A lot of us are sports fans. We might have a favourite sport, a favourite team and a favourite athlete. However, not all of us wonder about what goes behind all those games. Athletes and sports persons are required to follow a disciplined routine to prepare themselves. This involves practices, a structured workout routine, mental health checks and good nutrition. The role of nutrition in sports is very crucial. It determines the overall health and performance of an athlete. It is the science of how nutrients and hydration affect an athlete’s health, Sports nutrition focuses on specific dietary needs based on the athlete’s individual physiology, sport and training regime. This article will dive into giving you an overview of sports nutrition, the role of nutrition in the sports industry and the role of food, nutrition and fitness in the life of an athlete.
Importance of Studying Sports Nutrition
A sports nutritionist helps and guides athletes to optimize their performance. They build a structured dietary plan that helps repair and heal muscle and ensure optimum intake of nutrients for good performance and recovery. The nutritional requirements and guidance varies from each kind of sport. With the world of sports growing and evolving, more institutes now offer curricula with specializations in sports nutrition. If you are someone passionate about nutrition, health and sports, then taking up sports nutrition would seem like the right fit for you.
Understanding health, fitness and nutrition with the right curriculum and course, you can become a proficient sports nutritionist.
You can read more about AAFT’s School of Health and Wellness here.
Significance of Sports Nutrition for Athletes
Nutrition is a very holistic approach and it is more than just eating the right food. In sports, nutrition and fitness cannot be neglected as it directly affects performance and stamina of an athlete. For an athlete to be able to perform better, they need to have a well-balanced regime that gets them optimal amounts of macronutrients and micronutrients.
- It ensures great endurance
- Thoroughgoing nutrition is important for sustaining energy levels for longer periods
- Helps athletes with recovery and healing from injuries, if any
- Good nutrition also aids to overall mental health
- Vitamins and minerals are imperative for various biochemical processes in the body
What are Some Essential Nutrients for Athletes?
Let us take a look at a few out of many important nutrients that helps athletes become better at their game:
1) Protein
It is said that protein is essential for you to be able to build, heal and recover your muscles. Protein also plays an important role in helping your bloodstream carry oxygen across your body.
2) Carbohydrates
Athletes often follow a structured and rigid work-out routine. To help them with energy required for intense exercise regimes, they must consume carbohydrates. Sugar and starches broken down, enter your bloodstream in the form of glucose. This glucose is used by the body for energy.
3) Fats
Fats help the body absorb important vitamins such as vitamin A, vitamin E and vitamin D. Healthy fats protect your organs, keep your blood pressure under control and aid the absorption of vital nutrients. They also support cell growth and give you energy. Nuts, seeds and avocados that give healthy fats are essential for all athletes.
4) Vitamins and Minerals
Essential vitamins protect your body and help you sustain good health. They are important for bone health, immunity and other important bodily functions. B-vitamins and antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E are beneficial and imperative for athletes. Other essential vitamins and minerals such as electrolytes, zinc, magnesium, iron etc. are equally important.
5) Hydration
Oftentimes, even with regards to people who aren’t athletes, we tend to disregard the importance of drinking water. Hydration is vital for all bodily functions, good sleep, good mental health, immunity, protection from infection and a lot more. Consuming nutrients are important, however, for the body to be able to transport these nutrients – it needs water.
- Nutritional Strategies for Peak Performance
An athlete’s calorie intake must be adequate for them to maintain body weight and assist training and practice. This varies based on an individual athlete’s physiology. - According to RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) it is important for an individual to consume 0.8 grams per kilogram of your body weight. Protein intake and requirements vary from person to person and based on advice from one’s professional sports nutritionist.
- The diet regime must be inclusive of Pre-workout and Post workout meals based on requirements. This ensures and enhances optimal energy levels.
- Hydrate. Hydrate. Hydrate. As cliche as this may sound, hydration is the key. We do not realize the importance and capabilities of water to help us sustain good health. Dehydration can affect heart rate, blood pressure, can cause headaches, poor mental health, even organ damage resulting in poor performance for an athlete.
- With all this in mind, it is important to understand that one regime and plan does not work for everyone. Diet plans and health routines vary based on the individuals health, metabolism, bodily functions and the sport they practice.
Impact of Nutrition on Training and Competition
- A professional sports nutritionist helps athletes with personalized health plans based on the athlete’s sport that they practice, metabolic rate, body composition and work-out intensity. This positively impacts the athlete’s performance and overall health.
- Optimal nutrition is more than just eating the right foods, it is also about knowing when to take rest. Rest is important for the body to heal and recover. It also enhances performance.
- Bodies keep changing and bodily requirements evolve. It is important to adopt dietary changes as and when required. Especially with regards to when there are matches, when it’s time to focus on rest and recovery and when it is important to get back to exercising and practicing. This helps the athlete prepare for competitions and training.
Conclusion
Sports nutrition is a vital aspect that ensures an athlete does their best in their sport. A sports nutritionist helps and educates their client and optimal nutrition and how it’ll help hone their craft better. They also document important documents and keep track of the athlete’s progress. The role of nutrition in the sports industry is and always has been in demand, especially with regards to the ever-evolving nature of the industry. Sports nutritionists are also equally to be credited for good performances put forward by athletes. We hope that this article helps you answer questions such as ‘What is Sports Nutrition?’ and ‘Why is Sports Nutrition Important?’ To know more about nutrition, it’s importance, courses and curriculum related details visit AAFT.