Athletes can significantly improve their performance and regeneration with the right nutrition. For most people, sport is about working out, clearing your head and doing something for your fitness and figure. It is vital that the body does not lack important nutrients and vitamins.
Nutrition tips for athletes
Drink enough
It is essential to mention that exercisers must make sure that they drink enough fluids. During physical activities, the human body loses a lot of water by perspiring.
Everybody must drink two litres a day without physical exercise. If you do sports or go jogging, then prevent loss of fluids and make sure you are well supplied beforehand. If you exercise for more than an hour, you should also drink smaller amounts from time to time.
Good carbohydrates
It is not for nothing that marathon runners eat more pasta, rice and the like in the days before the big run. Carbohydrates are extremely important for the muscles and are metabolized by the body more efficiently than protein and fat during exercise.
However, you cannot “pre-eat” carbohydrates on a large scale, because your organism can only store a certain amount of carbohydrates as glycogen. The storage is usually sufficient for a sporting activity of about one to one and a half hours. After that, the storage should be refilled.
Whole grain products such as whole-grain pasta are well suited. They are among the long-chain carbohydrates that offer energy for a long time. The body digests them slowly and the blood sugar level rises slowly.
Proper post-workout eating
It is important to refill the glycogen stores after exercise with carbohydrates and to eat protein that supports regeneration and muscle building. However, burgers, fries or pizza are not a good idea here.
It is better to have a diet with easily digestible protein and carbohydrates. With a homemade herb quark and baked potato, you can guarantee to be on the right track.
If you like to lose weight, you can benefit from the muscle after-burn effect. Eat a meal that has only a little fat and protein such as a lean steak or scrambled eggs with some vegetables. You can use a GMG pellet grill with your lean steak and vegetables on the side. If the muscles don’t get any carbohydrates after a workout, they fall back on the body’s own fat reserves.