No need to eat like an athlete
Fuelling correctly is important for professional sportspeople. But as LISA SALMON finds out, their needs are different to those of the average gym-goer
AS the Olympics begin, fans may marvel at the skill, training and dedication shown by our athletes to get to the top of their game. But an unseen – yet vital – part of their success is their nutrition.
“For athletes, focusing on optimum nutrition is important for maximising performance, reducing the risk of injury and illness, and ensuring the best recovery after training,” explains Alex White, a nutrition scientist at British Nutrition Foundation (nutrition.org.uk).
And while we’re talking a large volume of food – sometimes up to 7,000 calories a day – that’s not always nearly as much fun as it sounds, warns sports nutritionist and dietitian Chris Cashin, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association (BDA; bda.uk.com).
“Athletes say it can become a bit of a chore,” she explains.
While men need about 2,500 calories a day and women about 2,000, Chris says professional athletes may need 3-5,000. Some even more – Tour de France cyclists probably need 6-7,000 calories a day.
So, what about fitness fans who want to improve? Here, Alex and Chris show how an athlete’s diet relates to the average exerciser...
Timing is key for the professionals
Pro athletes usually have higher requirements for energy (calories), protein and carbohydrates than the general population, says Alex, but the specifics differ depending on their sport. A power lifter will have different nutritional needs to a long-distance runner, for example.
“It’s all about timing, and athletes often have different food intakes for different days, depending what time they’re training or competing,” Chris says. “Recovery is a big thing – if they’re in a sport where they compete in rounds, they’ve got to make sure they’re fuelling up ready for the next round.
“So, if it’s 800m or 1,500m, it’s going to take ta few hours to build glycogen stores back up, so when they get off the track, they think about refuelling straight away.”
What about ‘ordinary’ exercisers?
As for mere mortals? “If you’re becoming more active and want to stay healthy and improve, eating a healthy, varied diet is the basis of improving performance,” says Alex.
This means getting your five-aday of fruit and vegetables, choosing mainly wholegrain carbohydrates like wholegrain bread, whole wheat pasta or brown rice, and eating a variety of different protein sources, including plant-based proteins like beans and lentils, alongside animal proteins like meat, fish and eggs (although, plant-based diets are growing in popularity among athletes too.)
“If you’re just going to the gym regularly, make sure you’ve had something to eat a couple of hours before, and maybe eat a banana or some fruit before, and something similar afterwards,” suggests Chris. “But apart from that, and making sure you drink enough fluid, you don’t need to eat anything different.”
Packing in extra calories
For the pros, getting enough calories is crucial. “Professional athletes will be having a lot more calories than you or I could eat,” says Chris.
“Sometimes you have to be imaginative and resort to using things you wouldn’t perhaps suggest to the general public, that are very high in quick-release carbs, like sweets or Jaffa Cakes, so they can get some energy on board quickly.”
Getting the protein balance right
Alex says ordinary exercisers don’t need lots of extra protein if they’re getting more active, but think about when and what to include.
“It may be beneficial to spread protein intake through the day – think about ways you could include lean protein at breakfast, including eggs, beans, yoghurt or fish,” he says.
Also, try varying sources. While animal proteins provide all the amino acids the body needs, it’s also good to include plant proteins as they provide a different range of nutrients, and are high in fibre and low in fat. “We can still get all the amino acids we need, as long as we have a varied diet,” says Alex.
Chris says many people over-eat protein. “A couple of helpings of meat, fish, cheese, egg or a veggie alternative, and some milk or a milk alternative, should be enough,” she stresses. “You also get quite a lot of protein in things like pasta and bread. It’s very unusual to find people who have a low protein intake.”
People doing strenuous exercise, like weightlifting, may need a bit more, but Chris says most people need between about 1.2-1.7g of protein per kg of body weight.
“Evidence suggests that if you go over 2g of protein per kg, it doesn’t do anything.”
Supplements or not?
Alex believes that for non-professionals, there’s “no need for supplements or special sports products as we get all the nutrients and fluid we need from a healthy diet and plenty of water.
“Save money by bringing healthy snacks and a drink with you when you exercise,” he suggests.
However, Chris says professional athletes may sometimes need protein supplementation: “You might have to use a protein supplement to get their protein intake in. I was really anti-supplements, but I’ve now realised some athletes can’t do without them. They need a recovery drink that has extra protein, and if they’re not hungry after they’ve competed or trained, a protein shake with some carbohydrate in
is quite useful.”
Healthy snacking
If you like snacks before or after a workout, keep these healthy, Alex advises. He suggests unsalted nuts and seeds, fresh fruit, wholegrain crispbreads with nut butter, or vegetable sticks with houmous or cream cheese.
And extra carbs?
Chris says long-distance runners might need fuel while they’re running, so might have a carbohydrate drink.
“They get fed-up with those, so I give them home-made versions they can make themselves. Dissolve 10 teaspoons of sugar in a bit of warm water, add a pinch of salt and make it up to a litre with cold water, and then add some sugar-free squash,” she says. “Some have other things added, like vitamins, but basically they’re all the same.
“It’s providing carbohydrate. If you’re exercising for longer than an hour, for a marathon or half-marathon, they can be useful.”
Always road-test first
If you are going to try a carb drink, or any food or nutrition product, it’s important to find out if it agrees with you first.
“If you’ve never done it before and you try it during a run, you might get an upset tummy,” Chris warns. “Never try something during a race that you’ve never done before.”
Exercising on an empty stomach
Some people thrive on exercising on an empty stomach, says Chris. “There have been some papers published recently showing some people, particularly women, seem to do better exercising in the morning if they haven’t had anything to eat.
“What it’s highlighting is that we’re all different. Gone are the days when all dietitians were saying you must have your breakfast.”
She suggests people who exercise in the morning before eating should have a substantial breakfast afterwards, and perhaps a snack before bedtime the night before.
“Have something light like a bowl of cereal – it’s not going to sit on your stomach, and you’re fuelled overnight and can catch-up after you’ve exercised.”
If you are going to try any food or nutrition product, it’s important to find out if it agrees with you first. Nutritionist Chris Cashin