Nutrient Balance
Carefully planned nutrition must provide an energy balance and a nutrient balance. The nutrients are:
Proteins - essential to growth and repair of muscle and other body tissues.
Fats - one source of energy and important in relation to fat solube vitamins
Carbohydrates - our main source of energy
Minerals - those inorganic elements occurring in the body and whichare critical to its normal function
Vitamins - water and fat soluble vitamins play important roles in many chemical processes in the body
Water - essential to normal body fucntion - as a vehicle for carrying other nutrients and because 60% of the human body is water
Fibre - the fibrous indigestible portion of our diet essential to health of the digestive system
Following training your glycogen stores are depleted. In order to replenish them you need to consider the speed at which carbohydrate is converted into blood glucose and transported to the muscles. The rapid replenishment of glycogen stores is important for a competitor who may have a number of fights in a competition. The rise in blood glucose levels is indicated by a foods Glycaemic Index (GI) and the faster and higher the blood glucose rises the higher the GI. Studies have shown that consuming high GI carbohydrates within 2 hours after excercise speeds up the replenishment of glycogen stores amnd therefore speeds up recovery time. Eating 5-6 Meals or snacks a day will help maximise glycogen stores and energy levels, minimise fat storage and stabilise blood glucose and insulin levels.
What you eat on a day-to-day basis is extremely important for training. Your diet will affect how fast and how well you progress, and how soon you reach competitive standard
It is important to eat at regular intervals, ideally every 3-5 hours. This helps to keep blood sugar levels stable. Skipping meals or reducing your calorie intake does not help control weight in the long term.
Most of us do not drink enough water. Symptons of dehydration includes dizziness, lack of concentration, irritability and headaches. Aim to drink about 6-8 glasses of water a day and you will stay well hydrated.
Your mother was exactly right when she forced you to eat up your greens. We should be eating 5 serving of fruit and vegetables a day for general health. To allow your vegetables to retain as much goodness as possible, put them into a pot of boiling water and cook then quickly.
Beware the hidden fat foods which are normally those tasty foods; cakes, biscuits etc should be kept to a minimium.
Bread, potatos and pasta are all carbohydrate foods that have recieved bad press in the past. These foods do not make you fat on their own. However, if you have a big cheese sandwhich, knob of butter on you potato, or make a rich cream sauce for the pasta you will increase the amounth of fat you are eating.
Alcohol taken in moderation can be beneficial to health, but if you are watching your weight it is relevant to know that the calories from alcohol cannot be used as fuel for exercise, nor do they provide any vitamins, minerals or fibre.
Dairy products are a high source of fat and cholesterol, BUT they do provide us with other benficial nutrients.
It is not necessary to cut meat out of your diet. Instead buy the leaner cuts and trim off any fat. It is also recommended to eat oily fish (Tuna, Mackrekl, Herrings) at least 3 times a week as they contain the benefical Omega 3 oil.
Finally, whoever said "a little of what you fancy does you good" was probably right - excercise moderation in all things and you can't go far wrong. It isnot what you eat between Christmas and New Year that makes the differe but rather what you eat between New Year and Chrismas.