Also indexed as:Endurance, Exercise Support,
Fitness, Sports Performance, Training.
About This Condition
Aside from training, nutrition may be the
most important influence on athletic performance.1 However, in seeking a competitive edge,
athletes are often susceptible to fad diets or supplements that have not been
scientifically validated. Nevertheless, there is much useful research to guide
the exerciser toward optimum health and performance.
Healthy Lifestyle Tips
Many athletes use exercise and
weight-modifying diets as tools to change their body composition, assuming that
a lower percentage of body fat and/or higher lean body mass is desirable in any
sport. There is no single standard for body weight and body composition that
applies to all types of athletic activities. Different sports, even different
roles in the same sport (e.g., running vs. blocking in football), require
different body types. These body types are largely determined by genetics.
However, within each athlete’s genetic predisposition, variations result from
diet and exercise that may affect performance. In general, excess weight is a
disadvantage in activities that require quickness and speed. However, brief,
intense bursts of power depend partly on muscle size, so this type of activity
may favor athletes with greater muscle mass. On the other hand, participants in
endurance sports, which require larger energy reserves, should not attempt to
lower their body fat so much as to compromise their performance.
Reach the peak of athletic performance. Take your game to
the next level by learning some fitness essentials. According to research or
other evidence, the following self-care steps may be helpful.
- Eat more carbs
Supply the body with efficient
energy fuel found in grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy
products, and carbohydrate-replacement drinks
- Obey your thirst
Drink fluids before, during,
and after exercise to prevent dehydration, but avoid overdrinking, too
- Take a multivitamin
When your diet isn’t enough,
extra vitamins and minerals will help your body get the nutrition it needs for
exercise
- Check out creatine monohydrate
Take 15 to 20 grams a day of
this supplement for five or six days to improve performance of high-intensity,
short-duration exercise (like sprinting) or sports with alternating low- and
high-intensity efforts
- Try vitamin C
Take 400 mg a day for several
days before and after intense exercise to reduce pain and speed muscle strength
recovery.