Doing something high intensity takes a lot of endurance, especially if you are a high performance athlete. Your diet is the first and the most important thing that can improve performance and help you recover quickly afterwards. These 5 basic and necessary tips can help you maintain energy and muscle for your big day.
Carbs are an athlete’s main fuel. The human body changes them to glucose, a form of sugar, and stores it in muscle tissue as glycogen.
When you exercise, the human body changes glycogen into energy. In the event that you exercise for under 90 minutes, you have enough glycogen in muscle tissue, even for high-intensity activities. But if your workout lasts more than that, do keep these points in mind:
For long events, for example marathons, the body turns to fat for energy when carbohydrate sources run low.
Most athletes get all the fat they want by following the fundamental dietary guideline to consume mostly unsaturated fat from foods such as for example nuts, avocados, olives, vegetable oils, and fatty fish like salmon and tuna.
Avoid fatty foods on your day of an event, since they could upset your stomach.
Intense exercise, especially in hot weather, can quickly give you dehydrated. Dehydration, consequently, can hurt your performance and, in extreme cases, threaten your life. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty. By the time you feel parched, maybe you are seriously dehydrated. One way to monitor hydration is to help keep an eye on the color of your urine.
A light yellow color means you’re getting enough fluid. Bright yellow or dark urine means your body needs more fluid.
Because intense exercise makes you lose fluid quickly, it’s a good idea to drink fluids before in addition to during an event,
Chilled fluids are more easily absorbed than room-temperature water. They also help cool your system down.
Protein doesn’t provide plenty of fuel for energy. But you’ll need it to keep your muscles. The typical average person needs 1.2 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight a day. An energy athlete may require as much as 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Getting a lot of protein can put a strain on your kidneys. Instead of protein supplements, eat high-quality protein, such as lean meats, fish, poultry, nuts, beans, eggs, or milk.
Milk is one of the greatest foods for recovery after an event, because it gives a good balance of protein and carbohydrates. Research shows that whey protein is absorbed quickly, which can help speed recovery just after an event. Milk also has calcium, that is very important to maintaining strong bones.
Constant sweating eliminates both fluids and electrolytes. Electrolytes help transmit nerve signals in your body. To replenish them, reach for sports drinks. If you’re also losing a lot of fluid as you sweat, dilute sports drinks with equal amounts of water to obtain the very best balance of fluid and electrolytes.
Pocket sized rituals, remedies, and insights for a fruitful week, every week.
We love to approach life with passion. Committed to your overall well-being, we share stories, ideas, and science that enable you to do the same. Join our journey of everything meaningful here.
What are you looking for?
