Is your diet your Friend or Foe?
Many people do not follow the right diet. They may believe that they are following the right eating plan but it MIGHT not be right.
Some combinations of food groups can aid in performance and others can make it more difficult for you to sustain energy.
For any athlete to be successful the diet needs to be as structured as your training program. Many athletes consult a dietician for this reason and rightfully so. They provide athletes with the knowledge
to make the right choices when it comes to food and food selection.
Does every athlete always follow these programs? No unfortunately not.
Many people do not follow the right diet. They may believe that they are following the right eating plan but it MIGHT not be right.
Some combinations of food groups can aid in performance and others can make it more difficult for you to sustain energy.
For any athlete to be successful the diet needs to be as structured as your training program. Many athletes consult a dietician for this reason and rightfully so. They provide athletes with the knowledge
to make the right choices when it comes to food and food selection.Does every athlete always follow these programs? No unfortunately not.
So what can you do to make your diet structured and efficient for YOU?
1. Firstly you need to make the decision to be open to suggestions
2. Secondly you must be willing to experiment with the changes
3.And thirdly you must try and stick to your eating program once you have received it
Remember diets are often guidelines for you to follow. You can make changes as long as they are justified and appropriate for your lifestyle.
A book I read called the Plus Minus Eat plan by Mari Hudson (Health 24) indicates some food sources and dietary behavioral changes that can be made to make your diet your friend and not your foe.
Here are some guidelines to follow when constructing you eating plan:
1.Carbohydrates should form the basis for your eating plan and should constitute 55-60% of your food intake
2.Protein intake varies from person to person but a moderately active individual should consume about ±1- 1-2g of protein for every kilogram of BW this can increase up to 1.8g/kg if you do strength training extensively
3.Fat intake should be limited to 20-30% of your daily food intake
These are just basic guidelines, but if they are followed it can make planning your meal a simpler task.
If you become more active you should attempt to eat a bit more than you would normally eat in a day just to maintain energy levels and not to prolong your recovery time between training sessions.
Food adsorption also plays a role in the energy supply of the body. What you eat might be equally important when you eat it. Before, after and during your workout you should be consuming energy containing foods or drinks. Going without water or a sport drink during your training session can have more negative effects than not training at all. If you do not drink enough water during your training you might dehydrate or pass out. If this does happen you r body will need time to recover and your next session will be delayed and so will the next.
During your session you should drink 250-300ml of water for every 30min that your train. This is a lot to some individuals but consider your perspiration rate and than reconsider the previous statement. After an extensive training program you can lose up to 2kg in weight. For those who are getting excited about that please don’t, it can be dangerous and in the heat potentially life threatening.
1. Firstly you need to make the decision to be open to suggestions
2. Secondly you must be willing to experiment with the changes
3.And thirdly you must try and stick to your eating program once you have received it
Remember diets are often guidelines for you to follow. You can make changes as long as they are justified and appropriate for your lifestyle.
A book I read called the Plus Minus Eat plan by Mari Hudson (Health 24) indicates some food sources and dietary behavioral changes that can be made to make your diet your friend and not your foe.
Here are some guidelines to follow when constructing you eating plan:
1.Carbohydrates should form the basis for your eating plan and should constitute 55-60% of your food intake
2.Protein intake varies from person to person but a moderately active individual should consume about ±1- 1-2g of protein for every kilogram of BW this can increase up to 1.8g/kg if you do strength training extensively
3.Fat intake should be limited to 20-30% of your daily food intake
These are just basic guidelines, but if they are followed it can make planning your meal a simpler task.
If you become more active you should attempt to eat a bit more than you would normally eat in a day just to maintain energy levels and not to prolong your recovery time between training sessions.
Food adsorption also plays a role in the energy supply of the body. What you eat might be equally important when you eat it. Before, after and during your workout you should be consuming energy containing foods or drinks. Going without water or a sport drink during your training session can have more negative effects than not training at all. If you do not drink enough water during your training you might dehydrate or pass out. If this does happen you r body will need time to recover and your next session will be delayed and so will the next.
During your session you should drink 250-300ml of water for every 30min that your train. This is a lot to some individuals but consider your perspiration rate and than reconsider the previous statement. After an extensive training program you can lose up to 2kg in weight. For those who are getting excited about that please don’t, it can be dangerous and in the heat potentially life threatening.
If you want to maintain energy levels and delay fatigue you should take in a sports drink that has HIGH carbohydrate content as well as sugar content.
After training this should be repeated to increase the recovery time. Something as simple as fruit juice can aid in recovery.
As far as eating goes this is a bit more complex but nothing to difficult to prepare:
1. Have balanced meals with a high carbohydrate content an intermediate protein content and a low fat content
2. Eat before an event but eat selectively, chose foods that digests slowly but does not make you bloated such as a slice of toast with peanut butter
3. During your event eat a fruit that has a low acidic quality and high sugar content (Fructose) maybe an apple or banana
4. After you event have another balanced meal containing carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
5. Maintain hydration
Foods with a High GI index can be eaten after the game but avoid these types of foods in endurance events. Events that require quick energy release high GI foods can be taken. For endurance events eat Low GI foods to sustain energy levels.
Simple steps to make competition and training simpler!
Regards
Chrysilla Stander
References:
2.Plus Minus Eat Plan ( Mari Hudson-Health24)
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