Sports nutrition is defined as the study and practice of nutrition and dieting as it relates to athletes and their performance. It is mainly concerned with the types and quantities of food and drink ingested by athletes and deals with vitamins, minerals, supplements and organic substances such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats, which are the most important macro-nutrients needed to build the ideal athletic diet.
Sports nutrition is something you'll commonly hear in strength and endurance sports like weight lifting, swimming, cycling and running because these are the sports that require athletes to strike a perfect balance in order to sustain themselves during intense workouts and competitions. Sports nutrition is a concept that has been around since the time of the ancient Greeks, who credited their Olympic victories from being able to ably combine wine, meat and bread that gives them all the nutrition they need, as well as the strength and energy to win challenging competitions.
Sports nutrition these days has come a long way from the simple bread, meat and wine regimen of the Greeks. Continuous study has proven that diet along with specialized exercise and training routines enables athletes to lead healthy and productive lifestyles and helps them prevent or manage non-chronic diseases like non-insulin dependent diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease and osteoporosis to name a few.
What you eat and what you drink greatly affects your performance and how you feel during your workouts/training which is why knowing your basics on sports nutrition can not only help keep you healthy but also ensure you make the most of your exercise routine. It is known to often focus on carbohydrates, an example of which is the training routine of endurance athletes, who load up on carbohydrates days before their event to boost their performance. It is also best to complement your diet regimens with the best sports supplements as well to take care of any nutritional gaps.
Sports nutrition goes beyond what you eat because you need to consider the times when you need to eat as well as coordinating your meals, snacks and drinks helps you maximize your workout. For starters, you need to eat something every 2-4 hours to keep your blood sugar levels stable and your energy high enough to boost your metabolism. By coordinating your meals and snacks, you make sure that you are never too hungry to reach for the nearest bag of chips and will be able to train at any time during the day.
Ideally, you will need to eat a pre-exercise meal that will depend on the kind of exercises and workouts you do but generally they should be food that is easily digestible and high in complex carbohydrates like pasta, breads, salads and fruits. You can also go for a big salad that is high in protein or select a small amount of lean meat like chicken or fish. If you're the type who likes to train or exercise in the morning, a light snack of fruits, toast and an egg will probably be best.
On the other hand, if you would prefer to have a snack thirty minutes before you start your workout, it would be best to partake of trail mix, half a granola bar, a big banana or a few graham crackers to get your energy levels going. Remember though, to drink lots of water before you start working out so you can replenish the electrolytes you lose when you sweat. Make sure you keep yourself hydrated before, during and after your training and workouts to keep from being dehydrated.
To maximize your training and exercise, you need the best supplements to complement your sports nutrition efforts. Find them all at affordable prices on http://www.nutritionwarehouse.com.au and be at the top of your game every time, all the time.
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