Sports Nutrition and Execisers

• Training in sports aiming to improve his/ her performance/ results

• Actively participating in sports competitions

• Formally registered in a local, regional or national sports federation

• Have sports training and competition as his/ her major activity (way of living) or focus of personal interest, devoting several hours in all or most days for these activities, exceeding the time allocated to other types of professional or leisure activities

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Carbohydrates

Typical daily carbohydrate needs for a pro-cyclist doing the Tour de France vary from 500-700g/ day! That is the equivalent of 100 – 140 teaspoons of sugar! Interestingly, approximately 2/3 of this is consumed after the race.

• CHO is found in a variety of foods:

• Starches, fibre & sugars

• Insulin assists with CHO digestion, absorption & utilisation

• Muscles obtain glucose from various sources

• Optimal CHO intake provides:

• Energy & replenishes glycogen stores

• More glycogen in muscles

• Delay fatigue & increase performance

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Fats

When you ‘burn’ fat it leaves your body through your sweat, urine and as carbon-dioxide (when you breathe out)!

• Stress to muscle leads to inflammation, bruising & tissue breakdown

• Inflammation = scar tissue, poor mobility & delayed recovery time

Trans fat, saturated fat & omega 6 vegetable oils: Pro-inflammatory

MUFA & omega 3 PUFA Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) are a healthy type of fat. Replacing less healthy fats, such as saturated fats and trans fats, with unsaturated fats, such as MUFAs and polyunsaturated fats, may offer health benefits. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are fatty acids that contain more than one double bond in their backbone. This class includes many important compounds, such as essential fatty acids and those that give drying oils their characteristic property.

• Reduce inflammation & promote healing

• Reduce post-exercise delayed onset muscle soreness

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Proteins

When it comes to protein and exercise, more is not always better. There is a false perception that if you want to build muscle, you must simply eat more protein. Too much protein will just be used for fuel or stored as fat. Muscle growth depends on genetics, training and nutrition…

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Sports Foods and Supplements

If an athlete unknowingly/ unintentionally consumes a prohibited substance, they will still be held liable according to the World Anti-doping Code. This may lead to a loss of medals won, or records set and may even lead to temporary/ permanent suspension from competition.

What is a supplement?

• No single definition (either legal or within nutritional science) of what constitutes a dietary supplement

• A food, food component, nutrient, or non-food compound that is purposefully ingested in addition to the habitually-consumed diet with the aim of achieving a specific health and/or performance benefit

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Hydration

Muscle is 75% Water

What are electrolytes?

Minerals dissolved into the body’s fluid

Regulate fluid balance

• Fluid had a variety of vital functions in the human body

• Fluid and electrolytes are important for those who exercise

• Dehydration should be avoided

• Fluid for adequate hydration can come from a variety of sources

• Sports drinks are formulated to rehydrate and fuel effectively

• Fluid requirements are individualised

• Pre, during and post exercise hydration guidelines

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