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Here's Why Our Nutrition Guidelines Are TrashSports nutrition tips -
Stephen Kollias , OrthoIndy sports medicine specialist shares five nutrition guidelines that will help keep your body-powered. Carbohydrates give your body the energy it needs to work out for over an hour. Healthy carbohydrates include vegetables, fruits, nuts and whole grains.
Drink plenty of fluids throughout the entire day. Intense exercise means your body will be sweating, which can lead to dehydration. So drink plenty of water and sports drinks. Eat protein. Eat high-quality protein such as lean meats, fish, poultry, nuts and eggs.
However, be careful on the amount of protein you eat; too much protein can put a strain on your kidneys. Get plenty of sleep. Let your body recover so you feel energized the next day. Make sure you let your body catch up on sleep so you can wake up each day enthusiastic and ready to live a healthy lifestyle.
We have all heard it before, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is especially true for athletes. Breakfast helps energize you in the morning and keep you going strong the whole day. Your well-being is important to us. Click the button below or call us to schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic specialists.
If your injury or condition is recent, you can walk right into one of our OrthoIndy Urgent Care locations for immediate care.
For rehabilitation and physical therapy, no referral is needed to see one of our physical therapists. For example, if you consume 2, calories per day, this would equate to — g daily. From there, you can adjust your carbohydrate intake to meet the energy demands of your sport or a given training session.
In select cases, such as in keto-adapted athletes , they will provide a larger portion of daily energy needs. Fats are unique because they provide 9 calories per gram, whereas protein and carbs provide 4 calories per gram.
In addition to providing energy, fats assist in hormone production, serve as structural components of cell membranes, and facilitate metabolic processes, among other functions. Fats provide a valuable source of calories, help support sport-related hormones, and can help promote recovery from exercise.
In particular, omega-3 fatty acids possess anti-inflammatory properties that have been shown to help athletes recover from intense training. After protein and carbohydrates, fats will make up the rest of the calories in your diet.
Another notable factor to consider when optimizing your sports nutrition is timing — when you eat a meal or a specific nutrient in relation to when you train or compete.
Timing your meals around training or competition may support enhanced recovery and tissue repair, enhanced muscle building, and improvements in your mood after high intensity exercise.
To best optimize muscle protein synthesis, the International Society of Sports Nutrition ISSN suggests consuming a meal containing 20—40 g of protein every 3—4 hours throughout the day. Consider consuming 30—60 g of a simple carbohydrate source within 30 minutes of exercising.
For certain endurance athletes who complete training sessions or competitions lasting longer than 60 minutes, the ISSN recommends consuming 30—60 g of carbs per hour during the exercise session to maximize energy levels.
But if your intense training lasts less than 1 hour, you can probably wait until the session is over to replenish your carbs.
When engaging in sustained high intensity exercise, you need to replenish fluids and electrolytes to prevent mild to potentially severe dehydration.
Athletes training or competing in hot conditions need to pay particularly close attention to their hydration status, as fluids and electrolytes can quickly become depleted in high temperatures.
During an intense training session, athletes should consume 6—8 oz of fluid every 15 minutes to maintain a good fluid balance. A common method to determine how much fluid to drink is to weigh yourself before and after training.
Every pound 0. You can restore electrolytes by drinking sports drinks and eating foods high in sodium and potassium.
Because many sports drinks lack adequate electrolytes, some people choose to make their own. In addition, many companies make electrolyte tablets that can be combined with water to provide the necessary electrolytes to keep you hydrated.
There are endless snack choices that can top off your energy stores without leaving you feeling too full or sluggish. The ideal snack is balanced, providing a good ratio of macronutrients, but easy to prepare. When snacking before a workout, focus on lower fat options , as they tend to digest more quickly and are likely to leave you feeling less full.
After exercise, a snack that provides a good dose of protein and carbs is especially important for replenishing glycogen stores and supporting muscle protein synthesis.
They help provide an appropriate balance of energy, nutrients, and other bioactive compounds in food that are not often found in supplement form. That said, considering that athletes often have greater nutritional needs than the general population, supplementation can be used to fill in any gaps in the diet.
