Best diet for an athlete
It’s important that an athlete’s diet provides the right amount of energy, the 50-plus nutrients the body needs and adequate water. No single food or supplement can do this. A variety of foods are needed every day. But, just as there is more than one way to achieve a goal, there is more than one way to follow a nutritious diet.
Competitive athletes, sedentary individuals and people who exercise for health and fitness all need the same nutrients. However, because of the intensity of their sport or training program, some athletes have higher calorie and fluid requirements. Eating a variety of foods to meet increased calorie needs helps to ensure that the athletes diet contains appropriate amounts of carbohydrate, protein, vitamins and minerals.
Dietary guidelines to athletes
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Health and nutrition professionals recommend that 55-60° o of the calories in our diet come from carbohydrate, no more than 30% from fat and the remaining 10-15% from protein. While the exact percentages may vary slightly for some athletes based on their sport or training program, these guidelines will promote health and serve as the basis for a diet that will maximize performance.
Daily need of calories
This depends on your age, body size, sport and training program. For example, a 250-pound weight lifter needs for calories than a 98-pound gymnast. Exercise or training may increase calorie needs by as much as 1,000 to 1,500 calories a day.
The best way to determine if you’re getting too few or too many calories is to monitor your weight. Keeping within your ideal competitive weight range means that you are getting the right amount of calories.