training. Most athletes maintain a healthy diet at home, however, on the road, wholesome and nutritious foods may be inconvenient or expensive. Poor dietary habits on the road can compromise nutrition, potentially impairing athletic performance. This article provides information on how to implement three critical nutritional strategies while on the road: 1) getting adequate calories for energy, 2) adequate carbohydrates for glycogen and 3) adequate fluids for hydration. The article will also offer tips and suggestions on applying nutrition strategies where athletes typically eat while on the road.

STRATEGY #1: CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION

Athletes diets should be high in carbohydrates making up 60-70 percent of the total daily caloric intake. Carbohydrates provide muscles with their preferred fuel for energy and are stored in the muscle and liver as glycogen. Glycogen stores from the muscle are metabolized for energy immediately or at the onset of activity. Inadequate stores of glycogen contribute to fatigue, potentially leading to impaired performance. To ensure adequate stores for competition and training, athletes should consume 60-70 percent of the total daily caloric intake in the form of carbohydrates. Generally, an intake of six-l0 grams per kilogram per day of carbohydrates is adequate to meet energy needs and prevent depletion of glycogen, while athletes competing at high-intensity, endurance sports should consume in the eight-10 grams per kilogram per day range.



STRATEGY #2: CONSUMING ENOUGH CALORIES

Athletes have a higher demand for calories because of their high activity level. Difficulty eating after competition or practice or finding healthy choices on the road can lead to calorie deficit. The body requires calories from food to provide energy, rebuild or repair injured and fatigued tissue and prepare for the next bout of activity. A deficiency in calories forces the body to use alternative fuel sources, like the muscle, to provide energy. Consuming adequate calories will prevent this by providing an outside, energy source. Calories should come from a variety of wholesome and nutritious foods. The diet should include fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, breads, grains and meats or other high protein foods.



STRATEGY #3: GETTING ENOUGH FLUIDS

The importance of consuming enough fluids cannot be overemphasized. The body is made up of about 60 percent water. Fluids enable the body to dissipate heat energy through sweat and transport fuel and waste throughout the body. Hydration decreases the risk of early onset fatigue and subsequent injuries. Athletes should be aware that it takes considerable time for the body to become fully hydrated. It is critical to begin drinking fluids well ahead of an activity (see Table 1). It is also important to drink fluids during and after competition. This will prevent dehydration during the activity and compensate for water losses. All athletes should carry adequate fluids while traveling.

Sports drinks are helpful in encouraging fluid intake. Not only do they taste better than water, the presence of salt helps maintain thirst and reduce urine formation. The carbohydrate content of sports drinks also helps increase the amount of fluid absorbed and provides an easily digestible, quickly utilized energy source. Sports drinks that contain six to eight percent carbohydrate in the form of glucose or glucose polymers are recommended. Diluting sports drinks with water may be more acceptable for athletes, particularly during and after competition.

Suggested Pre-Competition Foods

Three to Four hours before competition:

Fresh fruit or vegetables or fruit or vegetable juice, dried fruit and/or:

Breads, bagels, cereal with low-fat milk, baked potato, cereal bar, sandwich with small amount of peanut butler, or low-fat meal or cheese, low-fat yogurt, stuffed crackers, and/or:

Two servings of commercial carbohydrate supplement, liquid, solid, or semi-solid.

Two to Three hours before competition

Fresh fruit or vegetables or fruit or vegetable juice, and/or:

Breads, bagels, low-fm yogurt, or:

Two servings of commercial carbohydrate supplement, liquid, solid, or semi-solid.

One hour before competition

Fresh fruit or vegetables or fruit or vegetable juice, or:

One servings of commercial carbohydrate supplement, liquid, solid, or semi-solid.


THE PRE-COMPETITION MEAL

Pre-competition meals should provide ample energy to prevent fatigue during exercise and stave off the feeling of hunger. The meal should be eaten one to four hours prior to exercise to allow full digestion and utilization of energy. More specifically, larger meals (800 kcal+) should be eaten three to four hours before exercise, and lower calorie meals (500-700 kcal) one to two hours before exercise. Easily digestible, high-carbohydrate foods, including sports drinks/bats, fresh fruit or juice and breads are important items to include in pre-competition meals. These foods are rapidly digested into the blood stream for energy utilization. High-fat foods, like french fries, take longer to digest.. Problems arise when foods are not fully digested at the onset of activity, causing indigestion and nausea. After competition, the meal should provide ade­quate calories for energy, adequate carbohydrates to replenish and maintain glycogen stores, adequate protein to rebuild muscles and adequate fluids for re-hydration.



