Are you a sports person
or an athlete?? |
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If yes, your body requires you to
take a special nutrition for sports
performance. |
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Diet for athletes stands very important
because you need to get the optimum
nutrition for sports performance, peak
energy levels while competition, to
fight injury and for speedy recovery. |
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Nutrition for sports person is different
from a normal person. As an athlete,
you face the challenge of keeping pace
with the nutritional demands of your
sport, while also consuming the nutrients
to keep you fit throughout the day.
It is now recognized that the right
diet, combined with proper training
and coaching, can significantly improve
sports performance. |
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To achieve the diet for athlete, you
do not need to change the food you eat;
you just need to adjust the amount of
foods and fluids, the no of meals and
the timing of meals(diet before sport,
during and after the competition). |
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Diet for athletes comprises of approximately
65% complex carbohydrates, 10 to 15%
fat (preferably of vegetable origin),
and 10% protein. |
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CARBOHYDRTAES - the fuel
of choice |
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Carbohydrate store a glcogen in the
muscles and liver. Glycogen stores break
down first to give energy. They provide
you with instant energy and the to achieve
the peak levles while playing, you should
have a high carbohydrate diet before
competition. |
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PROTEINS - if your sport
is too intense |
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Your protein needs vary with the type
of exercise you do, its intensity and
duration. If you are involved in resistance
or the sport with high endurance, for
long duration, you require high protein
diet. When exercise is too intence and
fator carbohydrtae stores are not available
for energy, then muscle will breakdown
to provide energy. Hence it is recommended
that a high protein diet should be taken
during the initial weeks of your training
if resistance training is involved. |
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FLUIDS: Keep yourself
hydrated |
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Hydration is a very important aspect
of diet for athletes. During exercise,
body loses about 3% of body weight as
water, hence hydration is an imprtant
for nutrtion for sports person. Dehdration
can reduce athletic performance. It
is vital to drink enough water before,
during and after the event, especially
with the meal eaten prior to exercise. |
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You can also have sports drinks which
act as sports supplements. Apart from
hydrating your body, they also replenish
your glycogen reserves in the muscles
and liver. |
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Nutrition for a sports person involves
taking care of all- diet before sport,
during and after event. |
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