How to feed yourself if you play sports
A suitable energy contribution
In the context of sporting activities not exceeding 3-4 hours a week, it is not necessary to increase the amount of calories ingested each day, which is equivalent to about 1800 for women and 2100 for men. On the other hand, for people who do sports frequently or undergo particularly intense workouts, it is necessary to adapt their diet to the efforts practiced. On average, it is believed that a sports person (daily workouts) has energy needs equal to 2,000 Kcal for women and 2,700 Kcal for the man, and that a very sporty person (daily and intense workouts) can consume from 2,400 to 2,800 Kcal for women and from 3,000 to 3,500 Kcal for men.
Balanced proportions
See also
- carbohydrates: at least 55% of the intake. Contraction of muscles and heart, brain control over movements, heat production ...: physical effort requires an immediately available fuel. This is the role of sugars which, through diet, are present in the body in the form of glucose and glycogen.
- Lipids: 20 to 30% of the intake. In the case of intense efforts of medium and long duration, fatty acids represent an important source of energy. They should not be neglected, but neither should they be abused.
- Proteins: at least 15% of the intake. To repair and develop their muscles, an athlete needs protein, especially if they do intense workouts.
Vitamins and minerals
Vitamins, in particular C, E, pro A and B, contribute to the protection of muscle cells during exertion and to their repair during the recovery phase. When you are sporty, you need to be careful to provide your body with enough of it, giving priority in particular to fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, and complete cereals.
Mineral salts are also essential for those who play sports, especially since the body loses many of them through transpiration. Attention, therefore, to ensure a good supply of iron, an essential element for transporting oxygen to the cells and to the organs (red meat, shellfish, dried legumes), magnesium, essential for muscle contraction and for the functioning of the nervous system (dried fruit, mineral waters, whole grains, chocolate), calcium, essential for bone strength (dairy products , fruit and vegetables), sodium, essential for the body's water balance (salt).
The water
When doing sports, your body temperature rises. To manage this overheating, which will be more or less intense depending on the intensity of the exercise, the temperature and the level of humidity in the air, the body sets in motion its heat dissipation system: transpiration, which uses the water present in the body.
This is why both during and after exertion, athletes must pay particular attention to hydration, so as to allow the body not to suffer from dehydration. In this case, they would be exposed to a decrease in their performance and to a greater risk of injury (in particular, of tendonitis).
Practical advice
A sportsman must consume many carbohydrates with a low or medium glycemic index (pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, cereals ...), in particular the day before training, in the hours before it and in the recovery phase, so to replenish their glycogen reserves.
Before and during training, to avoid fatigue shots and perform well, it can be supplemented with more "quick" sugars, such as dried fruit, cereal bars or energy drinks.
Although they are important in sports nutrition, one should not overdo the intake of proteins in order to increase muscle mass. Any protein overload, in fact, threatens the health of the liver and kidneys.
Before, during and after exertion, it is essential to drink plenty of water, in order to compensate for water losses due to perspiration. These contributions must be adjusted according to the intensity and duration of the activity carried out, and also to the weather conditions.
