People with active sports life follow a strict sports nutrition plan as well as the importance they give to training. When the balance of sports and nutrition is established, success is achieved more easily. Daily macronutrient intake is very important for those who want to burn fat and gain muscle during dieting periods. Based on this issue, a How should an athlete eat?In this article, we will explain what to pay attention to when taking carbohydrates, protein and fat, which are macronutrients.
How Should Sports Nutrition Be?
Our body works like a machine. It provides the necessary energy from food to work properly. It obtains its energy needs from carbohydrates, fats and proteins, respectively. Especially since a lot of energy is spent during training, the body needs quality food to send energy to the tissue. Therefore fitness athlete nutrition A balanced and healthy diet with the right macros in the diet is a very critical issue. Now let's explain the importance of the 3 main macronutrients, carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
The Importance of Carbohydrates in Sports Nutrition
Carbs are responsible for maintaining your blood sugar levels and providing energy to your body throughout the training period. In addition, it is the most important nutrient macro that we need to take for the healthy functioning of the brain. Since carbohydrates stabilize blood sugar, they are divided into two as high and low glycemic index. simple carbohydrates They contain a high glycemic index and instantly lower and lower blood sugar levels. It makes you feel more hungry during the day and paves the way for fat storage in the body. Has a low glycemic index complex carbohydrates (bulgur, whole grain foods, etc.) are the carbohydrates we should generally prefer because they are healthier.
In the sports nutrition diet, we need to adjust the daily carbohydrate need correctly. We can create a nutrition routine that includes 2-2,5 grams of carbohydrates per kilo to burn fat cells and meet energy needs by preserving the muscle mass in our body. Consuming zero carbohydratesIn other words, not taking carbohydrates is not a very healthy solution. However, ketogenic diet can be an alternative solution to get rid of excess weight, lose weight quickly and burn fat. Low carbohydrate diet is another alternative. Before applying these diets, we recommend that you consult your doctor and a specialist dietitian to find out if they are suitable for you.
After exercise, we need to continue our carbohydrate intake up to a certain point. First 30 min. We call this period the window of opportunity after training, since the foods we will consume affect muscle growth. For this reason, immediately after sports protein intake with carbohydrates very, very important. Because carbohydrates replenish the glycogen stores that the body spends during exercise. With protein intake, we support muscle building.
As with every nutrient, you should definitely choose healthy ones when consuming foods containing carbohydrates! What foods do you say; cereal group, starch-containing vegetables, seasonal fruit and milk as. These will be the best choice for your size.
Fat Consumption in Athlete Diet
Healthy fats are a subject that must be emphasized and researched for those who do fitness and sports. If we aim for a lean and muscular fit body foods with healthy fats We also need to consume. However, if you do not limit your carbohydrate consumption, you should not overdo it even though it is “healthy” in terms of fat consumption! For this reason, it will be sufficient to consume approximately 1.500 g of natural healthy fats in your 50-calorie diet. If you say which oils are healthy; the healthiest oil olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil We can give examples of oils containing fatty acids such as We must stay away from unhealthy oils such as margarine and harmful trans fats used in fast foods (hamburgers, french fries, etc.).
The Role of Proteins in Sports Nutrition
When we talk about how the athlete should eat, the first thing that comes to mind is protein. Proteins are essential for muscle mass gain! If you want to show high performance while exercising, protein is a unique source for the body. While preserving your muscle mass, it will also provide muscle repair in the body.
While consuming proteins, the required amount is healthy and natural animal protein It should definitely be our first choice. Foods such as red meat, chicken, eggs, fish, yoghurt and curd cheese are sources of quality protein. If we cannot consume these foods, we can use protein supplements under the supervision of a doctor. (Click for the best protein powder review.) 1,6 grams of protein per weight will be sufficient for your body.
Amount of Calories to Take Daily
The amount of calories to be taken during the day varies from person to person. Gender, height, weight, mobility are some of these factors. However, 1500 calories will be enough to provide the necessary energy for a person with the average of these criteria. If your goal is a fit body, you should say goodbye to excess calories with the fitness program that allows you to burn 1/3 of the calories you take! (See:Full body fitness program) Thus, you will increase your muscle mass over time by keeping your form.
How many calories do we need to take daily To calculate it, you can use the following calorie calculator:
How should nutrition be before and after sports?
Nutrition before and after training is another issue that we should focus on carefully. We need to consume our main meal at least 2 hours before starting sports. 30 minutes from the gym. high caffeine source for fat burning first unsweetened filter or turkish coffee, potassium source banana and high protein peanuts for the pump You can consume quality foods such as Thus, your performance during sports will increase. You should drink plenty of water throughout the day to prevent fluid loss during sports. If you are wondering how much water should I drink during sports, this article you should definitely read it.
Containing post-workout protein for muscle repair meat, chicken, turkey, fish, broccoli, chickpeas etc. You need to eat foods. We have to make sure we get enough carbohydrates for muscle glycogen and synthesis as well. To minimize fluid loss a minimum of 2-3 liters of water per day We need to drink. Of course, you should also consider external factors such as exercise intensity and air temperature. If you want to increase muscle protein synthesis; containing quality protein within 3 hours after sports meat, milk, yogurt, eggs You can consume foods such as Stay healthy and sports…