Nutrition for Exercise

Posted by on December 22, 2011

Before you eat for exercise or sport, you need to make sure your overall diet is healthy. You don’t want to start carbo loading or taking supplements until you are eating a well-balanced diet. Make sure you are having the right ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are your body’s prime energy source. They assist in digestion and metabolism and are stored as glycogen in your muscles. Glycogen (http://www.thesportjournal.org/article/glycogen-replenishment-after-exhaustive-exercise) is used for energy so we need to keep our muscles replenished as we go through the day and especially for exercise. Your body needs about 40-60% of calories from carbohydrates. 60% is for more of the endurance athlete while 40% is for more of the sedentary individual. Foods that contain carbohydrates are whole grains(rice, cereal, pasta, bread), fruits, milk, yogurt, and vegetables. Try to go for more complex carbohydrates over simple. Simple carbs are made from white flour and digested quickly while complex carbs have fiber and take longer for the body to break down. Complex carbs, (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002469.htm) which are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, are a healthier choice for long term health. Inadequate carbohydrate intake can lead to protein/muscle breakdown and decreased ability to burn fat.

Protein

Protein helps build and repair muscle tissue, grow hair and fingernails, produce hormones, boost immune system, and replace RBC. Protein is used to optimize carbohydrate storage in muscles and helps stabilize blood sugar levels when consumed with carbohydrate foods. Your body needs about 10-20% of calories from protein. Your body does not need more than 20% of protein for muscle building or weight training despite popular belief. Foods that contain protein are not only meat, eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt, peanut butter, nuts, tofu/soy, but also whole grains, and veggies.

Fat

Fat protect organs, provides insulation, and is needed for digestion and metabolism.

The more trained and stronger you are, the more % of calories from fat you will burn. Your body needs about 20-30% of calories from fat ,so more than protein. Just make sure to choose healthy mono and poly-unsaturated fats and avoid saturated fats. Food sources of healthy fat are olive oil, canola oil, fish oil, flax, avocado, nuts, peanut butter, lean meats, fish, eggs, and low fat dairy.

A balanced diet consists of the right percentage of carbohydrates, protein, and fat with a variety of foods. Digestion of carbohydrates starts right away in your mouth, while digestion of protein and fat take longer starting in your stomach. So, carbohydrates give you more immediate energy and protein and fat give you satiety until your next meal or snack.

Once you have a balanced everyday diet, you can focus on eating for your sport or activity. Make sure to eat before and after exercise and if your exercise exceeds 60-90 minutes, eat during exercise as well. Don’t let more than 4 hours go by without having a meal or snack. When you are choosing this meal or snack, make sure it has carbohydrates involved. And try to choose healthy carbohydrate foods like oatmeal, whole grain bread, fruit, yogurt, low fat or non fat milk. You will also want to have some protein and fat to help satiate you. When you are eating during exercise, go for quick absorbing carbohydrates and electrolytes. Usually the best option is a product made for this, like Cliff bars and Gatorade. There are many different products out there; you need to find the ones that work well for you. If you are exercising for an extended amount of time or performing in a sport multiple times in one day, your nutrition is vital for success. Not only do you need to eat balanced and properly throuhout the day, the amount of food, type of food, and timing of your food intake can effect your overall performance.

Hydration

Water is essential for your body’s everyday function and especially important for exercise. Water assists the body in absorbing nutrients so you need to be hydrated to fuel yourself for your exercise. If you are not properly hydrated, it can lead to digestion issues with some of the high concentrated sports products. Try to increase your everyday water intake first. And try to avoid dehydrating drinks like coffee and diet sodas. Water is the best and most natural way to hydrate your body. Signs of dehydration (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561) are thirst/dry mouth, weakness/fatigue, nausea/vomiting, muscle cramps, dizziness, and lack of coordination. If you would like to increase your water intake, do it gradually.

There is no magic food to help you perform; just eat a balanced diet with the right percentages of carbohydrates, protein, and fat.