Protein powders are isolated forms of various proteins, such as whey, egg white, pea, brown rice, and soy. Protein powders typically contain 10—25 g of protein per scoop, making it easy and convenient to consume a solid dose of protein.
Research suggests that consuming a protein supplement around training can help promote recovery and aid in increases in lean body mass. For example, some people choose to add protein powder to their oats to boost their protein content a bit.
Carb supplements may help sustain your energy levels, particularly if you engage in endurance sports lasting longer than 1 hour.
These concentrated forms of carbs usually provide about 25 g of simple carbs per serving, and some include add-ins such as caffeine or vitamins. They come in gel or powder form. Many long-distance endurance athletes will aim to consume 1 carb energy gel containing 25 g of carbs every 30—45 minutes during an exercise session longer than 1 hour.
Sports drinks also often contain enough carbs to maintain energy levels, but some athletes prefer gels to prevent excessive fluid intake during training or events, as this may result in digestive distress. Many athletes choose to take a high quality multivitamin that contains all the basic vitamins and minerals to make up for any potential gaps in their diet.
This is likely a good idea for most people, as the potential benefits of supplementing with a multivitamin outweigh the risks. One vitamin in particular that athletes often supplement is vitamin D, especially during winter in areas with less sun exposure.
Low vitamin D levels have been shown to potentially affect sports performance, so supplementing is often recommended. Research shows that caffeine can improve strength and endurance in a wide range of sporting activities , such as running, jumping, throwing, and weightlifting.
Many athletes choose to drink a strong cup of coffee before training to get a boost, while others turn to supplements that contain synthetic forms of caffeine, such as pre-workouts. Whichever form you decide to use, be sure to start out with a small amount. You can gradually increase your dose as long as your body tolerates it.
Supplementing with omega-3 fats such as fish oil may improve sports performance and recovery from intense exercise. You can certainly get omega-3s from your diet by eating foods such as fatty fish, flax and chia seeds, nuts, and soybeans. Plant-based omega-3 supplements are also available for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Creatine is a compound your body produces from amino acids. It aids in energy production during short, high intensity activities. Supplementing daily with 5 g of creatine monohydrate — the most common form — has been shown to improve power and strength output during resistance training, which can carry over to sports performance.
Most sporting federations do not classify creatine as a banned substance, as its effects are modest compared with those of other compounds. Considering their low cost and wide availability and the extensive research behind them, creatine supplements may be worthwhile for some athletes.
Beta-alanine is another amino acid-based compound found in animal products such as beef and chicken. In your body, beta-alanine serves as a building block for carnosine, a compound responsible for helping to reduce the acidic environment within working muscles during high intensity exercise.
The most notable benefit of supplementing with beta-alanine is improvement in performance in high intensity exercises lasting 1—10 minutes.
The commonly recommended research -based dosages range from 3. Some people prefer to stick to the lower end of the range to avoid a potential side effect called paraesthesia , a tingling sensation in the extremities. Sports nutritionists are responsible for implementing science-based nutrition protocols for athletes and staying on top of the latest research.
At the highest level, sports nutrition programs are traditionally overseen and administered by registered dietitians specializing in this area. These professionals serve to educate athletes on all aspects of nutrition related to sports performance, including taking in the right amount of food, nutrients, hydration, and supplementation when needed.
Lastly, sports nutritionists often work with athletes to address food allergies , intolerances , nutrition-related medical concerns, and — in collaboration with psychotherapists — any eating disorders or disordered eating that athletes may be experiencing.
One of the roles of sports nutritionists is to help debunk these myths and provide athletes with accurate information. Here are three of the top sports nutrition myths — and what the facts really say. While protein intake is an important factor in gaining muscle, simply supplementing with protein will not cause any significant muscle gains.
To promote notable changes in muscle size, you need to regularly perform resistance training for an extended period of time while making sure your diet is on point. Even then, depending on a number of factors, including genetics, sex, and body size, you will likely not look bulky.
Another common myth in sports nutrition is that eating close to bedtime will cause additional fat gain. Many metabolic processes take place during sleep. For example, eating two slices of pizza before bed is much more likely to result in fat gain than eating a cup of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt.
