Sports Nutrition for Athletics

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fuelsport.co.uk
Fuel Sport provides sports nutrition to athletes from all sports and at all levels from weekend warriors to professionals.

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Athletics Think speed, endurance, explosive power and focus and you’ve entered the world of the athlete. Whether running, shot-putter, javelin thrower or decathlete, an athlete’s body needs to be supported with the correct nutrition and, in a sport where staying injury-free and keeping one step ahead of the competition is vital, it should represent an integral part of training.

FOOD TO FUEL YOUR FEET

When it comes to developing a nutrition strategy that will help you to reach your goals, the best starting-point is your diet.

Competitors from all sports should pay close attention to the levels of carbohydrates, proteins and fats they consume. Athletes need different requirements for different event, so the key is to identify your own personal requirements. There are numerous online calculators which can help you to do this and offer guidelines depending on the level of intensity of your chosen discipline. It is then possible to work out if there is a shortfall in your diet and whether to compensate by increasing/decreasing the types of food your body needs.

Many athletic events incorporate tests of endurance and require athletes to maintain high-levels of energy.

Lon and middle-distance runners require a combination of carbohydrates to get them across the finish line.

Simple carbohydrates are digested rapidly, contain refined sugar and have a small amount of vitamins, and are essential for that fast sprint out of the blocks. These can be found in foods such as yogurt and honey.

Complex carbohydrates are digested more slowly and are generally packed with vitamins, minerals and beneficial fibre. These keep the athletes going, slowly releasing energy throughout a race.

Foods such as breads, cereals and pastas all fall into this group and should make up a good proportion of your daily diet.

QUICK OFF THE MARK

If explosive power is your main requirement then building and maintaining lean muscle will be one of your goals. This will provide you with a rapid power base.

A lot of athletes who participate in field events such as shot-put and javelin increase their upper body strength with a workout in a gym whereas sprinters and short distance runners may embark on low body workouts. Eating protein-rich foods like Tuna, nuts or soya products in the first few hours after a workout can help to optimise muscle protein synthesis(repair and growth).

The normal protein requirement for a sedentary adult is about 0.8g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For adults embarking on extensive resistance/weight training this may increase to around 1.6g/per kilo/per day.

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Sports Nutrition for Athletics

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