Athletes can be defined in many ways, and come in all shapes, sizes and skill sets. But the one thing they all have in common is they need to train, they put there bodies through rigorous exercise to help them build strength, stamina but most importantly, to stay healthy.Over the last 8-10 years, many runners have discovered that what you eat and how you eat exerts a dramatic effect on athletic performance, muscle strength, and overall endurance. So vital is nutrition, many runners are now considering it more important than their actual training! A prevailing concept is brewing which says ultimately, when all is said and done, the foods you eat are just as important as the workouts you perform. Since foods and proper nutrition are the fuel and building blocks the body needs to power an athlete, its thought that nutrition is becoming the most important component in athletics.

Whether you’re a runner in training, going to school and/or working, you’re burning a lot of energy each day. Just as cars and trucks require gas – another form of energy – to move from point A to point B, the athletic body needs plenty of energy to keep it going. When you hear the word energy, think calories. They can be
used interchangeably as calories are nothing more than the body’s “gas” – the energy it needs to move from one place to another. In an athlete’s case, he or she often needs large and sometimes huge amounts of energy to improve or support athletic performance. How crucial are calories? Imagine a large car trying to travel 200 miles on 4 gallons of gas. After 80-100 miles, the gas tank runs low and the trip becomes an impossibility. The same is true with runners. If you fail to eat enough calories or energy, the body will fail to perform, fatigue sets in and athletic performance suffers. So while dieters are often concerned with curtailing calories in hopes of shedding body fat, athletes must look at calories through a completely different prism. To move that body, to get it to perform at peak levels of intensity and to get it to grow and respond to training, you gotta make calories an ally, not a despised enemy. The definition: Calories: The energy found in food, which the
body uses to support athletic performance.

What an injustice. Carbohydrates have a terrible reputation these days due to low carb and no-carb diets that many resort to asa quick fi x to shed fat. You’ve heard of the lopsided diet ideas. No Bread, no pasta, no potatoes. Rice or fruit? No again. For the runner a low carbohydrate diet is athletic suicide. In fact, an adequate carbohydrate intake plays an important role in athletic performance and muscular strength. Carbohydrates are an athlete’s main source of calories and serve as fuel for all sorts of athletic events. What happens when you skimp on this valuable commodity? Fatigue sets in - hardly the hallmark of a great runner. Worse, if carbohydrates are too low, the body often chews up its own muscle. That’s where protein comes into the picture. When carbohydrate reserves start to dwindle, protein needs increase. Additional protein helps protect an athlete from losing critical muscle. Rather than chew up its own muscle, supplying the body with more protein helps prevent a loss of muscle mass.

Carbohydrates are found in everything from the sugar you add to your coffee to bread, yams, rice and fruit. What’s the basic difference between the carbs in each of these foods? For the active athlete, it boils down to the vitamin, mineral and fi ber content. Sure muffi ns, bagels and fat free ice cream are a decent source of carbohydrates, but they have fewer vitamins, minerals and fi ber than more natural sources of carbohydrates such as fruit, yams, sweet potatoes, brown rice, potatoes and whole grains. While the first rule of carb consumption is “to eat enough” the second rule is to – for the most part – consume mostly natural sources.

When an athlete eats a bagel, rice, or pasta, it digests into a small unit of energy called glucose. In turn, glucose powers your training. It’s the fuel or energy used to give you that ‘go’ in the gym. Besides providing fuel – be it weight training, sprinting and running – carbohydrates work with protein to put your body in an anabolic or growth state. Anabolism- which means – “to grow, to get bigger & stronger”- is dependent on carbohydrates. Carbohydrate foods help support growth by proving the body with the calories and energy to initiate recovery. Secondly, carbohydrates help protein “work better.” Yes, protein strengthens muscle – that’s a reason athletes love protein powders – yet, carbohydrates help protein foods reach your muscles. As we’ll see, carbohydrates and protein work together and the ideal nutrition plan includes copious amounts of both.

