The
basic diet and what is eaten at times of strenuous sports activity are
pieces in the jigsaw puzzle of performance capability.
Those who understand the basic principles of nutrition can prepare their body optimally for the athletic effort and provide it with what it needs immediately before, during and after the performance.
Nutrition in sport is one piece of the jigsaw, one among the many elements that affect athletic capability. In addition to nutrition, training, motivation and physical constitution also play an essential part. For both professional and recreational athletes, a normal, balanced diet is the foundation for optimum performance. Here we rely mainly on what the food pyramid tells us.
1. Fat: at least 4-8 tsp high-quality oil, such as rapeseed or olive oil, nuts, kernels, seeds
2. Sweets: in moderation
3. 3-4 servings of dairy products: (1 serving = 200 ml milk or 1 yoghurt or quark or 1 piece of cheese weighing 40 g)
4. Meat, fish, egg: max. 1 serving of 120 g
5. Carbohydrate-rich foods: a large serving 3-4 times a day
6. Vegetables/fruit: 4-5 servings of at least 150 g each
7. Fluids: 1.5-2 litres + 400-800 ml per hour of training
Today the athlete is confronted with a wide range of different products and numerous advertising promises. The amount of truth in these claims varies enormously. Only if you have a sound knowledge of nutrition will you be able to decide which sports foods and sources of energy best meet your individual needs.
The calories taken up in the diet in the form of nutrients are utilised and burned in your body as fuel. This energy needed to maintain the processes of life is supplied to your body in the form of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Of course, you also need oxygen, water and minerals in order to burn the energy carriers, but none of these substances contains calories.
Your particular requirement for the individual sources of energy depends on the kind of sport you have chosen. If it is an endurance sport, such as long-distance cycling for example, you need more energy than someone whose sport is less strenuous.
Those who understand the basic principles of nutrition can prepare their body optimally for the athletic effort and provide it with what it needs immediately before, during and after the performance.
Nutrition in sport is one piece of the jigsaw, one among the many elements that affect athletic capability. In addition to nutrition, training, motivation and physical constitution also play an essential part. For both professional and recreational athletes, a normal, balanced diet is the foundation for optimum performance. Here we rely mainly on what the food pyramid tells us.
1. Fat: at least 4-8 tsp high-quality oil, such as rapeseed or olive oil, nuts, kernels, seeds
2. Sweets: in moderation
3. 3-4 servings of dairy products: (1 serving = 200 ml milk or 1 yoghurt or quark or 1 piece of cheese weighing 40 g)
4. Meat, fish, egg: max. 1 serving of 120 g
5. Carbohydrate-rich foods: a large serving 3-4 times a day
6. Vegetables/fruit: 4-5 servings of at least 150 g each
7. Fluids: 1.5-2 litres + 400-800 ml per hour of training
Today the athlete is confronted with a wide range of different products and numerous advertising promises. The amount of truth in these claims varies enormously. Only if you have a sound knowledge of nutrition will you be able to decide which sports foods and sources of energy best meet your individual needs.
The calories taken up in the diet in the form of nutrients are utilised and burned in your body as fuel. This energy needed to maintain the processes of life is supplied to your body in the form of fats, carbohydrates and proteins. Of course, you also need oxygen, water and minerals in order to burn the energy carriers, but none of these substances contains calories.
Your particular requirement for the individual sources of energy depends on the kind of sport you have chosen. If it is an endurance sport, such as long-distance cycling for example, you need more energy than someone whose sport is less strenuous.