Ideal Nutrition » Sports Nutrition

Go Nuts!!!!

catharine — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:17:40 +0000

What’s so healthy about nuts for athletes?
Nuts offer far more than just calories. They are filled with hard-to-get
nutrients that can easily get processed out of refined foods. By the end of
the day, nut eaters tend to have a diet with overall higher nutrient quality

Nuts offer magnesium, niacin, vitamin E, copper, and manganese, as well
as other phytochemicals that are health protective, like resveratrol
(reduces heart disease). All this means, nuts have a powerful impact on your
health.
Nuts protect against the diseases of aging. That is, people who eat nuts
or peanut butter five or more times a week reduce their risk of heart
disease and diabetes by more than 20% .

If you are enjoying nuts as a recovery food after a hard workout, be
sure to eat some carbs along with the nuts. While the protein and
(healthful) fat in nuts abates hunger and helps build muscles, only carbs
(re)fuel your muscles. Some carb-protein nut combinations include: peanut
butter + banana; nuts + dried fruit; almonds + (packet of instant) oatmeal.
Nuts offer only a little protein—for example, about 8 grams in two
tablespoons peanut butter (the amount in a typical sandwich). This is not
much, considering the protein needs of most active women are 60 to 90 grams,
and active men may need 80 to 120 grams. Hence, vegetarian athletes need to
really eat a lot of nuts and peanut butter if this is their main source of
protein!
Easier yet, boost your protein intake by adding this childhood memory
back into your daily sports diet: a glass of milk along with the peanut
butter sandwich! In general, enjoy nuts, in moderate portions, as an
integral part of your meals and snacks.

WALK OFF 8 POUNDS THIS YEAR

linda — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:34:07 +0000

Switch your watch for a pedometer. Studies show that this simple change can encourage you to walk an extra 2000 steps a day. To push your number and weight loss even higher, make it a game:

Compete with your family to see who can get more steps by the end of the day. Winner picks what’s for dinner.

Walk in place anytime you’re standing still—when talking on the phone or waiting for the microwave – and see how many more steps you rack up.

Do shopping laps. If you can’t break the habit of parking as close as possible to the grocery store, take a lap as soon as you get inside.

Exercise and Hydration

catharine — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:03:11 +0000

It is important to be well hydrated when exercising. Start well hydrated – drink 500ml fluid 2 hours before exercise.
Water is a suitable fluid replacement drink for mild to moderate exercise, lasting up to 1 hour. For intense exercise up to 1 hour, a sports drink containing up to 8% carbohydrate can speed up water absorption, provide additional fuel, delay fatigue and improve performance.
Dehydration causes cardiovascular stress, increases core body temperature and impairs performance. DRINK UP!!

Quick Tips

catharine — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:37:12 +0000

Fuel….the best foods to fuel your muscles are carbohydrates from fruits, vegetables and grains. Each meal and snack should include naturally occurring sugars in fruits and juices, or grain-based foods such as pasta, bread, rice cereal, and oatmeal. Your muscles store carbohydrates, not protein or fat, in the form of glycogen. These carbs provide not only energy but also important vitamins and minerals. Refined sugars i.e. soft drinks, gels and candy also fuel muscles, but are) nutrient poor choices and lack the vitamins that help the body’s engine to run best

Although protein is a poor source of fuel, a small serving of a protein rich food at 2 meals per day (plus the protein in 2-3 cups of milk or yogurt) is important to build and repair muscles. The protein should be the accompaniment to the carb-based meal, not the main focus.