Being a superstar athlete is a dream of many, but only a few live that dream. To live this dream it takes a lot of talent, more hard work and tremendous discipline. After years of hard work some of us achieve this goal. Many of us will admire those that do succeed and will applaud them whenever they display their talent. All these top athletes and all their admirers that exercise on a regular basis need to take care for their body to perform on a top level. Taking care of your body means giving it all it needs. You will have to give your body the necessary nutrition's. When you exercise regularly your body needs lots of nutritional foods.
During sports activities the body loses a lot of fluids. In order to perform on a high level the body fluid needs to be replenished. If the body doesn't get the necessary fluids it needs, it stops performing on the high level that is required. The body gets dehydrated and overheated. When the body reaches this state a top performance is out of the question. Be sure to regularly drink even before you feel thirsty. Your body is not able to store or produce water therefore drinking regularly is a must. You need to do this because the body warns you when you get in the danger zone by making your mouth dry and make you feel thirsty. When you want to stay out of the danger zone you need to drink regularly.
The fluids that the body needs are water based. Water is the main source that keeps the motor running so to speak. But water alone isn't good enough for a top performance. There are enough quality sport drinks that will fit your need. Your need depends on the type sport you practice.
If you want to sport on a professional level you will need to know the content of drink. Some substances are forbidden for a specific type of sport. For example if you long distance runner you can only have a small amount of caffeine and if you are a weightlifter the amount of caffeine you drink is not relevant. Even if you see a sports physician regularly you will need to know for yourself what if good for you.
Besides fluids the body needs other solid foods a well. It needs additional nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Yes, the body needs fat as well. There are physiological processes in the body that need fat. There are vitamins that can only be absorbed by the body if they are dissolved in fat and not in water. Fat is also an important fuel. If your body supply of carbohydrates runs out and this will happen if you run long distances like the marathon, the body switches to fat as a fuel source. Many long distance runners experience this as hitting the brick wall. And not only long distance runners know this. In other types of sport it is also a well know phenomena. The amount of fat your body needs depends on the sport you practice.
As mentioned before carbohydrate are the primarily source of energy. You can find it in pasta, potatoes, bread, fruits and vegetables and many others foods we know. The list is too extensive to mention all here. For short burst of energy carbohydrates are the primary source of energy. Muscles need it to contract and move the body. The ratio carbohydrate and fat your body needs for your type of sports can be calculated by a sports physician, although it is not really necessary to know this in great detail. If you are an experienced athlete you will know this through training.
Others types of food you need are proteins. These are needed to stimulate and grow muscles. You can get your proteins from meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, dairy products and other foods. If you are a body builder you will need more proteins than a marathon runner. Proteins can be used by the body a source of energy a well, although its primary function is to build muscles.
If you eat plenty of fresh food your body will get the necessary vitamins and minerals as well. The quality of the vitamins and minerals depend on the quality of food you eat. If you train hard and on a daily basis you could need more than the average amount. There are plenty of good quality additional vitamins and minerals available that can supplement your daily diet. But you don't need to over do it. If you consume more than you need your body will get rid of these. However there are some vitamins and minerals that will stay in your body. If you have digested too much supplements, this can turn out to be a problem. Be wise with supplements, many athletes take too much and don't need that much.
If you have a daily job and are exercising daily as well you'll need to be extra careful with diets to loose weight. Don't go on a diet unless it is recommended by a sports physician. The diet can ruin your sport performance and your ability to do your job. The physician can point out which foods you need to cut back and which not. Your daily calorie intake for your daily job and you sport activity will be the basis of your consumption needs.
The body is a complex system that needs good quality nutrition. The average person that exercises on a regular needs a basis of good fresh food to fuel their body. Top amateurs and professionals need more, but it is more important to receive proper guidance from a sports physician who can help them with their specific needs. A top level performance can only be achieved by top level quality nutrition's.
Bryan Wong is the owner of the nutrition website
http://www.GetEasyInfo.com/nutrition - A great website that shares quality Info, News and TIPS on Nutrition. Get Free good food for athletes recipes at http://www.GetEasyInfo.com/nutrition
Saturday, June 30, 2007
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