Posts tagged Nutrition
Meal Timing for Peak Performance
Athletes often spend time trying to figure out the perfect foods to eat before, during, and after a competition. While this is a very important question to ask, eating the perfect meal before a workout or game will be useless without prior months of healthy eating and training. It is just not possible to prepare the body in one day, it must be done gradually. Preparation is crucial because it can take the body up to six months to reach a proper healthy and nutrient stable state.
The first step to reaching this state is dedicating yourself to eating the right foods consistently and constantly to support the bodies energy and nutrient needs. While eating the correct foods to meet the bodies demands knowing when to eat those foods is equally important. There are specific windows of time when the body can benefit most from eating.
Energy Before Exercise:
-Eating before exercising must be done at least 60-90 minutes prior to start of any exercise to allow for adequate digestion and absorption. A meal rich with carbohydrates has shown to improve athletic endurance. Following this meal an athlete should consume some sort of carbohydrates or carbohydrate rich beverage until the beginning of the exercise to avoid low levels of blood sugar. This can be done by sipping a sports beverage every 15-20 minutes and snacking on foods with high starch content(such as crackers or rice) while drinking ample amounts of water.
Energy Continuance During Exercise:
- Athletes involved in strenuous exercise should always be cautious of blood sugar levels. Blood sugar(glucose) and glycogen levels should be maintained throughout a workout to ensure an athlete does not become fatigued. Muscles main source of fuel is combination of both glucose and glycogen therefore avoiding low levels of either is critical. This can be done by sipping sports beverages during exercise to delay the onset of fatigue. By drinking a sports drink with carbohydrates an athlete is able to sustain branched chain amino acid levels (BCAA’s), blood glucose levels, and prevent the production of cortisol, which is a main source of muscle breakdown.
Energy Refill After Exercise:
-Immediately following exercise muscles are exhausted of glycogen, protein, carbohydrates, and fluids. The hour following a workout is the “golden” hour, in the sense that this window of time is the optimal hour for nutrient recovery. The main focus of post-exercise replenishment is to prepare the athlete for the next round of competition. The meal following exercise should be rich in carbohydrates and protein, if possible carbohydrates that are highly glycemic. This meal should be washed down with ample amounts of fluids; a combination of ones that contain glucose and ones that do not. Following this preliminary meal athletes should continue to consume smaller portions of carbohydrates (medium glycemic index) for the next three hours.
Pre Workout: 5 Foods To Help Maximize Your Lift
5. Bananas/Fruits. This quick fix of carbohydrates gives energy to the
body quickly because it is easily digested by our bodies. Banana epically are high in potassium which is what your body is begging for during and after workouts. With similar nutrients try apples, grapes, and peaches as a pre workout snack for energy. A standard banana contains roughly 105 calories, 27 grams carbohydrates and 1 gram of protein.
4. Oatmeal. Another great source of carbohydrates but also full of fiber and vitamin Bs which helps converts carbs into energy faster and more efficient for the body. A cup of oatmeal will provide about 150 calories, 5 grams of protein, 2 grams of fat, and 25 grams of carbs.
3. Yogurt. This is stored with a variety of things used for the body during a
work out. Staring with solid levels of protein and carbs, but what makes this great is the high levels of magnesium. Which kick start the metabolism of protein and carbs which the body wants to use during your workouts. 1 cup contains 32 grams of carbs, 12 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fat.
2. Almonds/other types of nuts. Packed with protein, carbs, calories and
fats this provides the energy needed for a hard lifting or cardio workout. Perfect for athletes that are training hard and often. 1 cup contains 40 grams of carbs, 26 grams of protein, 855 carioles, and 72 grams of fat. Also a good source of your daily fiber. I must take for athletes during the peak of training.
1. Pasta. This source of energy is stored therefore needs to be taken the night before or early on in the day for a workout. When you think of carb loading 
pasta should be the first thing that comes to your head it provides the complex carbs for long term energy. This is not a snack before a workout but something that is useful if taken the day before an intense work load tomorrow. A cup of pasta is 40 carbs, 190 calories, and 8 grams of protein.
Super Foods
Everyone has aches and pains from day to day living, especially athletes. Here we have a quick reference to a variety of foods that can be used to cure many common pains from headaches to muscle soreness. These are great suggestions not just for athletes but for anyone experiencing pain and soreness they want to get rid of. 
Pain: Post Workout Soreness
Food: Pineapple and Papaya
Pineapples and papayas are full of Papain and Bromelain, both which are enzymes that occur naturally within the body. Papain and Bromelain are used by the body to break down protein for the bodys use and reduce inflammation in deep muscle tissue. Any athletes that have rigorous training schedules or are suffering from chronic soreness should be sure to include these fruits in their diets.
Pain: Headache
Food: Avocado and Olive Oil
Avocados and Olive are both rich in essential fatty acids, which are needed by the body because it can not produce them on its own. Essential Fatty acids play key roles in the bodies immune, nervous, cardiovascular, and reproductive systems. Essential Fatty Acids are needed by the body for proper cellular functioning and performance. They also help to act as a natural lubricant, especially in the brain allowing for increased blood flow and reduced inflammation. These powerful fatty acids can have the same effect on headaches as medicines like ibuprofen.
Pain: Stomach Ache 
Food: Tuna Fish
Tuna is high in Omega 3s which are apart of the family of Essential Fatty Acids. Omega 3s are excellent aids in digestion because they work to speed up the rate at which the body moves food through the intestines. This increased rate of digestion and absorption of food can relieve even the most severe stomach aches. This movement is done by various hormones which are governed by Omega 3 fatty acids. A stomach ache can be quelled by eating a small serving of tuna, however a large amount of tuna will have the opposite effect.
Pain: Sun Burn
Food: Dark Chocolate
Dark Chocolate is rich in a substance called flavanol which is used in the fortification of cells against UV (ultraviolet light) damage. Flavonal supports cells by limiting oxidative damage and inhibiting platelet destruction. Consumption of a bar of dark chocolate the day before or the day after a game played in the sun or a trip to the beach can do wonders for the skins ability to recover from the damage done by harmful UV rays.
Every food has its own unique properties and abilities, as an athlete it is important to know what certain foods can do you for you and your body. Whether you are new to the power of foods or an expert it is always useful to refresh your understanding so that you can properly decide what to eat and when to eat it.
