Food for Fuel
The food you eat fuels your body and provides energy, so a good diet can give athletes the boost they need for a tough competition or workout. Specifically, carbohydrates provide energy, fluids help regulate your body temperature and protein helps muscle growth and tissue repair.
Fuel Your
Fitness
Learn how food and nutrition affect athletic performance and what to eat before and after working out.
dietitian Q&A
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How does diet affect athletic performance?
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Should athletes eat a specific diet?
A balanced diet of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and protein should give athletes the energy they need. However, the amount of each food can change depending on the sport and exercise length and intensity.
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When is the best time to eat before a workout?
Try eating a small meal or snack about 1 to
3 hours before exercising, and limit large meals to 3 to 4 hours before your workout. Even eating a piece of fruit 5 to 10 minutes before working out can help provide energy; if you don’t eat anything for a few hours before exercising, you might feel lightheaded or sluggish.
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Can sports drinks help my endurance?
It’s crucial to replace fluids before, during and after exercise, and water is the most important. But if you’re exercising for more than one hour, sports drinks can help replenish fluids and provide extra carbohydrates for energy.
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Should I add supplements like protein powder to my diet?
Protein powders, shakes and bars aren’t limited to athletes. These supplements can help almost anyone add more protein to their diet. Most people (including athletes) get enough protein from the food they eat and don’t need supplements. However, research suggests that protein supplements combined with resistance training may help improve muscle mass and strength.
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Thank you!
Nutrition recommendatioNs for athletes are similar to guidelines for the average healthy person.
About 15 to 20 percent of daily calories should come from protein. This likely is enough for the average athlete, but people participating in intense training may need up to twice the daily recommended amount of protein.
Protein
Normal nutrition guidelines ought to be enough if you’re not training for
a specific goal, with about 45 to
55 percent of the calories consumed per day coming from healthy carbs (grains, fruits and vegetables), and at least half of those from whole grains. Endurance athletes and people engaging in frequent high-intensity training may need more carbs.
Healthy Carbs
Plan for about 25 to
35 percent of your daily calories to come from fats. Healthy fats like those in avocados, nuts and olive oil help replenish and maintain energy.
good fats
Find Your Dietitian
Vice President, HealthMarket
Elisa Sloss, RD, LD