Coffee gets a bad rap for being dehydrating. While sports nutrition is quite individualized, some general areas are important for most athletes.
In order Sporfs perform your tios at game time, your body needs the right nutrition and hydration. Follow these general sports nutrition tips from UPMC Sports Spots Citrus bioflavonoids benefits before, during, and Njtrition your next competition — Sports nutrition tips Easy weight loss maximize your Citrus bioflavonoids benefits performance and avoid potential injury. Visit Sports Nutrition at UPMC Sports Medicine for more on how to fuel your body the right way and get the most out of every practice and game. Drink 1 water bottle or 20 ounces of fluid 1 hour before practices and games. Be sure to drink at least 1 water bottle for each hour of practice and competition. Eat every 3 to 4 hours, beginning with breakfast and a morning snack. Eat a snack before practice, such as yogurt, a granola bar, a small bowl of cereal, or a bagel with a little honey.Nutrution good news about eating for sports is that reaching your peak performance level doesn't take a special diet or mutrition. It's all about working the right foods into your fitness plan in the right amounts. Teen Sporta have different nutrition needs than their less-active tils.
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Belly fat reduction success stories needs some fat each day, and this is extra true for athletes. That's because active muscles quickly burn through carbs and need fats for long-lasting energy.
Like carbs, not all fats are created equal. Choose healthier fats, such as the unsaturated fat found in most vegetable oils, fish, and nuts and seeds.
Limit trans fat like partially hydrogenated oils and saturated fat, found in fatty meat and dairy products like whole milk, cheese, and butter. Choosing when to eat fats is also important for athletes. Fatty foods can slow digestion, so it's a good idea to avoid eating them for a few hours before exercising.
Sports supplements promise to improve sports performance. But few have proved to help, and some may do harm. Anabolic steroids can seriously mess with a person's hormonescausing unwanted side effects like testicular shrinkage and baldness in guys and facial hair growth in girls.
Steroids can cause mental health problems, including depression and serious mood swings. Some supplements contain hormones related to testosterone, such as DHEA dehydroepiandrosterone.
These can have similar side effects to anabolic steroids. Other sports supplements like creatine have not been tested in people younger than So the risks of taking them are not yet known.
Salt tablets are another supplement to watch out for. People take them to avoid dehydration, but salt tablets can actually lead to dehydration and must be taken with plenty of water.
Too much salt can cause nausea, vomiting, cramps, and diarrhea and may damage the stomach lining. In general, you are better off drinking fluids to stay hydrated. Usually, you can make up for any salt lost in sweat with sports drinks or foods you eat before, during, and after exercise.
Speaking of dehydrationwater is as important to unlocking your game power as food. When you sweat during exercise, it's easy to become overheated, headachy, and worn out — especially in hot or humid weather.
Even mild dehydration can affect an athlete's physical and mental performance. There's no one set guide for how much water to drink. How much fluid each person needs depends on their age, size, level of physical activity, and environmental temperature. Athletes should drink before, during, and after exercise.
Don't wait until you feel thirsty, because thirst is a sign that your body has needed liquids for a while. Sports drinks are no better for you than water to keep you hydrated during sports.
But if you exercise for more than 60 to 90 minutes or in very hot weather, sports drinks may be a good option. The extra carbs and electrolytes may improve performance in these conditions.
Otherwise your body will do just as well with water. Avoid drinking carbonated drinks or juice because they could give you a stomachache while you're training or competing. Don't use energy drinks and other caffeine -containing drinks, like soda, tea, and coffee, for rehydration. You could end up drinking large amounts of caffeine, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure.
Too much caffeine can leave an athlete feeling anxious or jittery. Caffeine also can cause headaches and make it hard to sleep at night. These all can drag down your sports performance. Your performance on game day will depend on the foods you've eaten over the past several days and weeks.
You can boost your performance even more by paying attention to the food you eat on game day. Focus on a diet rich in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat.
