1. WHAT NUTRITION STRATEGIES
CAN AN ATHLETE USE TO
OPTIMIZE PERFORMANCE?
• I am an athlete
• I want to find out how I can improve
my performance and compete at an
optimal level using nutrition
strategies
BY BREEANNA CARTER
2. AN ATHLETES TRAINING DIET
Athletes need additional energy to fuel physical activity
and additional fluid to replace sweat loss
The amount of energy required depends on:
The type of sport
The persons size and gender
The amount of training
The time the athlete spends doing activity or exercise
High energy requirements = Carbohydrate rich foods
Low energy requirements= Nutrient-dense food
3. BEFORE PERFORMANCE
Based on preparing the body for exercise
Food type- Complex carbohydrates
-Slow energy release therefore athletes can perform at optimum level for longer
Amount of food-
-Athletes require the right amount of fuel to optimize performance
-Relates to the energy output of the athletes performance (e.g. type, intensity,
duration and level of competition)
When to eat
-Larger meal 3-4 hours before competition
-Smaller snacks closer to event
Hydration
-Dehydration = depleted performance
-500-600ml of water 2-3 hours before performance
-250-350ml of water 15 minutes before performance
4. DURING PERFORMANCE
Based on maintaining energy levels
Hydration
-Dehydration has a negative impact on performance (raises heart rate and body
temperature, impacts negatively on skills and concentration)
-200-300 mL of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes
Glycogen levels
-Depletion of glycogen levels leads to fatigue
-Body needs extra fuel to perform at optimum level
High intensity + long lasting requires additional fuel
-In the form of liquid or solid carbohydrate supplements
- They are quickly broken down and absorbed therefore athletes can perform at their
optimum levels for longer
5. FOLLOWING PERFORMANCE
Based on replenishing the body’s energy stores
What to consume?
Water
-Replace bodies fluid stores
-Prevent dehydration
Foods High carbohydrate content-
-Raise blood glucose levels faster than low GI foods
Protein
-Assist protein synthesis
-Enhances muscle rebuilding process
When to consume it?
Immediately after exercise
-To begin restoration process
Supports muscle rebuilding process
6. REFERENCES
An der son, J ., You n g, L., P r ior , S. (2010). N u trition for th e Ath lete. Ret r ieved fr om
h t t p://www.ext .colost a t e.edu/pu bs/foodn ut /09362.h t m l
NSW Depar t m en t of E du ca t ion a nd Com m u n it ies, a n d Ch a r les St u r t U n iver sit y. (2011). N S W H S C
On lin e. Ret r ieved fr om h t t p://h sc.csu .edu .a u/pdh pe/cor e2/focus2/focu s3/4022/fa c2_3.h t m
P osit ion of t he Am er ica n Diet et ic Associa t ion, Diet it ia n s of Ca n a da, an d t h e Am er ica n College of
Spor t s Medicin e. (2000). Nut r it ion a nd At h let ic P er for m a nce. J ou rnal of th e Am erican Dietetic
Association , 100(12) 1543-1556.
St ein ba ch, P. (2010) F ood for Th ou gh t . Ath letic B u sin ess, 58-60
Tor r ess-McGeh ee, T. M., P r it ch et t , K. L., Zippel, D., Min t on, D. M., Ce lla m a r e, A., Sibilia, M. (2012).
Spor t s Nu t r it ion Knowledge Am on g Collegia t e At h let es, Coa ch es, At h let ic Tr a in er s, a n d
St r en gt h a n d Con dit ionin g Specia list s . J ou rnal of Ath letic T rainin g, 47(2), 205-211.
Wor ld H ealt h Or ga n isat ion [WH O]. (2012). What is a H ealth Prom oting S ch ool, r et r ieved fr om
h t t p://www.wh o.in t /school_you t h _h ea lt h /gsh i/hps/en /index.h t m l
Notas do Editor
Hi, My name is Breeanna Carter and I am going to speak to you today about the nutrition strategies an athlete can use to optimize performance.I chose this particular question as I am an athlete and I want to learn more about the strategies I can use regarding nutrition to improve my performance and compete at an optimum level.
