Eating For High Energy And Explosive Performance!

If you’re an athlete, you’rebut make sure that your macronutrient balance
accustomed to watching what you eat. But you(proteins-carbs-fats) are stilted in the favor of
may not know what to eat before an event towhatever your needs are. If you need explosive
optimize performance and send your energyenergy, choose a bit more fat in the morning. If
levels soaring through the roof. Supplements canyou are a distance runner gearing up for a
certainly help with this effort, but withoutmarathon, try a higher carb breakfast of 500-600
satisfying crucial dietary needs, the foundationcalories of carbohydrates. Whatever you do
upon which you base everything else will crumble.though, just don’t skip breakfast or put
At that point, you can forget about being at thetoo heavy a load in your stomach prior to intense
top of your game.physical activity.
We survive and thrive on four things in our diets:Nature’s Natural Lubricant
protein, carbohydrates, fat and water. WithoutSeveral days before an athletic event,
proper balance and consumption of thesecompetitive athletes should up their hydration
nutrients, along with the single element of water,levels to the point of
we can forget even functioning correctly. Given‘hyper-hydration’. What this means
this balance isn’t disrupted, everythingis the athlete will drink water for two to three
within the body exists in perfect stasis, and ourdays well in excess of their normal water intake,
systems tend to operate optimally, in perfectand store up water in the tissues, organs and
synergy.entire system to prepare themselves for the
Proteinensuing dehydration that is bound to occur when
A few decades ago, protein diets were abundantintense physical challenges are present; such as in
and everyone ate steak, game meats, pork, andhigh level athletic competition. Since the body is
eggs out the wazoo! But then someone cameabout 60 percent water, it needs to be fully
along and said, “No, no, no, no! Protein inhydrated to perform optimally. In fact, whenever
such large amounts is bad for the system.performance levels are down, water loss,
It’s carbohydrates that are the source ofimproper hydration, or actual dehydration are
all good and no evil.” So, everyonetypical culprits. Weather may also be a cause of
flip-flopped their diets to include far more pasta,water loss: high or low temperatures or high
rice, potatoes and bread. Now, we’rehumidity may be to blame, and may cause the
headed headlong back into a protein age; wherebody to expend needless energy to keep warm
steak is no longer a dirty word and carbohydratesor cool; leaving less for performance purposes.
make you fat! Our bodies don’t storeSports Drinks
protein, taking in enough daily is crucial to health,Should an athlete drink the popular sports drinks
muscle to fat ratios and ultimately, performance.that offer carbohydrate sources and electrolyte
Carbohydratesreplenishment? Well, they aren’t necessary,
For the average person, carbohydrates arebut may minimize stomach fullness and blood
essential only in small amounts. Sources mostpooling that occurs during the digestion of whole
recommended come from leafy green sources,foods. In general, athletic events that take less
cruciferous vegetables, rather than from starch,than 90 minutes don’t require an
such as potato, rice or pasta. In fact, too muchelectrolyte replacement drink or carbohydrate
carbohydrate (particularly starches) can send thebooster. But if you pass that 90 minute mark,
body into sudden spiraling low blood sugar, andelectrolytes should be replaced, particularly if the
cause the body to secrete insulin. Free-floatingsport is played on a hot or cold day. Most people
insulin molecules will only attach themselves todon’t associate electrolytes being lost or
free-floating sugars (undigested carbohydrates)profuse sweating with cold weather, but those
and store them as fat. Because of this, no longerwho engage in winter sports lose more water
are carbs being jammed down the throats of thethan one might think. Some drinks that contain
average American. On the other hand, for thecorn syrup and sugars should be avoided,
athlete, carbohydrates are crucial to sustainedhowever, because they slow down the
energy levels and strength and muscle contraction.body’s absorption of water and negatively
Fateffect performance.
