An Athlete's Healthy Tips in A Nutshell

Performing at athletic's best often starts with a healthy diet. Healthy nutrition is a lifestyle choice for many athletes. Getting the proper nutrition is essential for the body to perform at its peak capacity. It is also important throughout the training cycle. The key is to eat a well-balanced kind of diet, which consists of healthy fats, carbohydrates, fiber, minerals, vitamins and proteins. You should also eat more than the average person, yet make sure that you choose healthy food choices for best results.

When doing any physical activity on a regular basis, your body requires additional calories just to compensate for the burned calories during the activity or sport. As an athlete, you must consume enough protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats for increased muscle capacity and energy. Your daily calorie requirements also depend upon your gender, age, body type and the type of the activity you are engaged in.

Significance of a Healthy Meal Plan

Eating healthy plays a vital role in how the body performs during exhausting activities. Without an enough amount of fats and carbohydrates in your diet, your muscles will not get the energy needed to operate at optimal levels. According to a study, endurance athletes will need almost 70 percent of the daily calories to come from foods that are high in carbohydrates like cereals, bread, and potatoes. The study also explains that carbohydrates supply nearly 40 to 50 percent of the energy required during the early stages of exercise.

Chicken and Seafood

Salmon is a healthy main course and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Some of the health benefits of these fats include balancing your body's inflammatory response that helps counteract your running-induced attacks of asthma. A 4 ounce serving of chicken can also fulfill as much as half your daily protein requirement. Protein assists in rebuilding your muscles and speeds the recovery after a particularly strenuous event or workout.

Proper Hydration

Before you run, your fluid intake requirement depends on weather conditions. According to the rule of thumb, drink a few glasses of water 10 to 15 minutes before you start your workout. You can also drink sports drink, but only in moderation. These beverages contain electrolytes, sodium and carbohydrates and helps your body replenish the substances that are lost when you exercise.Avoid sports drinks that are high in sugar content. Keep a close eye on your carbohydrate solution on your drink.

Nutritional Supplements

Some athletes derived all the required minerals and vitamins already from a balanced meal plan. Yet, it is important for athletes to take supplements that are helpful for them like deer antler velvet. Many athletes are using antler velvet because it has almost 400 natural and active ingredients needed by the body. Others thought that these supplements contain steroids, but actually not. Consult a doctor or medical professional before taking any supplements or doing any exercise for proper assessment of your health condition. Being an athlete needs to have discipline if you want to perform well in the sport you are engaged in.