Many times I've been asked about sports nutrition on what should an athlete eat so as to be able to perform at peak performance during training and events. A great amount of strain is experienced by the body during workouts. The body will require a lot of energy for its consumption during these periods. To be able to perform well, the body will need to have strong muscles and sufficient energy to undergo the intense physical activities. For many years, there have been plenty of arguments on the best diets that athletes should have in order to perform at their optimal levels. Dietitians from all over the world have differing opinions on this issue. You can be sure that these arguments will not stop but will continue on into the future years. However, many people do agree that physical activities, performance levels and recovery from exertions are enhanced by optimal nutrition. Many agree that the appropriate selection of food and fluids, the timing of their intake and the choice of supplements are important to optimal health and sports performance. During times of high physical exertions, the body needs a lot of energy. The predominant source of energy comes from carbohydrates. They are stored as glycogen in the muscles and provide the fuel for short intense burst of energy. The more intense and longer the duration of exercise, the more glycogen is used. When it is depleted, your energy level will drop and you'll have to stop your exercise. In order to maintain an adequate store of glycogen in your muscles, you need to consume sufficient carbohydrates. Experts say that you'll need 3.6g of carbohydrates for each pound you weigh daily. For example, if your weight is 140lbs, then you'll need to eat 504g of carbohydrates per day. Protein is required for muscle building as it is the basic building material for muscle tissue. Athletes, especially those doing strength training, will need plenty of protein to build those muscles. The recommended daily protein requirement for serious strength athletes is 0.6 to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. Besides carbohydrates and protein, fat is also an essential nutrient. Fat provides fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins to the body. Moreover, a moderate amount of energy is also provided by fat. But it is not healthy to consume too much of it. Unsaturated fat should provide only 20% to 25% of your total calories requirement for each day. It is important for athletes to be well hydrated. Additional to the normal daily requirement of consuming 8 glasses of water, they should also have fluid intake before, during and after exercises and races to compensate for the fluid loss during these periods. Two hours before any workouts, you should drink 2 cups of fluid. Every 15 to 20 minutes during the workouts, you should drink 4 to 8 ounces of fluid to keep hydrated. Drink 16 ounces of fluid after the fluid to replenish fluid lost. To be more precise, you can weigh yourself before and after workouts. Drink 16 ounces of fluid for every pound lost during these workouts. When your workouts are prolonged, lasting more than 1 hour, energy bars and sports drinks can help you to keep energized. Besides providing energy, you'll also get to be hydrated by sports drinks. After workouts, it's important to eat some protein and carbohydrates to help repair and rebuild your muscle tissues and to refill your glycogen stores. Creatine may be consumed to give slightly more power to the muscles during workouts. Of course, this has to be combined with a good diet and a good strength training program in order to realize the benefits. Meat is a good source for creatine. You can also get this nutrient from supplements. To speed up muscle gain, you can load creatine into your muscles with a dosage of 5 grams of creatine monohydrate 4 times a day for 5 days. Thereafter, consume 2 grams a day for maintenance. I've shared with you some great information on eating right for peak performance. Apply these sports nutrition tips to help you perform at your best in sports.
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