10 Sports Nutrition Tips
Here are 10 sports nutrition tips to help you have a fitter body. The best advice for the athlete's diet.
1. Consume more calories
Surprise! Diets low in calories (less than 1200 calories a day) cause more harm than good. Calorie intake slows the metabolic rate and forces your body to store calories as fat. For an adult woman eating 1200 calories and 2200 calories is a good range. I recommend starting with 1800 Kcal and then gradually decrease. You need to find a good proportion of protein, fats and carbohydrates so you do not feel hungry and you meet your goals. Do not miss more than half a kilo of fat per week, or easily recover. Remember that the scale can be misleading because it does not indicate the weight of the liquid, the muscle mass you've won, and so on.
2. Eliminate fat calories
Calories from fats are converted into body fat very easily, while the calories of other foods are converted into fat by a process that also burn calories. Limit foods low in fat or fat-free, and watch for hidden fat in cookies, cakes and breads. The body needs some fat to keep skin, joints and internal organs functioning. Everyone is a world, but we've concluded that for most women between 20 and 25% of total calories should come from fat. The source of fat is also an important issue. The body stores saturated fats such as animal fats (cream, butter, tallow, lard), with more ease. Unsaturated fats such as olive oil are much healthier. Read the ingredient list and note where they come, and avoiding as far as possible saturated.
3. Focus on natural foods
The body metabolizes easier unprocessed natural foods, there is less tendency to transform and store them as fat. Try fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and other complex carbohydrates in the diet. We need these complex carbohydrates to replenish muscle glycogen. Glycogen, like starch in plants, is the carbohydrate that is stored in the liver, muscles and then used as energy during exercise and daily activity. The refined foods like pasta and bread products are less effective in a weight loss program. If only a few times, in a week will notice a difference in your shape and definition.
4. Moderate consumption of carbohydrates
Foods that provide energy hydrates are essential for athletes and should always be present in the diet. But if you want to accelerate the weight loss you have to slightly modify the intake of carbohydrates. When we reduce the carbohydrates, the body has less glycogen and then we burn fat. This represents an effort, I know. We all love pasta and bread, but I recommend you: consume pasta and bread before 3pm and only a few times a week. Limit to vegetables and protein during the afternoon and dinner.
5. Do not consume too much sugar
If you take too much sugar at once, the excess can be converted into body fat. Excess sugar triggers the secretion of the hormone insulin, which activates enzymes that promote fat storage. You'd be surprised to discover how many foods contain a significant amount of sugar, for example, snacks, cookies, pastries, soft drinks, candy, low calorie cereals also contain much sugar. I trained a man who lost 15 inches from your waist in just one month avoiding the coca-cola. What else can I say.
6. Consume protein required
The protein is the key. If the diet lacks protein, the body will consume those in muscles. Protein provides amino acids essential for tissue repair. Without protein you will lose muscle and this is a problem, because it is a metabolically active tissue, and your effort to lose weight will not be rewarded. Chicken, fish, red meat without fat, skimmed milk, yogurt, tofu, vegetables and cheese are excellent sources of protein.
7. Drink lots of water
It improves fluid retention. Improving the function of endocrine glands, liver and thus increase the percentage of fat that is used as energy. Drink a good amount of water that will restore the natural thirst, reduce appetite, improve metabolic function, help the body eliminate toxins and increase energy levels.
8. Eat 4-5 times a day
Dividing the daily intake in various foods has several advantages for our health and burn fat:
- There is a higher rate of burning calories
- We'll have more energy
- This will improve the uptake of nutrients
- We will have less temptation to try unhealthy food
Imagine if your body is a fire. If you miss a log in a bonfire will burn quickly. If you let the fire fall takes a long time to burn it and you may not burn completely. Therefore, it provides your body fuel every few hours and keep your metabolism working. If you eat every 6-8 hours, your metabolism (fire) is low, you cannot burn all the calories and stored as fat. Maybe give you the feeling that you're eating all the time, but in reality, you're doing small balanced meals. You will be surprised how well it works. Oh, and there is no excuse for those who always are in a hurry.
9. Discover adequate rations
A nutritious diet including adequate amounts and servings of each food every day.
4-5 servings of fruit and vegetables
Example of a serving: 1 medium size fruit, 100-200 grams of vegetables or 200 gm of cooked vegetables
2-3 servings of skim milk
Example: a glass of milk, 1 low fat yogurt, 40 g of cheese or cheese
4-6 servings of complex carbohydrates
Example: 120 grams of rice or cooked cereal, 1 baked potato
3-4 servings of foods rich in protein
Example: 100 gm of white meat chicken, fish, red meat or fat-free , 120 g of cooked beans or 2 egg whites
10. Drink alcohol in moderation
Alcoholic beverages are loaded with empty calories and sugar so that they become fat very easily. Furthermore, when alcohol enters your blood, liver function is triggered for processing and thus loses the capacity to burn fat. Too much alcohol can also cause many harmful effects on health. In conclusion, do not take alcohol if you want to achieve your goals.