The 3-Minute Guide To Peak Athletic Performance

Many times I've been asked about sports nutrition on what should an athlete eat so as to be able to perform at peak performance during training and events.

An athlete's body is subjected to enormous amount of strain during workouts. Also a great amount of energy is required and consumed during these periods. In order to perform well, the muscles must be strong enough and has enough energy to sustain the vigorous activities required during workouts.

For the past many years, a lot of arguments have surfaced regarding what is the optimal diet for the athletes that will enable them to perform at their best potentials. All over the world, dietitians have different opinions on the best food plan for their athletes. There's no sign of these arguments stopping soon. In fact, we can expect them to continue on for the coming years ahead.

However, many people are agreeable on the fact that performance levels in physical activities and the recovery from them are enhanced by proper nutrition. They do agree that the right selection of food and fluids taken at appropriate times together with appropriate supplements are important for good health and optimal performance levels.

During times of high physical exertions, the body needs a lot of energy. The predominant source of energy comes from carbohydrates. They are stored as glycogen in the muscles and provide the fuel for short intense burst of energy. The more intense and longer the duration of exercise, the more glycogen is used. When it is depleted, your energy level will drop and you'll have to stop your exercise. In order to maintain an adequate store of glycogen in your muscles, you need to consume sufficient carbohydrates. Experts say that you'll need 3.6g of carbohydrates for each pound you weigh daily. For example, if your weight is 140lbs, then you'll need to eat 504g of carbohydrates per day.

In order to build strong muscles, you'll need protein because it is the basic building block for muscle tissues. Plenty of protein is required by athletes, especially those on strength training, to build those muscles. Experts recommended a daily dosage of 0.6 to 0.8 grams for each pound of body weight for serious strength athletes.

Besides carbohydrates and protein, fat is also an essential nutrient. Fat provides fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins to the body. Moreover, a moderate amount of energy is also provided by fat. But it is not healthy to consume too much of it. Unsaturated fat should provide only 20% to 25% of your total calories requirement for each day.

Athletes should be well hydrated. In addition to the normal requirement of drinking 8 glasses of water everyday, they should also drink before, during and after workouts to replace the fluid lost during exercises. To ensure that you are well hydrated for workouts, drink 2 cups of fluid 2 hours before each workout. During the workout, you should drink 4 to 8 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes to keep yourself hydrated. After the workout, drink 16 ounces of fluid to replace fluid lost. If you want to be more precise, weigh yourself before and after workouts. You should drink 16 ounces of fluid for each pound lost during the workouts.

When your workouts are prolonged, lasting more than 1 hour, energy bars and sports drinks can help you to keep energized. Besides providing energy, you'll also get to be hydrated by sports drinks. After workouts, it's important to eat some protein and carbohydrates to help repair and rebuild your muscle tissues and to refill your glycogen stores.

During workouts, you can give your muscles a slight power boost by consuming creatine. In order to realize its benefits, you'll need to do this in combination with a good diet and a good training program. A good source of creatine is found in meat. This nutrient can also be obtained from supplements. To give your muscles an initial boost, consume 5g of creatine monohydrate 4 times a day. Do this for 5 consecutive days. Then, everyday take 2g for maintenance.

I've shared with you some great information on eating right for peak performance. Apply these sports nutrition tips to help you perform at your best in sports.

Author Lenox Smith is a sports nutrition specialist dedicated to helping every sportsperson reach their peak performance through proper sports nutrition. Get free insider access to his opt-in list, private blog and members-only Forum. SportsNutritionTactics.com

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The 3-Minute Guide To Peak Athletic Performance
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