SPORTS NUTRITION: KEY STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE

Dr. Patti L Symonette, PhD, CNS, CEP

Athletes have special nutritional needs; hence the whole discipline of sports nutrition was born. So, what exactly is Sports Nutrition? Sports Nutrition is a specialty area of study and application within the field of nutrition, that focuses on providing the fuel for exercise (training and competition), facilitating the recovery and rebuilding process, optimizing athletic performance, while also promoting overall health and wellbeing. Simply put, sports nutrition refers to nutritional strategies that are developed and applied to aid athletic performance so that athletes can compete at their best and gain an advantage over their opponents.

Because all athletes are not the same, differences may exist in specific nutrient needs, creating the exciting challenge of creating individualized nutrition plans for different athletes within the same sport, as well as in different sports. The key to sports nutrition is personalization.

There are three basic principles that are important for every athlete:

1. Fuelling–which is providing the body with sufficient food of excellent quality to enhance stamina, strength, and mental clarity.

2. Hydration–staying hydrated by drinking enough of the right type of fluids is fundamental to optimal performance in sport, and in fact, in every aspect of your health and life. Preventing dehydration and fatigue, while optimizing muscle performance, requires proper hydration strategies that include how much and when athletes should hydrate.

3. Recovery – strategies used post exercise to help athletes return to a resting or recovered state and are designed to minimize or prevent injury. Proper recovery also helps athletes get faster and better results from their training, including more muscle growth, improved strength, and speed. In addition, proper recovery keeps athletes both physically and mentally balanced.

Recovery strategies include cold therapy, massage, hydration, stretching, active recovery, nervous system recovery such as meditation, adequate and deep sleep, and nutrition. Recovery is an essential part of training. For athletes to perform at their peak, it is important that they restore and repair their mind and body. Remember the Rs of sports recovery: REPLENISH, REST, RESTORE, RECOVER!

The basics of sports nutrition for all athletes include the following nutrition guidelines:

1. Know how to eat to fuel your training.

2. Understand your nutritional demands during training and competition.

3. Consume a balanced diet that includes all the food groups.

4. Consume healthy fats (such as olive oil, coconut oil, avocado, salmon, nuts, etc.) to promote exercise recovery.

5. Consume enough protein to help muscle recovery and repair, and to help boost fitness performance.

6. Monitoryourhydrationstatus.

7. Eatexcellentquality,nutrientdensecarbohydrates, and dark leafygreen vegetables to provide the body with energy and essential nutrients.

8. Understand your nutrient needs based on your age, gender, and training so that you can make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need.

9. The timing of meal siscritical. After training it is recommended that athletes eat within 30 – 60 minutes to sustain muscle mass and to help optimize recovery.

For young athletes who are training, growing, studying, and competing, it is important to understand that the focus of healthy eating is to help ensure that you stay healthy over the long term, and to avoid “hitting the wall” or “bonking.” Know your nutrition game plan. To maximize your success, it is important to apply these nutrition principles correctly, and practice them during training. Do not try anything new on race day. Usually, it is only through a system of trial and error during training that you can develop your own personalized sports nutrition plan.

It is always advisable to work with a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian with experience in sports nutrition to guide you.

Dr. Patti Symonette, PhD is a Certified Nutrition Specialist, with expertise in Sports Nutrition. She can be reached at The Wellness Center & Personal Training Studio on 326-3663.