.
.
Sports nutrition meal planning
If you just want to ‘shape up’ in the gym, or improve your training / performance for the next Olympics, sports nutrition will be crucial to your success.
The secret to sports nutrition meal planning is to eat and drink the right foods / drinks at the right time.
.
The equation is quite simple : What you put in, you get out !
.
Is your current ‘fuel supply’ providing your body with everything you need?
If you are not sure whether to reply yes or no, check our plan below …
.
Step One : Muscles = Fuel Tanks
Rapid response fuel is stored as carbohydrate (muscle glycogen).
Do you ?:
- Eat carbohydrate-rich foods before exercise to slow down drain on your fuel tanks
.
Step Two : Optimum Time to Top-Up with Carbohydrates
Do you ?:
- Large meal 4-6 hours before activity
- Lighter meal 2-3 hours before activity
Snack Up to one hour before activity
.
Step Three : Keep Your Fuel Topped Up
Do you ?:
- For long duration activities (60 minutes plus), drink fluids with a weak solution of simple carbohydrates
.
Step Four : Make use of your reserve fuel tank
Stored body fat = fuel for long-haul events,
although we have a potentially unlimited supply of fuel from stored fat, we can only burn fat as a fuel when combined with carbohydrates.
.
Step Five : The importance of fluid
Do you ?:
- Drink fluids at least every 15 minutes.
(Do not wait until you are thirsty)
.
Step Six : Protein for muscle maintenance and muscle growth
Do you ?:
- Do you have enough protein in your diet?
You need 1.25 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight (1.25 grams/kg for the ‘ball’ sports and 1.50 grams/kg for the more extreme sports such as marathon running and body building).
.
Step Seven : Protein vs. Carbohydrates
Do you ?:
- Have the right balance of protein and carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates = instant fuel for the muscles. Protein repairs damaged muscles, maintains muscle mass and increases girth.
.
Step Eight : Best time to refuel the tanks (muscles)
Do you ?:
- Within 30 minutes of ending exercise, take in easily digestible carbohydrates.
(These are converted to glucose and stored as glycogen, your quick fuel).
.
Step Nine : Reducing recovery time
Do you ?:
- Add antioxidant antioxidant nutrients to your diet.
( adequate supplies of protein also helps).
.
Supplementation
Do you ?:
- Take in extra multivitamins and minerals.
(Multivitamin and mineral supplement assists the body’s chemical reactions, regulatory processes, and forms structures important for athletes who may be susceptible to decreased immune systems due to excessive physical exertion)
.
More information
.
.
.
