For athletes to achieve their goals, a balanced diet is as important as a course of steroids and hard work in the gym. We will tell you about how an athlete's nutrition program should look like in this article. The content of the article:
- Athlete Menu
- Nutritional supplements
- Taking vitamins
During training, athletes spend a huge amount of energy that must be replenished. Without proper and balanced nutrition, it will be incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to achieve high results. It is worth focusing on the balance of the diet. Certain vitamins and minerals are required for muscle growth.
Nutrition for athletes: menu
In any diet, nutrition should be fractional, and a sports diet is no exception. During the day, the athlete must eat at least five times. Here is an example diet, consisting of the most valuable foods for the athlete's body:
- 8.25. Eggs - 4 or 5 pcs, potatoes - 1 pc, vegetables and black bread.
- 10.55. Chicken fillet - 250 grams, black bread, rice and vegetables.
- 13.55. Red fish - 250 grams, buckwheat.
- 16.55. Beef (lean pork or turkey) - 200 grams, vegetables and pasta.
- 19.55. Low-fat cottage cheese - 250 grams, milk (yogurt, kefir).
- 22.55. Chicken fillet - 150 grams, vegetable salad and black bread.
The above program is approximate. The main thing here is not even a list of foods that can be noticed by more familiar food, but the time interval between meals. It should be between 2 and 2.5 hours. If we talk about products, then it is necessary to limit the consumption of semi-finished products (sausages, sausages, etc.). They do not contribute to weight gain, and can make it of poor quality.
The nutritional program for athletes should consist of foods rich in protein compounds. In the case when the metabolism is high, and fat in the body does not accumulate, then the diet should contain foods rich in both proteins and carbohydrates. If overweight takes place, then the amount of carbohydrates should be limited and use in food products with a high glycemic index. It can be eggs, poultry fillets, cereals, vegetables, low-fat cottage cheese, etc.
Supplements for athletes
Are nutritional supplements necessary in an athlete's diet? When answering this question, it should be said right away that the optimal source of nutrients necessary for the body are foods.
No food supplement can replace a natural source of protein, fat and carbohydrates. Of course, no one will say that protein supplements, if used correctly, can harm the body, but they should only be used as an additional source of nutrients. But which supplements will be most effective, you should look in each case.
If an athlete needs to lose weight, then a protein mixture (whey protein) will be very useful. Supplements can be taken at the moment when it is most convenient for the athlete himself. For example, if you are unable to eat according to your schedule, then the mixture will come in handy. Also, if you are overweight, you should not use supplements containing carbohydrates.
But when there are no such problems, you can safely use a carbohydrate-protein mixture. It contains about 20% of protein compounds, and the rest is carbohydrates. One serving of this supplement can replace a full meal.
Taking vitamins
Do you need vitamins? Here the answer will be unambiguous - taking vitamins is required! They are very important for normal metabolism, and you cannot refuse to take them. Many athletes assume that vitamins should only be consumed in the spring, but this is not the case. Modern realities are such that taking vitamins should be carried out throughout the year.
Amino acids are no less important for the athlete's body. Thanks to these substances, a natural protein is synthesized in the body, which is necessary for muscle growth. The largest amount of amino acids is found in eggs, meat and milk.
As you can see, the body needs a varied, and most importantly, natural food. No supplement, even the best, can replace natural foods. We should not forget about vitamins, which are also vital for the body.
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