The diet recommended for an athlete is not considerably different from the diet recommended for any healthy person.Australian athletes should still follow the Australian guide to healthy eating, which provides information about the amounts and types of food that need to be eaten each day to get enough of the nutrients essential for good health and well-being.A nutritionally balanced diet that follows the Australian guide to healthy eating will support demanding training schedules and decrease an athlete’s risk of injury or illness. However, an athlete’s diet does have an influence on their performance and in order for athletes to achieve optimum performance levels, athletes require an extra amount of energy to fuel physical activity as well as an extra quantity of water to substitute the fluid lost from sweating.The amount of each food group an athlete needs will depend on:The type of sport the person participates in The persons size and gender The amount of training the athlete partakes in The time the athlete spends doing the activity or exerciseFor example- a female who socially plays golf once a week will require less additional energy consumed through diet than an elite growing male hockey player as their sports require different energy outputs, their gender and size is different, and the time they spend participating in the sport a week is vastly different . Generally as a rule Athletes with high energy requirements should attempt to consume a higher amount of carbohydrate rich foods in their diet in order to fuel the body for high intensity exercise and create a long lasting source of energy for performance.While athletes with low energy requirements should try to make diet choices including nutrient-dense food to ensure they do not have an overload of energy in their diet which can lead to excess weight gain.In order for athletes to optimize physical and mental performance as well maintain their health and reduce injuries they should embrace nutrition strategies before, during and after performance in both competition and training.
Nutrition before an athlete’s performance is about getting the body prepared for the exercise they are about to participate in. There are 4 major nutritional considerations that athletes need to be aware of before they participate in performance, these include;the food type, the amount of food they should be eating, when it should be consumed, and hydration The pre-performance meal should consist of complex carbohydrates. This is because complex carbohydrates break down and digest easier than fats. Complex carbohydrates also provide slow energy release which allows athletes to optimize performance by creating a long lasting source of fuel for their body.Foods that are high in sugar should be avoided as they generate a swift rise in blood sugar that is followed by a decline in blood sugar. This means that the athlete’s energy will not be sustained and will deplete quickly.Caffeine is another product that’s should also be avoided as it leads to dehydration through the rise in urine production.The amount of food that needs to be consumed to produce optimum performance relates directly to the energy output of the performance.This varies with the type, intensity, duration and level of competition of the activity.For example athletes competing in high intensity events of long duration will require more energy than those in low intensity, short duration events.It is important for athletes to consume the right amount of fuel their body requires for performance to prevent early fatigue if too little fuel is consumed, or gastrointestinal discomfort if too much is consumed. It is recommended that athletes consume a larger meal 3-4 hours before competition in order to prepare their body for performance and allow time for the food to break down.Smaller snacks can then be consumed closer to event to allow for gastric emptying.Because fluid is lost during exercise through sweat, it is important to hydrate the body before exercise commences to prevent dehydration during performance.500-600 mL of fluid should be consumed in the 2 to 3 hour period prior to endurance performance and 250-350 mL in the last 15 minutes.
During physical activity nutrition should focus maintaining energy levels. This involves sustaining hydration levels and if the performance is of longer duration, nourishing glucose levels.Dehydration can have a significant impact on performance, even 2% of dehydration can have a disadvantages effect on the performance of an athlete.As fluid is lost from the body there is an increase in body temperature and heart rate, therefore the athlete feels as though they are working harder. It can also have an impact on the athlete’s concentration and skills.An athlete requires around 200-300 mL of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes during their performance to fuel their body and prevent dehydration from occurring.During performance the depletion of glycogen levels can lead to fatigue and poor performance, therefore it is of importance to provide the body with an extra source of fuel to maintain the body’s optimum performance level.The additional need for electrolyte and carbohydrates depends predominantly on the duration and the intensity of the exercise.Exercise of moderate to high intensity that last longer than 60 minutes may require an added amount of fuel in the form of carbohydrate supplementation, in order to avoid glycogen depletion and sustain optimum performance, however additional fuel is not required for low intensity, short duration performance. Liquid or solid carbohydrate supplements can prevent glycogen depletion and enhance mental and physical performance, as they are quickly broken down and absorbed. An athlete should trial and experiment with different liquid and solid supplements during training to create advantageous fuelling strategies for performance.
After performance the main aim of nutrition is to return the body to its pre-performance state, by replenishing energy stores. Following a performance an athlete should consume water to replace the bodies fluid stores and prevent dehydration Athletes should also try to eat foods with high carbohydrate content as these raise blood glucose levels faster than low GI foods, which allow the body to restore energy quickly. Consuming protein after performance or a training session assists muscle protein synthesis and enhances the muscle rebuilding process.A post performance meal should be consumed immediately after exercise to begin the restoration and regeneration process.An athlete’s performance can have a major influence of the breakdown of muscle tissue, therefore post performance nutrition can benefit athletes as it effectively supports the muscles for the rebuilding process. Which is necessary for the athlete’s following performances in the near and distant future
I used these references to extend my knowledge and explore the different nutritional strategies an athlete can use to improve their performance. I found that the majority of the references I used were highly resourceful and allowed me to gain knowledge to answer my question.I particularly found the journal article by Torress-McGehee (2012) helpful as it determined the knowledge athletes require about nutrition and the ways that it can help improve performance.By combining my own knowledge from personal experience and through thorough research, I have found specific nutrition strategies an athlete can use to optimize performance.