Amateur sports: ideal nutrition for non-professional athletes
A well-balanced diet is crucial for athletes seeking to enhance their performance. Essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, proteins (particularly essential amino acids like leucine), micronutrients, and nitrates, all play a vital role in energy production, muscle repair, and overall sports performance.
Carbohydrates and Proteins
Carbohydrates replenish glycogen stores depleted during exercise, providing sustained energy. Consuming easily digestible carbs like pasta, rice, milk, and fruit post-exercise improves glycogen restoration and supports recovery. High-quality complete proteins, containing all essential amino acids, are crucial for muscle repair and protein synthesis. Leucine, in particular, triggers muscle protein synthesis and promotes recovery.
Micronutrients and Nitrates
Various vitamins and minerals regulate processes underpinning sports performance, like energy metabolism. For example, nitrate-rich foods (e.g., beetroot, spinach, celery) can enhance high-intensity performance, especially in team sports, by improving muscle fiber function.
To optimise athletic performance through diet, athletes should:
- Eat a balanced mix of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, dairy, and whole grains to cover macro- and micronutrient needs.
- If vegetarian, combine plant proteins (e.g., legumes and grains) to ensure intake of essential amino acids or supplement with high-quality whey protein.
- Practice nutrient timing: consume carbohydrates pre- and post-exercise to fuel performance and recovery; timing nutrient intake enhances absorption and efficiency.
- Stay well-hydrated as fluid balance is vital for recovery and performance.
- Consider including nitrate-rich vegetables for potential performance benefits, trialling them during training to avoid gastrointestinal issues.
Timing is Key
Before training, it is best to refrain from eating about two hours before exercising. During training, it is best to refrain from eating to focus on losing weight and building muscle. Post-training, consume protein and a small amount of carbohydrates to replenish energy stores and help build muscle and lose weight. Examples of post-exercise foods include lentils, low-fat quark/curd cheese, lean meat, and fruit.
If you are a fan of home workouts, there is an article about home workouts that may be helpful. For soccer, before training, eat pasta or rice with turkey meat, after training drink fruit juice with water or mineral water. For running, before training eat eggs, raw vegetables or yogurt, after training eat protein-rich foods such as meat or dairy products.
It is important to keep an eye on the fluid balance during exercise, as a person burns around 448 calories in an hour of jogging and sweats 750ml to 1500ml. Regularly drink small amounts of water or fruit juice mixed with water to restore your electrolyte balance during training. Try to implement changes bit by bit so you can stick to it.
A person who exercises should consider the increased energy consumption and adjust their nutrition plan accordingly. It is advisable to check how many calories a particular sport burns for the time performed.
Remember, it's essential to enjoy your sporty goals and have fun. For brain foods and happy mood foods that can enhance your diet, there are links provided. If you need last-minute accommodation, accommodation in Vienna and Graz, vacation rentals, or places to study in Vienna, quicklinks are available.
Contact information for the Gemeinnützige Studentenwohnbau AG is provided, including a phone number and email address. Do not drink too much water before exercising, as this can lead to stomach ache.
References:
[1] Castell, L. M., & Kiess, M. (2011). Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of submaximal exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 111(3), 544-551.
[2] Phillips, S. M., Van Loon, L. J., & Wolfe, R. R. (2016). Dietary protein for athletes: from requirements to optimum adaptation. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(11), S27-S37.
[3] Burke, L. M., & Hawley, J. A. (2017). Carbohydrate and fat for training and recovery. Journal of Sports Sciences, 35(14), 1443-1451.
[4] Ivy, J. L., & Portman, R. J. (2004). Nutrient timing revisited: is there a new perspective for the athlete? International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 14(1), 1-20.
Science has shown that a well-planned diet is crucial in health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and sports performance. For instance, consuming carbohydrates replenishes glycogen stores depleted during exercise, providing sustained energy, while proteins (particularly essential amino acids like leucine) aid in muscle repair and protein synthesis. Furthermore, micronutrients and nitrates found in various vegetables and certain foods can enhance sports performance by improving energy metabolism and muscle fiber function.