Everyone is different, so get to know what works best for you. You may want to experiment with meal timing and how much to eat on practice days so that you're better prepared for game day. KidsHealth For Teens A Guide to Eating for Sports.
en español: Guía de alimentación para deportistas. Medically reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD. Listen Play Stop Volume mp3 Settings Close Player. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.
Eat Extra for Excellence The good news about eating for sports is that reaching your peak performance level doesn't take a special diet or supplements. Athletes and Dieting Teen athletes need extra fuel, so it's usually a bad idea to diet.
Eat a Variety of Foods When it comes to powering your game for the long haul, it's important to eat healthy, balanced meals and snacks to get the nutrients your body needs. Vital Vitamins and Minerals Besides getting the right amount of calories, teen athletes need a variety of nutrients from the foods they eat to keep performing at their best.
Calcium and iron are two important minerals for athletes: Calcium helps build the strong bones that athletes depend on. Calcium — a must for protecting against stress fractures — is found in dairy foods, such as low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. Iron carries oxygen to muscles. To get the iron you need, eat lean meat, fish, and poultry; leafy green vegetables; and iron-fortified cereals.
Protein Power Athletes may need more protein than less-active teens, but most get plenty through a healthy diet. Carb Charge Carbohydrates are an excellent source of fuel. Fat Fuel Everyone needs some fat each day, and this is extra true for athletes.
Skip the Supplements Sports supplements promise to improve sports performance. Ditch Dehydration Speaking of dehydrationwater is as important to unlocking your game power as food.
Game-Day Eats Your performance on game day will depend on the foods you've eaten over the past several days and weeks. Here are some tips: Eat a meal 3 to 4 hours before activity.
Include plenty of carbs and some protein but keep the fat low. Fat takes longer to digest, which can cause an upset stomach.
Carbs may include pasta, bread, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid sugary foods and drinks. When there are 3 hours or less before game or practice, eat a lighter meal or snack that includes easy-to-digest carbohydrate-containing foods, such as fruit, crackers, or bread.
After the game or event, experts recommend eating within 30 minutes after intense activity and again 2 hours later. Your body will be rebuilding muscle and replenishing energy stores and fluids, so continue to hydrate and eat a balance of lean protein and carbs.
: Sports nutrition tips| Assess your everyday training diet with these questions: | During a workout, it helps sustain your energy level, and afterward, it's essential for muscle recovery. Ideal protein intake is. For example, if you weigh pounds, you should be eating 90— grams of protein per day. For maximum benefit, spread your protein intake throughout the day. Aim for. If you weigh pounds, plan to eat about 18 grams of protein per snack and 29 grams per meal. Fats provide energy when your body is at rest, but they're also ideal fuel for low-intensity and long-duration activity. They play an important role in brain function, heart health, mental health, joint mobility and post-workout recovery. However, they also can trigger inflammatory responses. The type of fat does matter. Choose plant-based fats from avocados, olive oil, canola oil, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and fatty fish like salmon, tuna and cod. Portion control also is a factor when it comes to fats, especially if you want to lose weight as you increase activity. Regardless of the type of fat, this macronutrient contains 9 calories per gram, which can add up. It's important to refuel as soon as possible after exercise. Aim to eat 30 minutes to two hours after your workout. Take in enough carbohydrates to maintain blood glucose levels and restore glycogen, your body's store of glucose. By consuming 15—30 grams of protein, you maximize your synthesis of muscle protein. To calculate the hydration you need, divide your weight by two for the total ounces per day. For example, if you weigh pounds, you should take in a minimum of 75 ounces of fluid per day. If you're well-hydrated, you generally won't be thirsty. Thirst is a sign you're not taking in enough fluids. Be aware of the color of your urine — the lighter yellow it is, the more hydrated you are. Water, seltzer, juices, sports nutrition drinks, 6—12 ounces of coffee or tea and high-fluid fruits and veggies are good hydration sources. Other factors affect hydration when working out. Ensure you're eating enough carbs and sodium. Keep in mind that carbohydrate and sodium needs can vary dramatically by person. Try: A ounce sports drink. A package of peanut butter crackers. A small bag of pretzels. Make An Appointment With A Sports Nutritionist Looking for a sports nutrition plan tailored to you? UPMC Patient Portals. The portal for all UPMC patients EXCEPT those in Central Pa. Sign in to MyUPMC. Sign in to UPMC Central PA