Athletes Diet – What's Best for You

What is the Best Athletes Diet?

Athletes, endurance athletes, triathletes, runners and cyclists all have the same fundamental nutritional needs - yet individual health conditions or training programs may require some of them to have higher calorie, fluid or supplementation demands.

Athletes have to recognize the fact, that a well balanced variety of food is needed every day. No single food and no single supplement provide all the necessary daily requirements.

Ideally the proper sports nutrition should provide the right amount of proteins, carbohydrates, energy, minerals, (alkaline) water and essential vitamins, in conjunction with endurance supplements (if the focus is on endurance).

This variety of foods and/or supplements to meet individual athletes’ requirements ensures the appropriate amounts needed.

Athletes Diet – Some Useful Advice

• Eat real foods that are naturally occurring
• Minimize or completely eliminate processed foods (except for race fuels during races, or race type efforts in training)
• Eat only good fat - monounsaturated and saturated fat are good for you, all others like polyunsaturated and trans fats aren't
• Eat carbs when necessary
• Eat when hungry, not when you aren't – there is a difference between hunger (needing to eat) and appetite (wanting to eat)
• Supplement with Acid-Neutralizers, anti-oxidants and Omega 3’s

How many daily Calories does the Athletes Diet recommend?

Sports nutrition - what the experts say: Health practitioners and nutritionists recommend that 60% of the calories in an athlete's diet should come from carbohydrates, 25% from fat and 15% from protein to maximize performance – exact percentages may vary according to individual requirements and training programs.

Depending on height, age, weight, sport and training program, your calories needs may differ by as much as 1500 calories a day. That means that you actually have to figure out the right amount appropriate for you by yourself. A good way of determining the right amount of calories is to keep within and monitor the ideal competitive weight range.

Most athletes consume 1800 calories or more daily. Athletes who frequently cut back on calories, especially below the 1,800 calorie level, may not be getting enough carbs and are, above that, at risk for insufficient mineral and vitamin intake.

Water and Sports Drinks

Being hydrated means maintaining the body's fluid level. So while exercising and sweating, athletes lose a lot of water that has to be replaced in order to bring top performances. That means you have to drink fluids before, during and after exercise.

Whether that should be normal water, Alkaline Water or sports drinks, or a combination of them, is a matter of choice and trying out. Sport drinks provide you with lost electrolytes – and so do certain recovery products.

Quicker Recovery Times with the right Athletes Diet:

• After exercise drink a cup of milk, or eat 100g of lean meat or poultry
• Consider carbs fluids or Alka-Blast to promote rehydration and recovery
• Speed up recovery times by refueling with carbs: every 30 minutes during exercise refuel with 1.5g carbs per kilogram body weight.

Low Blood-Sodium Concentration

Athletes must ensure through their diet or supplementation plans that they avoid hyponatremia – a condition characterized through a very low blood-sodium concentration.

Especially when drinking large amounts of sodium-free fluids / water during endurance events (particularly those exceeding 4 hours) hyponatremia may occur. This condition may cause nausea, seizures and fatigue.

Instead of plain water, consider electrolyte replacement drinks or endurance supplements containing high amounts of sodium, such as Alka-Blast™.