Athletes require special diets to ensure they get the necessary vitamins and nutrients that they need to function. Athletes burn more calories, require special nutritional plans to get the nutrients needed to build muscle mass and to diminish body fat, and further require more frequent meals throughout the day. A solid nutritional plan can help keep you healthy at all times and ready to enjoy your athletic training or events.
Timing Meals
According to Ronald J. Maughan, author of Nutrition in Sport, athletes require several meals throughout the day. Some athletes need as many as eight meals per day, especially if the athlete is involved in heavy training. Eating smaller meals throughout the day will ensure a full sensation, but it will also provide you with the energy you need to function; as an athlete you will burn more calories than the average individual.
An Athletic Diet
In The Fat-Burning Bible: 28 Days of Foods, Supplements, and Workouts that Help You Lose Weight, Mackie Shilestone explains that the best nutritional plan for athletes consists of 30 percent lean proteins, 40 percent low glycemic carbohydrates and 30 percent healthy fats for the best metabolic efficiency. A diet consisting of those percentages encourages the development of lean muscle mass and less body fat overall. In addition, the latter diet can help to significantly reduce triglyceride levels. This type of diet gets blood sugar levels under control in as little as 35 days.
Protein Intake
Your diet should contain plenty of proteins. Proteins can be derived from foods sources like chicken, fish, skim milk, cottage cheese, fat-free cheese, poultry, soy products, egg whites, ground beef and whey products. Proteins are used to build muscle mass that is lean, keep insulin levels stabilized and promote proper immunological functioning. If your diet has levels of protein that are too low, you can end up diminishing the amount of testosterone in your system, which is needed for healthy bone density and muscle mass building. Your body does not store protein, so you have to get proteins from the foods you eat every day.
Carbohydrate Intake
Adequate carbohydrate intake is required for mental clarity, and carbohydrates are responsible for your energy levels. When you consume complex carbohydrates, they are stored in the liver and muscles as glycogen: this substance stabilizes blood sugar levels and fuels the body. Complex carbohydrates can be derived from beans, corn, peas, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, cereals and breads.
Fat Intake
Fats are not necessarily a bad thing when it comes to nutrition; fats are needed for bodily fuel and for help with absorbing certain nutrients. Athletes need higher amounts of fat because the fats are used up during training and exercise. Good fat sources include non-fat or low-fat dairy items, lean meats and animal fats. You should limit your consumption of gravy, salad dressing, margarine and butter and/or fried foods.
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