Nutrition

One way that athletes can achieve optimal performance is to focus on post exercise food choices. Since carbohydrates are the primary source of fuel during intense activities and are also used during endurance activities, the restoration of muscle and liver glycogen (the body's storage form of carbohydrates) stores is important to allow proper recovery.

An adequate intake of carbohydrate and energy will optimize muscle glycogen storage during consecutive days of hard workouts, whereas delaying carbohydrate intake after exercise may reduce muscle glycogen storage and impair recovery. Two reasons that glycogen repletion occurs faster after exercise include:

• Blood flow to the muscles is much greater immediately after exercise.
• Muscle cells are more likely to take up glucose.

Post exercise carbohydrates are most important for glycogen resynthesis in athletes who train hard several times per day such as swimmers, runners, or athletes who train with split sessions. Post exercise carbohydrates are also important for ultra endurance athletes such as those competing in the Tour de France or the Ironman, where they do not have 24 hours to replenish muscle glycogen stores.

Most research on recovery has focused on glycogen repletion, and since glycogen is usually not depleted during intermittent activities such as with many team and skill sports, less is known about recovery in these situations. However, studies do point to a more positive protein balance when carbohydrates were consumed immediately after intense resistance training (4).

After hard exercise lasting 90 minutes or longer, an athlete should consume 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per kg of body weight immediately after exercise and an additional 1.5 grams of carbohydrates per kg of body weight two hours later. See the chart below for sample post exercise snacks.

Choose adequate carbohydrates to support your daily needs. Studies reveal that as long as adequate calories are consumed, a mixture in the form of carbohydrates, protein, and fat is just as effective as carbohydrate alone at replacing muscle glycogen after an exhaustive bout of exercise. The addition of a small amount of protein may stimulate muscle protein synthesis post exercise, but does not enhance muscle glycogen synthesis (5).

Athletes who are not hungry right after exercising may prefer a high-carbohydrate drink (e.g. sport drink, fruit juice, or a commercial high-carbohydrate beverage) immediately after exercise, which will serve to promote glycogen repletion as well as promote re-hydration. Both beverages and solid foods will help to promote glycogen resynthesis.

Data suggests that high glycemic index foods consumed after exercise replenish glycogen faster than low glycemic index foods, although more studies are needed to confirm this observation. Although a high glycemic index diet may be beneficial, it is important to recognize that the total amount of carbohydrate consumed is the most important consideration for glycogen repletion. A daily carbohydrate intake of 7 to 10 grams per day is recommended for glycogen restoration for athletes engaged in heavy training for two to three hours a day (1,2).

• 40 oz. sports drink
• Two sports gels + 8 – 12 oz sports drink
• 25 oz fruit juice or soft drink
• 11 – 12 oz carbohydrate loader drink
• 100 – 120 g packet of jelly beans
• Three slices toast or bread with jam or honey + large banana
• Three cereal bars or breakfast bars
• Cup of thick vegetable soup + large bread roll + one apple
• 1.5 sports bars (60 g per bar)
• Large muffin + 14 – 16 oz fruit juice
• Large baked potato with salsa filling + 8 oz soft drink
• 2 – 3 pancakes + syrup

• 12 – 17 oz liquid meal supplement
• 12 – 17 oz fruit smoothie
• 1.5 sports bars (60 g bar)
• Large bowl of cereal with milk + fruit-flavored yogurt
• 350g baked beans on three slices of toast
• Large roll with cheese/meat filling, plus large banana
• 2 cups of fruit salad with fruit-flavored yogurt or frozen yogurt
• Two English muffins with thick spread of peanut butter + 10 oz milk
• Large baked potato + cottage/grated cheese filling + two granola bars
• Half medium thick crust pizza with chicken/meat and vegetables

Initial studies on glycogen repletion after complete depletion emphasized carbohydrate ingestion immediately after exercise. However other studies show that a delay of two hours does not inhibit glycogenesis eight and twenty-four hours later, as long as adequate carbohydrate is consumed over the course of the entire day (3).

Emphasis is usually placed on carbohydrate for post exercise consumption. However, in practical terms, consuming a balanced meal of carbohydrates, protein and fats ensures the availability of all substrates for adequate recovery. Total daily carbohydrate intake is more important for optimal recovery than is the timing or type of carbohydrates.

Depending on how restrictive the diet is (see table 1), the more important it becomes to choose the right foods, rather than just omit the foods one does not wish to eat (1). The following section discusses sources of some nutrients important to vegetarian athletes.

Vegan Sources: Orange, peanuts, great northern beans, tofu, molasses, rhubarb, turnip greens, kale, chicory greens broccoli, and green beans.

Non–Vegan Sources: Cheese, milk, yogurt, oysters, salmon, and sardines.

*Note: Foods such as: spinach, chard, beet greens, and sorrel contain calcium, but also have oxalic acid, which binds to calcium and makes it unusable.

Also, many juices are now calcium fortified, making calcium intake less complicated for vegans. In addition, if you take a calcium supplement, split the dose in 2 or 3 smaller doses per day. Large doses are not absorbed as efficiently as small doses.
Iron

– Non–heme iron is found in plants and eight percent of what we eat is absorbed, if eaten with a good source of vitamin C (citrus fruits, tomato products, and red pepper). In addition, using iron pans can boost the iron content of foods.

Sources: Wheat germ, peanut butter, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, kidney bens, pinto beans, spinach, kale, broccoli, green peas, whole wheat bread.

– Heme iron is found in animal food and has an absorption efficiency of about 23%.

Sources: Fish

*Note: Coffee, tea, herb tea, soy protein, bran, high fiber foods, egg yolks, phytate, and calcium supplements impair iron absorption. You will get less iron if you consume any of these from 15 minutes before to an hour after you eat a food containing iron.

Sources: Wheat germ, peanut butter, tofu, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, pinto beans, potato, spinach, kale, broccoli, green peas, whole wheat bread, and yogurt.

* Note: Phytates – found in most whole grains and some fruits and vegetables inhibit zinc absorption.

Vegan Sources: Broccoli, asparagus, tofu, almonds, yeast, and soy milk.

Non vegan sources: Milk and cheese.

Vegan Sources: Naturally found in animal products only, but also in fortified soy milk, cereals, imitation meats (check labels), supplements, and some are also made by our intestinal bacteria.

Non–Vegan Sources: Milk and cheese.

Vegan Sources: Exposure to sun—the body synthesizes it, or in a supplement.

Non–Vegan Sources: Milk, margarine, and eggs.

Sources: flaxseed, canola oil, nuts, wheat germ, salmon, sardines, herring, halibut, and tuna.

Although some concerns have been raised about the nutrient status of vegetarian athletes, a varied and well-planned vegetarian diet is compatible with any successful athletic endeavor. The key word to remember with food intake is variety. Including a wide range of fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads and cereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds in the diet will result in optimal performance.

As you can see from the information above, no matter what particular form you follow when it comes to nutrition, you can always obtain the correct balance of foods that is imperative to physical performance.

Without the right nutritional intake, athletes will experience a decrease in performance, fatigue quickly, become short tempered and become very lethargic.

N/B: Info adapted from NSCA.