The one thing I always get asked about sports nutrition is what should I eat in order to perform at peak levels during training and races.
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.
Over the years, there have been no lack of arguments on what is the best diet for peak athletic performance.
Dietitians the world over have various opinions on what the athlete should eat in order to perform at their best levels.
No doubt, these arguments will continue to exist for many more years to come.
However, many people do agree that physical activities, performance levels and recovery from exertions are enhanced by optimal nutrition.
Many agree that the appropriate selection of food and fluids, the timing of their intake and the choice of supplements are important to optimal health and sports performance.
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.
Protein is required for muscle building as it is the basic building material for muscle tissue.
Athletes, especially those doing strength training, will need plenty of protein to build those muscles.
The recommended daily protein requirement for serious strength athletes is 0.
6 to 0.
8 grams per pound of body weight.
Fat is an essential nutrient that provide fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins.
It also provide a moderate amount of energy to the body.
However, you'll only need a small amount of it to be healthy.
Only 20% to 25% of your total daily calories requirements should come from unsaturated fat 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.
During prolonged period of workouts lasting more than 1 hour, sports drinks and energy bars can be used to keep you energized.
Besides replenishing energy loss, sports drinks can also keep you hydrated during the exercises.
After the workouts, you should consume some carbohydrates and protein to help in the repair and rebuilding of muscle tissue as well as to replenish glycogen stores.
Creatine may be consumed to give slightly more power to the muscles during workouts.
Of course, this has to be combined with a good diet and a good strength training program in order to realize the benefits.
Meat is a good source for creatine.
You can also get this nutrient from supplements.
To speed up muscle gain, you can load creatine into your muscles with a dosage of 5 grams of creatine monohydrate 4 times a day for 5 days.
Thereafter, consume 2 grams a day for maintenance.
I just revealed to you all this great information about eating for peak performance.
Go ahead and apply my tips.
It's for your personal success.