The professional athlete needs to go through tough training programs and exercises. Therefore, they need to take high nutritional diets. Carbs and sports beverages are not enough for athletes to perform at the peak; you need ample amounts of vital nutrients in your daily diet to stand out in the competition. Also, athletes often get injured during training and performance. As per the studies in the US, around 3.5 million teen athletes get injured every year. The most common injuries to athletes are strains and sprains. Sportspeople need to recover from these as soon as possible to come back on track. This can be possible if they eat the right food in the right intervals of time.
Some of the nutrients essential for the great performance and exigent injury recovery of athletes are calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium, protein, sodium, etc. Although these all have their unique health benefits, calcium and iron are most important for the professional sportsperson who performs athletics. Calcium strengthens the bones and muscles of the player, whereas iron elevates their metabolism. However, most female athletes experience iron deficiency due to heavy workout and menstruation problems. That’s why they take the best iron capsules to maintain iron levels. It improves their performance and boosts their energy. The following 6 tips will help you perform well.
- Go For Variety Of Foods
As mentioned earlier, every nutrient is important for the athletes to advance in the competition. Although intake of carbs is necessary to increase energy levels before a game, you must consume every nutrient equally for long-lasting power and inner strength. Hence, you should eat foods from all five food groups: fruits & vegetables, proteins, dairy, fats, and carbohydrates. It promotes your well-being and prevents you from fatigue and restlessness. Eat fruits, vegetables, meat, milk products, soya to stay active for long hours.
- Charge Yourself With Carbs
We all know that the caloric needs of athletes are higher than the normal person. The male athlete needs 2400 to 30,00 calories a day while female athletes need 22,00 to 27,00 calories per day. Carbohydrates are a good source of calories and best to meet the day-to-day energy needs of sportspersons. The carbohydrates are converted into sugar glucose and stored in the muscle are in the form of glycogen. During physical activity, glycogen converts into energy.
- Take Optimum Amounts Of Protein
Apart from boosting energy levels, maintaining muscle strength is also important for athletes. Even though protein is not a great energy source like carbs, it can make your muscles strong enough to recover from serious injuries. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, athletes should take 1200 milligrams to 1000 milligrams of protein per Kg weight of their body. The protein recovers the body tissues and provides energy to the body when carbs reserve is depleted. Some of the protein-rich foods are meat, fish, dairy products, dried fruits, etc.
- Don’t Compromise With Liquids
The performance of the athletes depends on the water content their body contains. The water maintains the optimum temperature in the body and transports vital nutrients to every part. Not just that, it provides essential lubricant to your joints. Therefore, drinking sufficient amounts of water the entire day is a must for runners. The dehydration can influence their performance and can get them out of the competition. For high- performance, you can drink juice or glucose water in place of plain water.
- Get Fair Share Of Fats
The optimum amount of fat consumption is essential for athletes due to various reasons. Some vitamins are difficult to absorb without an adequate amount of fats in the body. Besides this, fats provide a decent amount of energy for performing high-intensity exercises.
The Bottom Line -:
Besides all the above tips, a runner should intake dietary supplements like calcium, multivitamins, and the best iron capsules to improve their performance and overall health.
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