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Any athlete seeking
success in sport should be aware of the importance of nutrition to
performance in both training and competition. A well-balanced, nutritious
diet is essential for maximum performance in any sporting activity.
The ideal training diet
should be high in carbohydrate (60% of total daily calorie intake), low in
fat (<25%) and contain moderate amounts of protein (15%). No one food
contains all the nutrients we need, so in order to obtain a balanced diet
it is necessary to eat a variety of foods from the six main food groups,
listed below:
Group 1: Cereals, pasta,
rice, bread, potatoes.
Group 2: Fruit
Group 3: Vegetables
Group 4: Meat, fish, poultry, beans, pulses, nuts, eggs.
Group 5: Dairy products.
Group 6: Fats, oils, sweets.
To achieve the correct
balance of nutrients, imagine that you are building a pyramid from these
food groups. Group 1, the cereal and starches, forms the basis of the
pyramid and so you need to eat most of your daily food from this group.
Pasta, rice, potatoes, bread and cereals should form the centre of each
meal. Not only are these foods high in carbohydrate, but are also a good
source of protein, vitamins, minerals and fibre, especially the wholegrain
varieties. Groups 2 & 3, fruit and vegetables, form the next layer of
the pyramid.
A wide variety of fresh
fruit, vegetables and their juices should be consumed daily. Bananas,
apples and dried fruit make great portable snacks to take to a training
session and are a valuable source of carbohydrate energy for exercise.
Groups 4 & 5, meat, other protein foods and dairy products, should be
eaten in smaller amounts. Choose lean cuts if meat and use low fat dairy
products such as semi-skimmed milk and reduced fat spreads. Vegetarians
will need to combine other protein rich foods in the right amounts to
ensure that they are getting enough high quality protein in their diet.
Nutrition before,
during and after exercise.
What you eat before, during and after exercise will affect how well you
perform both in training and competition, and how quickly you recover in
time for the next training session.
Carbohydrate stored as
glycogen in your liver and muscles is the main fuel for energy during
exercise. If you start your training session with low glycogen stores you
will find the exercise harder, you will tire more quickly and your
performance will suffer. Therefore it is important to start each training
session with full glycogen stores. It is a good idea to consume a
carbohydrate snack or drink an hour before training, particularly if you
are facing a long, hard session. For early morning starts, many swimmers
find a carbohydrate drink a more convenience choice than solid food.
The following are suitable
pre-training snacks which are quickly and easily digested:
Bananas; Sandwich or bagel with jam or honey; small bowl of cereal with
low fat milk; 3oz of raisins; crackers, crisp breads; oatcakes,
rice-cakes, fig bars, small piece of malt loaf; carbohydrate drink
During training it is
important to take on board fluids at regular intervals to prevent
dehydration.
Following exercise, the
refuelling process should start as soon as possible so that the glycogen
stores will be replenished in time for the next training session. Glycogen
is manufactured much faster in the two hours after exercise and so it is
important to consume a high carbohydrate snack or drink as soon as you
feel able to. For those who train early in the morning and often skip
breakfast because you are late for school, why not take your breakfast
with you? Muffins or bagels are great to munch on the way washed down with
a small carton of fruit juice. Even some cereals taste just as good
without milk, eaten straight from the packet.
Competition
Nutrition.
In the week leading up to a competition you want to make sure that your
energy stores (glycogen) are full. This will ensure you of the energy
needed to perform at your best.
What to eat before
competition – Pre-event foods
Research has shown that eating a high carbohydrate meal 3-4 hours before
competing improves performance by maintaining blood glucose levels in the
latter stages of competition and so delaying fatigue. If you have an early
morning competition you will need to make sure you eat a good high
carbohydrate meal the night before and have a light breakfast, for example
a bowl of cereal with low fat milk, about 1-2 hours before competing.
What to eat during
competition.
If you are competing in a number of heats or events over a day it will be
important to replenish used energy during this time. Consume small
carbohydrate snacks or use a carbohydrate drink between events to top up
your energy levels and prevent fatigue in the later stages of competition.
Also, ensure that you keep well hydrated throughout the day by consuming
plenty of fluid. Some suitable carbohydrate snacks are:
Bananas; filled rolls or
sandwiches; dried fruit (raisins, apricot); crackers or crisp bread with
jam or honey; oatcakes, rice-cakes, fig bars; malt loaf; carbohydrate
drink or diluted fruit juice; low fat cereal or energy bars.
What to eat after
competition – Recovery foods.
After you have finished competing, don’t neglect your nutrition or fluid
needs even if you are too tired to think about eating or just want to rush
off and celebrate with a McDonalds burger & milkshake! Follow the same
guidelines as you would after training; replace all fluid losses by
consuming plenty of water and have a small carbohydrate snack to replenish
some of the used energy. Then you can treat yourself- but don’t go
overboard, especially if you will be training again the next day. Good
Luck!
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