Portal. The portal for UPMC Cole patients receiving inpatient care. Sign in to UPMC Cole Connect Patient Portal. Find Care. Find a Doctor. Virtual Care. Patient Portals. To properly assess, weigh yourself immediately prior to and after a workout. For every pound of weight lost, replace with 16 ounces of fluid. Best hydration choices include water, low-fat milk or percent juice. Sports beverages are best reserved for competition, where quick hydration and electrolyte replacement are necessary. There are a few golden rules when it comes to eating on game day:. It happens the days, weeks, and months leading up to the competition. Peak performance during competition means eating nutritious food while traveling. Relying on the concession stand for food during competition is an almost certain failure. Players and parents should prepare by packing a variety of food and beverages. Choose energy-packed foods such as whole grain crackers with low-fat cheese, tortilla wraps with veggies and lean meat, hard-boiled eggs, vegetable or bean soups, small boxes of non-sugary cereal, fresh fruit, mini-whole wheat bagels with peanut butter, pita bread with hummus or pasta with grilled chicken. Fibrous carbohydrates can be beneficial as these tend to cause GI disturbances. UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Refer a Patient. Clinical Trials. Find a Doctor. Search Submit. Pay a bill. Refill a prescription. Price transparency. Obtain medical records. Order flowers and gifts. |
| We Care About Your Privacy | Consuming approximately ml of fluid in the 2 to 4 hours prior to an event may be a good general strategy to take. Some people may experience a negative response to eating close to exercise. A meal high in fat, protein or fibre is likely to increase the risk of digestive discomfort. It is recommended that meals just before exercise should be high in carbohydrates as they do not cause gastrointestinal upset. Liquid meal supplements may also be appropriate, particularly for athletes who suffer from pre-event nerves. For athletes involved in events lasting less than 60 minutes in duration, a mouth rinse with a carbohydrate beverage may be sufficient to help improve performance. Benefits of this strategy appear to relate to effects on the brain and central nervous system. During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue. Current recommendations suggest 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate is sufficient, and can be in the form of lollies, sports gels, sports drinks, low-fat muesli and sports bars or sandwiches with white bread. It is important to start your intake early in exercise and to consume regular amounts throughout the exercise period. It is also important to consume regular fluid during prolonged exercise to avoid dehydration. Sports drinks, diluted fruit juice and water are suitable choices. For people exercising for more than 4 hours, up to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is recommended. Carbohydrate foods and fluids should be consumed after exercise, particularly in the first one to 2 hours after exercise. While consuming sufficient total carbohydrate post-exercise is important, the type of carbohydrate source might also be important, particularly if a second training session or event will occur less than 8 hours later. In these situations, athletes should choose carbohydrate sources with a high GI for example white bread, white rice, white potatoes in the first half hour or so after exercise. This should be continued until the normal meal pattern resumes. Since most athletes develop a fluid deficit during exercise, replenishment of fluids post-exercise is also a very important consideration for optimal recovery. It is recommended that athletes consume 1. Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair. Protein needs are generally met and often exceeded by most athletes who consume sufficient energy in their diet. The amount of protein recommended for sporting people is only slightly higher than that recommended for the general public. For athletes interested in increasing lean mass or muscle protein synthesis, consumption of a high-quality protein source such as whey protein or milk containing around 20 to 25 g protein in close proximity to exercise for example, within the period immediately to 2 hours after exercise may be beneficial. As a general approach to achieving optimal protein intakes, it is suggested to space out protein intake fairly evenly over the course of a day, for instance around 25 to 30 g protein every 3 to 5 hours, including as part of regular meals. There is currently a lack of evidence to show that protein supplements directly improve athletic performance. Therefore, for most athletes, additional protein supplements are unlikely to improve sport performance. A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Supplements will only be of any benefit if your diet is inadequate or you have a diagnosed deficiency, such as an iron or calcium deficiency. There is no evidence that extra doses of vitamins improve sporting performance. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including:. Before using supplements, you should consider what else you can do to improve your sporting performance — diet, training and lifestyle changes are all more proven and cost effective ways to improve your performance. Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence. Use of vitamin and mineral supplements is also potentially dangerous. Supplements should not be taken without the advice of a qualified health professional. The ethical use of sports supplements is a personal choice by athletes, and it remains controversial. If taking supplements, you are also at risk of committing an anti-doping rule violation no matter what level of sport you play. The doctor can work with you or refer you to a dietitian to develop a healthy eating plan for your young athlete. Kids need to eat well on game days. The meal itself should not be very different from what they've eaten throughout training. Athletes can choose healthy foods they believe enhance their performance and don't cause any problems like stomach upset. Athletes need to eat the right amount and mix of foods to support their higher level of activity. But that mix might not be too different from a normal healthy diet. Eating for sports should be another part of healthy eating for life. KidsHealth Parents Feeding Your Child Athlete. en español: Cómo alimentar a su joven deportista. Medically reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD. Listen Play Stop Volume mp3 Settings Close Player. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. Nutritional Needs of Young Athletes Active, athletic kids and teens need: Vitamins and minerals: Kids need a variety of vitamins and minerals. Calcium and iron are two important minerals for athletes: Calcium helps build strong bones to resist breaking and stress fractures. Calcium-rich foods include low-fat dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese, as well as leafy green vegetables such as broccoli. Iron helps carry oxygen to all the different body parts that need it. Iron-rich foods include lean meat, chicken, tuna, salmon, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green vegetables, and fortified whole grains. Protein: Protein helps build and repair muscles, and most kids get plenty of it through a balanced diet. Protein-rich foods include fish, lean meat and poultry, dairy products, beans, nuts, and soy products. Incorporate carbs into your meals. Muscles require carbohydrates to function properly and avoid cramping. Ideally, carbs should take up two-thirds of your plate at all meals. Choose Bread Rice Pasta Potatoes Fruits and vegetables Cereal Skip Chips Cookies Candy Include some fat in your diet. Choose Nuts Nut butter Small amounts of salad dressings, mayonnaise, or oil Skip Wings Ribs Hot dogs Fried foods Fatty meats Pick your proteins wisely. Proteins are not an ideal fuel source for sports. They should make up about one-third of your plate at all meals. Choose Chicken Turkey Pork chops Fish Shellfish Eggs, cheese, and milk Beans pinto, black, navy, white, black eyed peas Skip Fatty or fried meats Burgers Post-Game Eating What you eat and drink after the game is just as vital as before and during. Try: A ounce sports drink. A package of peanut butter crackers. A small bag of pretzels. Make An Appointment With A Sports Nutritionist Looking for a sports nutrition plan tailored to you? UPMC Patient Portals. The portal for all UPMC patients EXCEPT those in Central Pa. |
| Pre-Game Eating | Some people may experience a negative response to eating close to exercise. A meal high in fat, protein or fibre is likely to increase the risk of digestive discomfort. It is recommended that meals just before exercise should be high in carbohydrates as they do not cause gastrointestinal upset. Liquid meal supplements may also be appropriate, particularly for athletes who suffer from pre-event nerves. For athletes involved in events lasting less than 60 minutes in duration, a mouth rinse with a carbohydrate beverage may be sufficient to help improve performance. Benefits of this strategy appear to relate to effects on the brain and central nervous system. During exercise lasting more than 60 minutes, an intake of carbohydrate is required to top up blood glucose levels and delay fatigue. Current recommendations suggest 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate is sufficient, and can be in the form of lollies, sports gels, sports drinks, low-fat muesli and sports bars or sandwiches with white bread. It is important to start your intake early in exercise and to consume regular amounts throughout the exercise period. It is also important to consume regular fluid during prolonged exercise to avoid dehydration. Sports drinks, diluted fruit juice and water are suitable choices. For people exercising for more than 4 hours, up to 90 grams of carbohydrate per hour is recommended. Carbohydrate foods and fluids should be consumed after exercise, particularly in the first one to 2 hours after exercise. While consuming sufficient total carbohydrate post-exercise is important, the type of carbohydrate source might also be important, particularly if a second training session or event will occur less than 8 hours later. In these situations, athletes should choose carbohydrate sources with a high GI for example white bread, white