{"id":3109,"date":"2019-09-05T13:27:14","date_gmt":"2019-09-05T15:44:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/heartmountainchiropractic.com\/nutritional-tips-for-athletes\/"},"modified":"2019-09-05T13:27:14","modified_gmt":"2019-09-05T17:27:14","slug":"nutritional-tips-for-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/heartmountainchiropractic.com\/es\/nutritional-tips-for-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Nutritional Tips for Athletes (September 2019)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Protein: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Protein helps maintain and support muscle formation and repairs within the human body. It can also help with energy. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, they suggest that athletes should consume between 0.5 to 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight. (6)<\/small><\/sup>For example, an athlete weighing 150 pounds would consume between 82 to 136 grams of protein daily. Your best source of protein can be found in the following foods: meats, eggs, beans, seeds, nuts, sprouts, quinoa and nut butters. It is best to avoid proteins with processed soy, dairy, or pork and any lunch meats containing nitrates or nitrites.<\/p>\n

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Carbohydrates: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Carbohydrates are used to provide energy during a workout or athletic event. Foods that are highly processed or contain sugar unfortunately do not provide the body with adequate nutrition. Over time, processed carbohydrates can cause excess fat storages, low energy levels, and muscle loss. (4)<\/small><\/sup>The carbohydrates you want to avoid are the following: white sugar, white flour, fruit juice, high fructose corn syrup, chips, French fries and soda. The most desirable carbohydrates include the following: whole grain breads and pastas, beans, lentils, rice, whole vegetables and fruit.<\/p>\n

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Fats: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Fats have a bad connotation but they are actually a great source of energy.\u00a0 They also protect cell membranes, support the nervous system, and carry fat- soluble vitamins from the food you eat in your daily diet. There are two types of fats \u2013 saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fat tends to come from animals, such as butter and cheese. Unsaturated fats are from nuts, seeds, fish and plant oils. (4)<\/small><\/sup>Some of the most desirable fat sources to include into the daily diet are: nuts (cashews, almonds, pecans, walnuts, Brazil nuts), seeds (sunflower, pumpkin), avocados, coconut oil, fish, nut butters (peanut butter, almond) and cooking oils (grape seed, olive oil, coconut and palm oil).<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s Game Day, What Should you Eat? <\/strong><\/p>\n

About 60-90 minutes prior to exercise, snacks should be made up of carbohydrates. This helps reduce any negative effects simple sugars may have on the body prior to exercise. This also gives the body enough to reestablish proper hormonal balance.\u00a0 Some examples of carbohydrate snacks to consume are a small apple and 1 teaspoon of nut butter, Banana, graham crackers, oranges and pretzels.<\/p>\n

During an event, physical and mental performance improves with the consumption of carbohydrates and protein. A good rule to follow is a 4:1 ratio of foods rich in carbohydrates to protein.\u00a0 Keeping this ratio has shown to reduce fatigue and muscle damage.<\/p>\n

After the game, make sure to have a well-balanced meal with adequate protein, carbohydrates and fat. The body will be going into a muscle rebuilding phase for the next 24 hours.<\/p>\n

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Water:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Proper hydration is key for any athlete, which makes it important to consider your hydration prior, during and after an athletic event.\u00a0 If an athlete goes into an event dehydrated, no amount of water consumed during the event is going to get them out a dehydrated state.<\/p>\n

Tips on when to hydrate<\/u><\/p>\n

About 2- 3 hours prior to an event:\u00a0\u00a0 17 to 20 oz of water<\/p>\n

After the warm up:\u00a0 7 to 10 oz of water.<\/p>\n

During the event:\u00a0 28 to 40 oz of water for every hour of physical activity (about 7 -10 oz every 10-15 minutes).<\/p>\n

Within 2 hours after the event:\u00a0 20-24 oz of water for every pound of body weight in order to replace the fluid loss from urinating and sweating. (5)<\/small><\/sup><\/p>\n

Remember it\u2019s important to monitor an athlete\u2019s hydration levels for signs of dehydration. These signs include: thirst, muscle cramps, weakness, decreased athletic performance, trouble focusing, headache, nausea, fatigue, reduced urine output, dark urine and\/or dizziness.<\/p>\n

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Vitamins and Minerals: <\/strong>There are many vitamins on the market that can help with nutritional support for an athlete. Listed below are a couple of vitamins and supplements, that often times get over looked.<\/p>\n