HEALTH Nutrition can boost athletic performance

PEACHY PERFORMANCE Getting your diet right will help your body go further. 

Nutrition can boost athletic performance


Nutrition advice
Judith McElhinney

Dare I say it? Spring has sprung in Mayo. With the milder days and longer evenings, many of us are starting to ramp up our outdoor pursuits. With a busy summer of runs, rides and races ahead, have you considered how improving your diet could take your performance to the next level?
Athletes often focus solely on their training schedules, and food can be an afterthought. However, your body won’t perform at its best without the optimal balance of nutrients to support performance, increase energy, strength and stamina, speed recovery and minimise the risk of injury.
Think about it. You wouldn’t buy a top-of-the-line BMW and fill it with tractor diesel. So why fill your well-trained body with sub-par nutrition?
The right balance
Key nutritional factors athletes should consider include macro-nutrient intake (the ratio, quality and quantity of carbohydrates, fat and proteins), nutrient timing, micro-nutrient intake (vitamins and minerals), hydration and supplementation.
The athlete’s diet should be based on whole, unprocessed foods, including lean sources of animal protein, low-GI carbs, healthy fats (for example those found in avocados and raw nuts, seeds and some oils), a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and sufficient water intake.
Athletes have higher protein needs than sedentary individuals. While the general population needs about 0.75g per kilo of body weight per day, the optimal intake for athletes may be almost double that. And although there is no proven ideal balance of macronutrients, a ratio of 40 per cent carbs, 30-35 per cent fat, and 25-30 per cent protein seems to be effective.
At meal times, combine complex carbs, such as brown rice, sweet potato or pulses, with protein such as fish, chicken, tofu or lean meat. For snacks, try cottage cheese on rye toast, hummous and oatcakes, almond butter on apple slices or a seed bars like 9bar. Higher GI foods, such as bananas, are fine immediately after exercise, but should be avoided at other times, as they destabilise blood sugar levels and increase insulin and cortisol production.
Evidence suggests that consuming a 2:1 ratio of carbs to protein during exercise supports muscle building, to improve strength and recovery. Blend 10 grams of protein powder with 20 grams of maltodextrin into water and sip during your workout. Combining protein with carbs after a workout has also been shown to improve recovery.
An average individual loses about 1mg of iron per day. Intense training increases this, putting athletes at increased risk of iron deficiency. Consuming a good supply of lean animal protein is the best way to prevent this.
High-intensity exercise also increases free radical activity in the body, which can lead to increased oxidative stress. It’s crucial that athletes consume a wide variety of colourful fruits and vegetables to maximise their antioxidant supply. Eat ‘a rainbow’ of foods – blueberries, butternut squash, red, green and yellow peppers, tomatoes – each day. Focus on whole fruits, and minimise fruit juices, as too much fructose blocks ATP (energy) production in the liver.
These are the basics of good nutrition for athletes. Who knows? Maybe improving your diet is all that stands between you and your new personal best?

Judith McElhinney is a nutritional therapist based in Westport. She can be contacted at 087 2615150 or at living@mayonews.ie. For more details, visit www.thefoodcoachonline.com.