Luckily for the endurance and explosive athlete,Sports Nutrition Bars
fat is no longer the big bad wolf of the nutritionalJust about every company puts out a meal
world. In fact, it’s as important areplacement or athletic sports bar. Bars are good
macronutrient as any other; including protein. Whilein a pinch, but are mostly made up of sugary high
it doesn’t build muscle, it maintains thecarbs. Many do swear by the protein amount in
health of so many independent systemscertain bars, and swear that it gives them the
throughout the body, it’s a crucial link toextra edge they needed to win. However, they
good nutrition. The key is to eat the right kind ofare typically not superior to eating a high protein/
fat. Assume that any fat that is solid at roomhigh carbohydrate meal. Their only advantage is
temperature is not your friend because itthat they pack easily, are convenient, and are
indicates that it is the saturated kind. The bestcalorie and nutritionally dense for their weight. But
sources of fat? Vegetable sources, all mono ordo watch the calorie count in the bars. They can
poly-unsaturated fats such as peanuts and otheradd an enormous amount of calories to your daily
nut butters, canola oil, olive oil, walnuts, almonds,intake. In many cases, for the nutritional value
and avocados. Most endurance athletes know firstoffered, a candy bar might provide more energy
hand how important fat loading can be toin fewer calories!
competition. Gone are the days of totalDay of Competition Tips
carbohydrate loading. Today, athletes use aThe quality of any athlete is eclipsed by his or her
combination of fat and carbohydrate loading toability to remain injury free during training and
satisfy their high demands for fuel.athletic competition. Before you find yourself
Waterinjured in an athletic event, remember these
Water needs no explanation, really. It is the mostthings:
essential thing in our diets, bar none! Without it,Properly hydrated and well-fed muscles end up
we die. Dehydration is a big reason why peoplewith fewer injuries. When you’re
get sick, become irritable throughout their day,dehydrated, or your glucose is low, you’re
have organ failure, or keep unnecessary fatweak and fatigued. Injuries usually occur later in
stores locked on to their body. Water is essentialevents when fatigue and dehydration has set in.
to proper liver and kidney function, washing outEat, drink, and replenish!
toxins and ridding the body of ketone bodies thatDo not use thirst as a gauge to judge hydration.
develop as a result of fat burning. It has noOur body’s gauge for thirst presents itself
calories, it tastes great hot or cold and it isonly after we’ve lost about 6 percent of
absolutely free! Average people should drink 8-10water weight—way too late to prevent
glasses daily. Athletes should drink up to a gallondehydration.
of water daily; more in extreme hot or coldCramping may be an indication of salt depletion
climates. Super hydrating prior to a competitionthrough sweat. Or, it could be loss of potassium.
can mean the difference between winning andIf you are feeling nauseous, replace salt through
losing, as well as feeling healthy after a gruelingcrackers or other high sodium foods. If you are
event.feeling cramping in the muscles, replace with
Nutritional Guidelines for Increased Energy andpotassium.
PerformanceWhat worked once when you prepared for an
Now that the lesson is over and we understandevent, may not work this time around. Our bodies
how important these four elements are,change from year to year; even from month to
let’s get into how an athlete can improvemonth. Experiment with preparation techniques
performance—and health—toand with actual foods that you think will serve
explosive levels.you well in competition. Try them 3 to 4 weeks
What you eat and drink before and during athleticout from the event to make certain they have
events can play a significant role in how well youthe desired effect. You may also want to keep a
perform. The body needs a certain combinationjournal of all preparation techniques as well as
of nutrients, hydration and calories to perform afoods and ratios of macronutrients you’ve
particular way in your sport of choice. Learningdone well with, and poorly with, so that you can
how to unlock the codes that set these guidelinesbetter determine what will work best for you on
within your body can be the single thing that“D Day”.
pushes you from good to great! So here’sThe bottom line to all of this is simple: Athletes
the lowdown on your body’s nutritionalrequire more of almost everything, and specific
needs prior to, and during, any athletic event.things within broad categories that average people
The night before physical activity is a good timetraverse. The main thing to remember is to
to pack in the carbs and fats. Oatmeal, brownremain as hydrated as possible at all times. That is
rice and yams are all effective, and are also loweven more important than actual food intake and
glycemic choices that won’t send yourratio of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
body into a low energy phase when you need toHowever, nutrition is underrated and can be the
feel energized and alert. Keep fat intake moderatedifference between winning and losing. Experiment
and eat small portions of high-protein foods suchwith different foods, fluids and other conditions
as meat, fish and eggs over the course of thesuch as weather or hormonal changes within your
day prior to the big event.own body. Eventually, this trial and error
When you finally reach the morning of the bigexperience will teach you how to enhance your
event, it’s a perfect time for a balanced,own levels of performance in competition and in
nutritious breakfast. On this morning, eat exactlytraining throughout the year. Practice, as they
as you would any other morning prior to practice,say, does indeed make perfect!