Sports nutritionist Wendy Martenson shares her advice on sports food and drink, and how a good diet can help you get the best results in fitness and sports.
Wendy advises Olympians and British footballers to feed. She is a sports nutrition consultant at the British Olympic Association and a registered nutritionist working with the National Health Services as a Clinical Nutrition Service Manager.
Can I have more food when I do a lot of exercise?
If you exercise a lot, you will consume more energy every day than you would if you were little or never exercising. So if you do not want to lose body fat, you need to eat more food every day.
But you still have to make sure you have a balanced diet. Find larger amounts of carbohydrate-rich foods such as pasta made from whole wheat, rice, potatoes, porridge and breakfast cereals.
Is it better to eat a diet rich in starchy carbohydrates or protein when I train?
Carbohydrates are the fuel that runs your exercise program.
Protein is needed in moderate amounts to repair and grow muscle, but carbohydrates are the basic type of energy used during training.
Carbohydrates are the most important fuel for muscle, a primary source of energy for the brain and central nervous system.
Carbohydrates and glycogen are stored in muscle and liver. These stores are small, so taking a regular amount of carbohydrates is necessary to keep them full. The result of reduced glycogen storage will be poor performance and increased risk of injury.
Carbohydrate and protein ratios are different depending on the sport, so it is best to seek advice from a qualified professional for your personal needs.
How should I delay my basic meals and snacks at exercise?
Once you eat a basic meal or snack, allow for an hour to four hours before you start training. Your body needs time to digest. The amount of time depends on the amount of food you have eaten.
If the meal is medium, take about two hours before you start training well. The meal should be high in carbohydrates, low in fat and low in protein. Large amounts of protein or fat will slow down the movement of foods from the stomach and make you feel uncomfortable.
Food and drink also play an active role in the comfort of training. Good comfort to prevent falling energy levels in the middle of the week, help in muscle growth and restoration. When you have finished training, be sure to eat carbohydrate-rich foods or drink within 30 minutes.
Do I need to drink during training?
Drought occurs when the water level in your body drops. Can greatly affect exercise performance. It’s important to start a well-rehearsed training period. Do this by drinking water, liquid or fruit juice diluted regularly during the day.
For any exercise that takes more than 30 minutes, drink a liquid when done. The more you sweat, the more you need to drink.
Usually water is enough for low-density exercises of up to 50 minutes. For high intensity exercises lasting more than 50 minutes, or low-intensity exercise lasting hours, a sports drink will be useful.
Carbohydrates in sports drinks help maintain energy levels, and salt helps keep you hydrated.
My friend is trying to lose weight, but I’m working to build muscle. Should our diets differ?
Yeah. To lose weight, or more specifically body fat, the amount of energy you consume must be less than the amount of energy you burn. You will need a diet and training program for this to happen.
There are basic steps you can take to reduce the level of energy in your daily diet. Reduce fat, which is the most concentrated energy source, and reduce alcohol.
Less sugary foods, such as sweets, chocolate, cookies, biscuits and sugary drinks, eat regular but small amounts of complex carbohydrate foods, such as bread, rice and pasta made from whole flour.
Protein foods such as chicken, fish lean, red meat and low-fat dairy products should be included in moderate amounts. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. It is also important to control the volume of quantities.
But to build muscle you need to combine resistance exercise (also called exercise strength) and a diet that includes enough energy to enable your body to build muscle.
This energy should come in the form of high carbohydrate foods, but you also need a little more protein to feed the muscles. Large amounts of protein are not expected.
Eating a small amount of protein and carbohydrate before and after resistance training is particularly effective. Low-fat milk can meet purpose.
Should I take additional supplements when I play sports?
There are many different supplements on the market. Some are based on reliable research, others are not.
Athletes need to think about food supplements very carefully. In the past, some supplements have been found to have been contaminated with banned substances.
First, make sure that you have a healthy and balanced diet that fits your sport. Consult a registered nutritionist or dietitian with experience in sports nutrition. They can evaluate this and advise you on special dietary supplements.