Seeing those athletes during the Olympic Games makes most people excited about the games. It seems that their talent, athletic build, and popularity make them look like a superhero and people seem to admire them even more. Not only do they make their own country proud, but they inspire people around the world. However, not many people are aware of the sports nutrition that these athletes have to maintain.
Perhaps most would think that they only need to eat a balanced diet and an energy drink, whilst others may already know that they need to follow a tougher diet regime. Athletes and non-athletes need the same basic nutrition. The only difference is that athletes need a higher level of nutrition due to the effort they exert before, during, and after their event.
Eating a balanced diet, especially during breakfast, should be the top priority of every athlete. In this way, they can be certain that they will be getting the right quality of healthy products to be physically healthy for every sports event. Moreover, since energy is what they need to keep going to the highest level of their performance, they need foods that are also rich in carbohydrate, fats, and protein.
Almost everyone knows that carbohydrates are essential for energy. This is also the case for athletes. Carbohydrates immediately turn into other forms of sugar such as glucose and that is one of the ways where they get their required energy.
Though fats are more often regarded as bad for health, it is a vital element in sports nutrition. Stored fats serve as a cushion and insulator to other vital organs in the body. It is also used by the body as a form of energy that fuels an individual to continue an activity for a longer period. It is just that converting stored fats into energy takes a bit longer.
Finally, protein is required by athletes so that their body can repair muscles and tissues. Protein can also be used as fuel during endurance exercises. When protein is used this way, there may not be enough to repair the muscles and tissues.
Aside from taking foods rich in carbohydrate, fats, and protein and aside from maintaining a healthy diet daily, an athlete needs another essential thing to keep their performance level. Water is very important. Since they lose a lot of water through sweat and are exposed to higher temperature, they need to be hydrated more often.
Drinking adequate water throughout the day is essential. It is not however advisable to just drink a large quantity of water all at once. Drinking a sports drink on the other hand can also be helpful because it replaces electrolytes and other elements in an athletes body. This can be helpful if an athlete is in the middle of a training session.
To sum up all the sports nutrition needed by the athletes, they simply have to bear in mind to eat the right food, drink adequate amount of water, and supply the body with vitamins and minerals before, during, and after their training or the sports event.