Table 1

Timetable to hydration

ACSM recommendation (1996):

500 ml of water prior to sleep, and another 500 during morning.

400 - 600 ml of water two hours prior to exercise.

250 - 500 ml 20 minutes before exercise.




DINING OUT

Fast Food Restaurants -- Athletic teams also face hurried schedules and budget constraints, which make fast-food restaurants a frequent choice. When eating in fast food restaurants, coaches should emphasize that athletes choose foods that are lower in fat and higher in nutritional value. Many fast food restaurants offer a variety of alternatives to the typical burger and fries meal, which is loaded with calories and fat. Grilled chicken sandwiches are widely offered, and can be ordered with extra veggies and an extra bun to help supplement calories. Controlling portion size can also be a way to offset the extra calories if necessary. Order the small size french fries or split a higher fat item. Add calories with baked potatoes, salads, juice, milk, and/or frozen yogurt. Fast food restaurants can provide the necessary calories, carbohydrates, and fluids with a little prior planning and awareness.

Traditional Restaurants -- When dining out, check more than one menu before choosing a restaurant. Look for key words that describe low-fat or high-fat foods- Low-fat food adjectives include grilled, steamed, broiled, boiled, marinara, poached, and baked. High-fat food adjectives include fried/ sautéed, breaded, au gratin, alfredo, creamed, buttery, and bisque. Ethnic restaurants often offer excellent choices for athletes, but commonly ingredients or preparation methods are unknown making it difficult to make good selections.

Three of the most common ethnic restaurants encounter ed on the road are Italian, Chinese, and Mexican. In Italian restaurants, order the pasta with red/tomato/marinara type sauces. Order pizza with thick crust and extra veggies. Ask for extra bread, but be aware of keeping butter intake to a minimum. Avoid chicken or eggplant parmesan, which are both deep-fried and contain high amounts of fat. Chinese restaurants are generally excellent choices. Always order steamed rice over fried, and choose dishes with vegetables and low fat protein sources like chicken- Lo mein and stir-fried dishes are better choices than deep-fried choices like egg rolls, sweet and sour style, or general chau. Request foods to be free of MSG (mono-sodium glutamate), a food additive that is high in sodium. In Mexican restaurants, order pot beans instead of refried beans. Ask for baked tortillas, flour or corn, instead of deep-fried shells. Limit use of sour cream and guacamole; instead, use extra salsa. Chicken and bean burritos or tostados are healthy choices for main courses. Wherever your team chooses to dine, coaches should advise athletes to take advantage of ordering a variety of foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables. Always keep in mind the key adjectives describing food preparation.

Grocery Stores Heading to the grocery store before, during or after a trip can provide athletes with healthy, high-carbohydrate foods at a fraction of the cost of dining out. Athletes can pick up fresh fruits and vegetables, bagels and bread, fruit juices, dried fruit and crackers. Grocery stores also increasingly have ready-made foods like roast chicken, submarines/hoagies and salad bars; these choices offer healthy, high carbohydrate choices at affordable prices. Many grocery stores also offer party platters which include sandwich fixings, fruit salads, and soups. Coaches may want to contact a grocery store ahead of time to arrange for a team meal. Grocery stores are also a great place to find healthy snacks and fluids for travel. Instead of loading up on chips, soda and candy, choose baby carrots, apples, granola or fruit bars, juice, water, or sports drinks.


High Carbohydrate Food Choices on the Road

Grocery store: dried or fresh fruits, bagels, graham crackers, wraps with deli meats and veggies.

Fast Food restaurant: Orange juice, low-fat milk, baked potato, pancakes, frozen yogurt.

Sit-dawn restaurant: pasta, bread, baked potato, extra veggies, fruit salad, thick-crust pizza with extra veggies,


SUMMARY

Finding healthy food choices that provide enough carbohydrates, calories and fluids can be a challenge to athletes on the road. Coaches should promote awareness of healthy food choices and help plan and implement nutritional strategies. A wholesome and nutritious diet, whether at home or on the road, plays a critical part in every athletes performance.



Taken from Olympic Coach, Fall 1999, Volume Nine

GOOD LUCK!
Check-out this site: http://www.tokeyhill.com/default.htm