Sports nutrition for women – part one

~Micheline Vargas, nutritionist for Nutrilite

Whether you are an elite athlete or a weekend athlete, to achieve peak performance you must have a sound nutrition plan.

Ladies, there is no “magic bullet”!

You must eat a wholesome diet, drink adequate fluids, and take supplements appropriately.  By understanding your sports nutrition needs you can create a plan that will help you achieve peak performance and stay there longer.

Calories:

• Adequate energy (calorie) intake is crucial to performance.
• The number of calories you need is determined by the number of calories you burn each day.
• There are two primary components determine total energy expenditure (TEE).
• The first is your resting energy expenditure (REE). REE is the amount of calories needed to maintain basic body functions while at rest, such as body temperature regulation.
• The second is your activity energy expenditure (AEE).  AEE is the number of calories needed to fuel physical activity.Example: An elite athlete weighing 185 lbs might consume between 4,000-5,000 calories per day. A weekend athlete will need to consume less.

Calories are derived from the food you eat – carbohydrate, protein, and fat.  The amount of each of these macronutrients along with timing (when you eat them) is crucial to performance.

Carbohydrate:

• Carbohydrate is a key when it comes to peak performance.  During exercise, carbohydrate is the primary fuel source for both the muscles and the brain.  Our bodies break down carbohydrate from foods like whole grains and beverages like sports drinks, into glucose, a simple sugar.  Glucose is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen.  Sufficient storage of carbohydrate (glycogen) in the body is imperative for peak athletic performance.  An athlete can train longer and harder when the glycogen stores are filled prior to exercise.  As glycogen levels decrease and the body can no longer keep up the energy demands of exercise, fatigue will set in along with a reduction in exercise intensity.  Even if the supply of fat is adequate it cannot be burned efficiently without sufficient carbohydrate.  The body needs glucose burn fat.
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• Carbohydrate is crucial to performance!  Many studies have examined performance and carbohydrate intake.  After prolonged exercise muscles are nearly emptied of glycogen.  It is during this time that injury is more likely.

• Research has found that fluids with carbohydrate consumed during exercise improves performance.
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• Second half running is improved and overall distance covered is greater.
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• Daily Recommendations: Athletes typically consume between 2.3-4.5 grams per pound each day.  An elite male athlete might need between 600-700 grams per day. A woman will need less, depending on her weight.
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• Carbohydrate before exercise should be consumed 1 to 4 hours prior to exercise.  The meal should be high in carbohydrate and low in protein and fat.  A general recommendation is to eat 0.5 to 1.8 g of carbohydrate per pound of body weight.  This type of meal/snack will help you offset hunger, replenish low liver glycogen stores, and raise your blood glucose supply, which is available for your exercising muscles.
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• Carbohydrate intake during exercise helps prolong time to fatigue and improves performance.  Current recommendations suggest consuming 30-60 g of carbohydrate per hour of exercise when exercise is intense or lasts over an hour.  Some snacks that provide 30 grams of carbohydrate include 1 cup of 100% apple juice, ½ c raisins, 1 large banana, or a 16 oz sports drink.
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• Carbohydrate after exercise is essential.  Current recommendations suggest consuming 0.5 to 0.7 g carbohydrate per pound body weight within 30 minutes after exercise.  This will help you replace used glycogen and help you recover more efficiently from exercise.  The food you choose should be low in protein and fat and have a high glycemic index (i.e. sports drink, banana, raisins).  Another carbohydrate rich meal/snack containing 0.5 to 0.7 g carbohydrate per pound should follow within 2 hours after exercise.  This meal/snack should contain some lowfat protein and a little fat.

• Carbohydrate Needs.  The amount of carbohydrate you need depends on how many hours you train each day, how many hours before exercise you eat, and how long your exercise session last.  It is important to eat carbohydrate before, during, and soon after you exercise.

Protein:

• Protein Needs. Protein is needed to build and repair the body’s tissues. Athletes can typically meet their protein requirements by consuming a variety of foods such as milk, lean meats, and beans.  Grains also contain some protein.  Protein should be consumed in moderate amounts before and after exercise.  Supplements, such as protein shakes and bars, may also be consumed to aid you in meeting protein needs.

• Daily Needs. Endurance athletes typically need 0.53 – 0.63 grams per pound, while an athlete training to promote muscle mass growth might need up to 0.81 grams per pound.
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• After exercise, protein intake along with carbohydrate, has been found to promote muscle glycogen re-synthesis, minimize protein breakdown due to exercise, and promote protein synthesis.  Use of food and supplements such as protein shakes and bars can help you meet your protein and carbohydrate needs.

Fats

• Fats are essential to the body.  They provide energy, they aid in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (i.e. vitamins A, D, E, K), they help insulate the organs, and they protect cell structures.  Fat, however, is a concentrated source of calories and therefore must be consumed in moderation.  Typically athletes should consume less than 30% fat.  Healthy fats include monounsaturated fats (i.e. avocado, olive oil, almonds, pecans) and polyunsaturated fats (i.e. fish oil, walnuts, flaxseed).  It is recommended that saturated fats (i.e. butter, mayonnaise, salad dressing, skin on poultry) make up less than 10% of fat calories.  Trans fats (i.e. stick margarine, fried fast food products) should be minimized or eliminated from the diet.

Next week: Sports nutrition for women, part two: proper hydration, vitamins, minerals, supplements and phytonutrients.

~visit Nutrilite