Nutrition & Athletic Performance

Proper nutrition can help enhance athletic performance. An active lifestyle, regular exercise routine, and eating well are the wisest ways to perform your best.

We recently sat down with Patrick Miller, a certified athletic trainer with Franciscan Health Sports Medicine, to learn more about how athletes at any level of competition can optimize their performance through nutrition.

Determining The Right Diet For Each Athlete

Eating a healthy diet can provide the energy you need to finish a race or just enjoy a casual sport or activity. But when you don’t get the right mix of nutrients, you’ll more likely feel tired and perform poorly during sports.

The right diet for you depends on:

• Intensity level of exercise
• Time spent during the activity or exercise
• Time spent training for your sport
• Your age
• Your sex
• Your specific sport or activity

“People tend to overestimate the number of calories they burn per workout, so it is important to avoid taking in more energy than you expend exercising,” explained Miller.

How Many Carbohydrates An Athlete Needs

You need carbohydrates to provide energy during exercise. The muscles and liver store most of the carbohydrates in the body. Though simple sugars may give you an immediate burst of energy, their effects don’t last long, they’re high in calories, and your body can’t effectively store them (which can lead to unwanted fat storage).

Complex carbohydrates provide energy, fiber, vitamins and minerals. These foods are low in fat. Examples of complex carbohydrates include:

• Bagels
• Pasta
• Rice
• Whole grain breads

Simple sugars provide a lot of calories, but they don’t provide vitamins, minerals or other nutrients. Examples of simple sugars to avoid include:

• Candy
• Jams and jellies
• Soft drinks

“What matters most is the total amount of carbohydrates you eat each day,” said Miller. “To perform at your peak, a little more than half of your calories should come from carbohydrates.”

Eating Carbohydrates Before Strenuous Exercise

If you’ll be exercising for longer than an hour, you need to eat carbohydrates before you start. You might have one of the following:

• A cup (245 grams) of yogurt
• A glass of fruit juice
• A whole grain English muffin with jelly

It’s always best to limit the amount of fat you consume the hour before an athletic event, as doing so can interfere with carbohydrate breakdown in the body.

Eating Carbohydrates During Strenuous Exercise

If you’ll be doing more than an hour of intense aerobic exercise, your body also needs carbohydrates during exercise. You can satisfy this need by having one of the following:

• 5 to 10 ounces (150 to 300 milliliters) of sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes
• One-half to two-thirds cup (40 to 55 grams) of low-fat granola
• Two to three handfuls of pretzels

Eating Carbohydrates After Strenuous Exercise

“If you are working out heavily, you need to eat carbohydrates after exercise to rebuild the energy stored in your muscles,” explained Miller.

If you exercise or train for more than 90 minutes, you should eat more carbohydrates – ideally paired with protein – two hours later. You can try one of the following:

• A sports bar
• Trail mix with nuts
• Yogurt and granola

If you work out for less than an hour, you should just drink water before, during, and after exercising to prevent dehydration. Your body shouldn’t need any extra food when you’re training for a shorter time.

How Much Protein An Athlete Needs

Protein is important for muscle growth and repairing body tissues. The body can also use protein for energy, but only after it uses stored carbohydrates.

“It’s a myth that a high-protein diet will promote muscle growth,” said Miller. “Only strength training and exercise will change muscle mass.”

Athletes – even bodybuilders – need only a little extra protein to support muscle growth. Athletes can easily get this by consuming more total calories (eating more food).

Dangers Of Eating Too Much Protein

Most Americans already eat almost twice as much protein as they need for muscle development. Too much protein in the diet can lead to:

• Loss of calcium (high acid levels in protein can reduce calcium stored in the body)
• Added burden on the kidneys
• Increased chance for dehydration (not enough fluids in the body)
• Overstored and increased body fat

Often, people who focus on eating extra protein for fitness may not get enough carbohydrates, the most important energy source during exercise. For peak athletic performance, Miller said he doesn’t recommend taking amino acid supplements or eating a lot of protein.

How Much Water And Other Fluids An Athlete Needs

Water is the most important – yet often overlooked – nutrient for athletes. Water and fluids keep the body hydrated and at the right temperature. Your body can lose several liters of sweat in an hour of vigorous exercise. Learn more about the importance of hydration in athletes.

Clear urine is a good sign that you have fully rehydrated. Some ideas for keeping enough fluids in your body include:

• Make sure you drink plenty of fluids with every meal, whether or not you’ll be exercising.
• Drink before a workout, about 16 ounces (480 milliliters) two hours before you start exercising. It is important to have water stored in your body before training.
• Continue to sip water during and after exercise, about 4 to 8 ounces (120 to 240 milliliters) of water every 15 to 20 minutes. Drink even when you no longer feel thirsty. “Water is best for the first hour,” explained Miller. “If you exercise longer than an hour, you can switch to a sports drink in the second hour to help you get enough electrolytes.”
• Teens and adults should replace any body weight lost during exercise with an equal amount of fluids. For example, for every pound (450 grams) you lose while exercising, you should drink 16 to 24 ounces (480 to 720 milliliters) of fluid within the next six hours.
• Children should drink water during sports activities. Be sure to offer kids water often since they often ignore their thirst during play.

Remember: pouring water over your head might feel good, but it doesn’t get fluids into your body.

Achieving Desired Weights For Competitive Purposes

If you need to change your body weight to improve your performance, do so safely. Otherwise, it may do more harm than good.

“Keeping your body weight too low, losing weight too quickly or unnaturally preventing weight gain can have negative health effects,” reminds Miller. “It is important to set realistic body weight goals.”

Young athletes trying to lose weight should work with a registered dietitian. Experimenting with diets can lead to poor eating habits with inadequate or excessive intake of certain nutrients.