Nutrition for the athlete must be adapted to the weight, height and sport practiced because maintaining an adequate diet before, during and after training is one of the keys to success in competitions.
In addition, it is already clearly demonstrated that nutrition affects physical performance and that, associated with genetic potential and adequate training, it is a fundamental factor for success.
Nutrition for the bodybuilding athlete
In nutrition for the bodybuilding athlete it is essential to consume foods rich in carbohydrates such as energy bars or fruit before training to give energy and avoid muscle wasting to obtain energy. In addition, depending on the athlete and the intensity of the training, it may even be necessary to make a sports drink with carbohydrates during training.
After training it is important to consume foods with protein and carbohydrates such as chocolate milk or fruit smoothie to replace the muscle glycogen that was spent during training.
Nutrition for the high-performance athlete
In nutrition for the high performance athlete it is essential to eat carbohydrates before, during and after training as well as hydration.
- Before training - foods rich in low glycemic index carbohydrates such as All Bran cereals, corn bread, pasta, butter beans, soybeans, peas, chickpeas or peanuts, for example and proteins such as egg, lean meat or fish. In addition, hydration is essential. During training - carbohydrate gels or dried fruits like raisins or apricots. For hydration use sports drink or homemade serum and not just use water because it leads to sodium loss and can cause hyponatremia, cramps, fatigue and even seizures. After training - ingest carbohydrates with a high glycemic index along with lean proteins like vitamins, skimmed milk with chocolate, bread with turkey steak or white cheese, for example.
Foods rich in fats should be avoided, fat must be consumed in small amounts and use healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, almonds or peanuts, for example, so advice with a nutritionist is essential.
