Triathletes, trail runners, long distance cyclists, cross-country skiers, and rowers all fall into the category of endurance athletes. These sports demand long durations of activity, as well as fueling and recovery challenges.
The great Teddy Roosevelt gave us the quote: “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Nothing shows how much you care than to sit with an athlete and discuss the changes he or she hope to see.
Equally important to performance are fats. Although much demonized in the past, we now appreciate how important the right blend of fats in our diets is for health and performance.
Recovery nutrition is all about giving the body the fuel it needs to replenish, rebuild and adapt to the training stimulus it has endured. If fuel isn’t provided, the gains from the workout will be compromised and will limit performance and adaptation in subsequent sessions.
Both protein and fats are known as macronutrients and, along with carbohydrates, are primarily used for growth, repair and energy production. Think of them as “go nutrients.”
As a former high school football player, football coach, and now occasional nutrition counselor for high school athletes, I have seen many sides of the high school athletes. One of the sides involves several nutritional challenges.
According to the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), well-planned eating practices help athletes to train hard, stay healthy and injury-free, and maximize their performance. An ideal athletic diet should contain well-balanced portions of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fat), micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and fluids.
Yesterday, I sat in a local eatery in Los Angeles and ordered food amongst some new acquaintances. “I’ll have the kale, beet and pistachio salad… can you please add avocado and grilled tofu?”
As living standards continue to improve and income rises, people who are no longer satisfied with simply meeting the basic needs are increasingly gravitating to health-consciousness and wellness.
At the start of a New Year, many people look to increase their health and fitness. Over the holiday period, they may have consumed over 20,000 extra calories.