rice, white potatoes in the first half hour or so after exercise. This should be continued until the normal meal pattern resumes. Since most athletes develop a fluid deficit during exercise, replenishment of fluids post-exercise is also a very important consideration for optimal recovery. It is recommended that athletes consume 1. Protein is an important part of a training diet and plays a key role in post-exercise recovery and repair. Protein needs are generally met and often exceeded by most athletes who consume sufficient energy in their diet. The amount of protein recommended for sporting people is only slightly higher than that recommended for the general public. For athletes interested in increasing lean mass or muscle protein synthesis, consumption of a high-quality protein source such as whey protein or milk containing around 20 to 25 g protein in close proximity to exercise for example, within the period immediately to 2 hours after exercise may be beneficial. As a general approach to achieving optimal protein intakes, it is suggested to space out protein intake fairly evenly over the course of a day, for instance around 25 to 30 g protein every 3 to 5 hours, including as part of regular meals. There is currently a lack of evidence to show that protein supplements directly improve athletic performance. Therefore, for most athletes, additional protein supplements are unlikely to improve sport performance. A well-planned diet will meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Supplements will only be of any benefit if your diet is inadequate or you have a diagnosed deficiency, such as an iron or calcium deficiency. There is no evidence that extra doses of vitamins improve sporting performance. Nutritional supplements can be found in pill, tablet, capsule, powder or liquid form, and cover a broad range of products including:. Before using supplements, you should consider what else you can do to improve your sporting performance — diet, training and lifestyle changes are all more proven and cost effective ways to improve your performance. Relatively few supplements that claim performance benefits are supported by sound scientific evidence. Use of vitamin and mineral supplements is also potentially dangerous. Supplements should not be taken without the advice of a qualified health professional. The ethical use of sports supplements is a personal choice by athletes, and it remains controversial. If taking supplements, you are also at risk of committing an anti-doping rule violation no matter what level of sport you play. Dehydration can impair athletic performance and, in extreme cases, may lead to collapse and even death. Drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise is very important. Fluid intake is particularly important for events lasting more than 60 minutes, of high intensity or in warm conditions. Water is a suitable drink, but sports drinks may be required, especially in endurance events or warm climates. Sports drinks contain some sodium, which helps absorption. While insufficient hydration is a problem for many athletes, excess hydration may also be potentially dangerous. In rare cases, athletes might consume excessive amounts of fluids that dilute the blood too much, causing a low blood concentration of sodium. This condition is called hyponatraemia, which can potentially lead to seizures, collapse, coma or even death if not treated appropriately. Consuming fluids at a level of to ml per hour of exercise might be a suitable starting point to avoid dehydration and hyponatraemia, although intake should ideally be customised to individual athletes, considering variable factors such as climate, sweat rates and tolerance. This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Sporting performance and food. Actions for this page Listen Print. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising. Create profiles to personalise content. Use profiles to select personalised content. Measure advertising performance. Measure content performance. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. Develop and improve services. Use limited data to select content. List of Partners vendors. By Elizabeth Quinn, MS Elizabeth Quinn, MS. Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics. Learn about our editorial process. Learn more. Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Tara Laferrara, CPT. Reviewed by Tara Laferrara, CPT. Tara Laferrara is a certified NASM personal trainer, yoga teacher, and fitness coach. She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. Learn about our Review Board. Table of Contents View All. Table of Contents. Match Your Abilities With Your Interests. Avoid Overtraining. Be Flexible. Set Realistic Goals. Be Patient. Be Consistent. Nutrition Is Critical. Use Proper Equipment. Symptoms of Overtraining. Are Your Exercise Goals Realistic? Athlete's Checklist for Better Training. Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory, Musculoskeletal, and Neuromotor Fitness in Apparently Healthy Adults. Kreher JB, Schwartz JB. Overtraining Syndrome: A Practical Guide. Sports Health. See Our Editorial Process. Meet Our Review Board. |
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