Nutrition Basics
By Cindy Dallow, PhD, RD
Sports nutrition is an important part of any athletic training program. Whether you are training for a marathon or a soccer match, the basic nutritional requirements for each are similar. To gain a competitive edge, aim for a diet with the following energy sources:
Carbohydrate
- Carbohydrates (CHO) are the primary fuel for working muscles and the most important nutrient for athletic performance. They should comprise 60% of your total calories each day.
- Good sources include: fruit, cereal, rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, and some dairy
- Converted to glycogen and stored in muscles. Training increases glycogen storage.
- Recommended amounts: ~3 - 5 gm Carbohydrate / lb body weight / day during training (500 grams for 125 lb person; 680 grams for 170 lb person).
- Consume 30 – 60 grams/CHO per hour during any endurance event lasting longer than 60 minutes (20 – 40 ounces of sports drink).
- After hard exercise, consume 0.75 grams CHO / lb as soon as tolerable, ideally within 30 minutes post-exercise
Weight (lbs)
100
150
200
Examples
Yogurt, fruit, 8 oz
Cereal + milk
Bagel sandwich w/turkey
Carbohydrates in Fluids
Beer 8
Cranberry Juice 43
UltraFuel 50
Coke 26
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Carbs (grams)
75
115
150
Carbs (grams)
40
50
50
Apple juice 30
Gatorade 14
PowerAde 17
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Protein
- Builds and repairs muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
- Good sources: lean beef, poultry, fish, yogurt, eggs, milk, legumes, soy, nuts
- Protein needs: ~0.5 - 0.8 gm protein / lb body weight
Athlete
HS Football player
Marathoner
Young gymnast
Examples
8 oz Milk, yogurt
2 Tb Peanut butter
2 lg Eggs
4 oz Chicken or Beef
1 can Tuna (6 oz)
Protein – Food vs. Supplements
Tuna, 6 oz can
Beef, deli, 4 oz
Turkey, deli 4 oz
Egg whites, 2
Met-Rx, 1 pkt.
Protein Bar, PowerBar
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Wt
200 lbs
150 lbs
80 lbs
Protein (grams)
8
8
12
30
40
Gm Pro/serv
40
36
44
7
38
24
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Grams/lb
0.7 - 1.0
0.6 - 0.8
0.9 - 1.0
$ / gm
.03
.03
.02
.03
.06
.10
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Grams/day
140 - 200
90 - 120
72 - 80
$ /serv
1.00
1.00
0.90
0.21
2.25
2.49
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Fat
- Primary fuel burned during low intensity exercise, such as walking. Using fat for energy during prolonged exercise requires CHO to utilize the energy.
- Most fat is stored as adipose tissue; some stored in muscle as “intramuscular triglyceride”.
- High fat diets are associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer.
- Good sources of unsaturated fat: nuts, olive or canola oil, seeds, avocados.
- Recommended amounts for health and optimal sports performance: <30% of total calories/day or approximately 50 – 100 g / day.
What Should I Eat Before I Exercise?
Pre-Exercise Meal Timing
Large meal: 4 - 6 hours
Lighter meal: 2 - 3 hours
Snack: .5 - 1 hour
Timing varies with:
- Intensity of exercise
- Personal tolerance to food
Pre-Exercise Nutrition Guidelines
- High in carbohydrate (50 – 300 grams of carbohydrate, depending on the time before exercise begins)
- Low in fat
- Moderate in protein
- Easily digested
- Familiar to you!
Examples
-
- 75 grams of carbohydrates and 340 calories:
- 2 slices toast or a small bagel
- 1 tsp jelly
- 1 large banana
- 150 grams of carbohydrates and 750 calories:
- 2 slices toast
- 2 tb jelly, 2 tsp peanut butter
- 1 large banana
- 4 oz fruit juice
- 300 grams of carbohydrate and 1400 calories:
- 2 cups of cooked cereal
- 12 oz skim milk
- 1 cup yogurt with fruit
- 8 oz juice
- 4 tb raisins
- 1 large banana
- 2 slices toast
- 4 tb. jelly
What Should I Drink During Exercise?
Dehydration Hurts Performance!
Percent Dehydration
1%
3%
5%
7%
10%
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Lbs. lost
(for 150 lb person)
1.5
4.5
7.5
10.5
15.0
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Physical Effect
Increased body temperature
Impaired performance
G.I. upset, heat exhaustion
Hallucinations
Circulatory collapse
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Fluid Guidelines
- Exercise <60 minutes: water
- Exercise >60 minutes: water + carbohydrates
Event
• 2 hours pre-exercise
• 15 minutes pre-exercise
• Every 15 minutes during
• After exercise
• Daily
Fluid
Gatorade
PowerAde
Cola
Apple juice
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Fluid goals
16 - 24 ounces
8 - 16 ounces
6 - 12 ounces
Until urine is pale
Enough to urinate every 2 - 4 hours
% Carb
6
7
11
12
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Grams of CHO/8 oz.
14
14
25
30
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- Target 30 – 60 grams/hour of carbohydrate OR 100 - 250 calories / hour
- of a 6 - 8% carbohydrate solution
Sodium Losses
One pound of sweat loss contains: 450 - 700 mg. sodium
Losses in 1 hour hard exercise in heat: 900 - 2,800 mg
Sodium content of the body: 97,000 mg (42 tsp salt)
Replacements milligrams sodium
Coke, 8 oz. 1
Beer, 8 oz. 10
PowerAde, 8 oz 70
Gatorade, 8 oz. 110
Pizza, 1 slice 500
Salt, 1/4 teaspoon 500
Sodium Replacement
Consuming additional salt while training is generally not necessary as the typical athlete’s diet provides enough sodium. However, during an ultra-distance event, it is a wise choice because of the amount of sodium lost through sweat.
First Class Sports Diet. Cindy Dallow, PhD, RD. Sports Dietitian. Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. Boulder, CO, 80304. Phone (303) 441-0555 VM. For an appointment, please call: (303) 544-5700.
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