Protein foods are essentially “builders”, serving as the backbone and key ingredient for muscle repair. Make no mistake, an athlete who fails to get enough protein simply will not reach his or her full athletic potential. That’s why athletes turn to protein powders, meal replacement packets and nutrition bars. They’re quick and easy to consume and provide a near fat-free source of muscle supporting protein.

Though protein is found in small amounts in many foods, athletes look to “animal derived” foods like fowl, meat, low fat dairy, eggs, egg whites and fi sh. These foods contain a full spectrum of essential amino acids required for muscle repair. Amino acids are the “building blocks” found in protein foods that repair muscle. The runner hoping to strengthen his or her body needs more protein than the inactive individual. While carbohydrates are certainly an important aspect of sports nutrition, make no mistake, the body will fail to repair itself and become stronger with insuffi cient protein. Protein is an essential nutrient and the most important element in muscle repair. Failing to eat enough will not only result in a failure to grow, but will set off a cascade of undesirable events leading to impaired athletic performance. Called “overtraining” it’s a state of extreme fatigue which
short-circuits athletic performance and promotes a loss of muscle. Eating the right amount of protein can keep the body well nourished with its building blocks - amino acids – helping the athlete to stay in a growth state while avoiding overtraining. Besides building the body, amino acids prevent a loss in muscle mass in yet another way. As glycogen stores – the body’s storage reserves of carbohydrates - fall, the body begins to burn amino acids. If protein intake is insuffi cient, lower glycogen stores set off a chain of events that cause muscle breakdown and loss! Essentially, muscles which are made up of amino acids are torn down and burned as fuel. Providing your body with enough protein each day will ensure muscles are rarely – if ever – burned, even if glycogen levels plummet.

Of the ‘big 3 nutrients’ carbohydrates, protein and fat, one could say carbohydrates and protein work as a team to help the athlete perform and excel – and to strengthen muscle. Carbohydrates fuel the body enabling the athlete to pay his dues in the gym or on the track while protein is used to build the body. Remember, if you miss out on eating enough carbohydrates, you’ll lack energy and put your muscles at risk. A low carbohydrate intake can promote a loss of muscle mass. On the fl ip side, when carbohydrates intake remains high, not only does the athlete have plenty of energy to train and work hard, but the carbohydrate intake virtually assures amino acids from protein will support muscle growth. Where does that leave dietary fat? It’s part of the energy equation. Similar to carbohydrates, dietary fat supplies energy and a positive energy balance –eating more calories than your body burns off each day – is essential in helping an athlete perform at peak levels of intensity while supporting the ability to add new muscle and strength.

Athletes, especially younger athletes like to talk about the big 3 nutrients; carbohydrates, protein and fat. Lost in the conversation is the importance of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals are found in common protein and carbohydrate foods. For example, B vitamins and minerals such as zinc and iron are found in meat and chicken, while potassium and vitamin C are common to potatoes. Their importance; they participate in thousands of processes that help maintain one’s health. On a more basic level, vitamins and minerals are akin to spark plugs; they help harness the energy from food and help the body make use of amino acids found in protein. The better way to obtain vitamins and minerals: by eating the widest variety of foods possible as different foods have different types and amounts of vitamins and minerals. Don’t just stick to chicken all the time, eat a variety of protein – beef, turkey, eggs, milk and fish. Avoid eating the same fruit each day. Mix it up. Sometimes replace bananas with apples or a glass of orange juice. And give other fruit a try such as melons, grapes, cherries and blueberries. Point is; variety yields an entire spectrum of nutrients not obtained from eating the same foods day in and day out.

Here’s the tricky part. In general, the younger you are, greater your energy demands. That’s because the metabolic rate – the total calories or energy one needs each day – varies quite a bit. Check out a newborn or toddler. They’re constantly drinking milk or eating. Did you ever stop and think a single bottle of milk can supply 150 calories with balanced amounts of carbohydrates, protein and fat. Imagine 5-6 bottles a day equally 750-900 calories. While it might not sound like many calories, for a baby that’s the equivalent of a 150 pound runner eating 5400 calories a day! The other end of the life spectrum; the 70 year old might eat as little as 1200-1500 calories daily. The reason for the wide variance- as we age we need less fuel each day. So, the younger athlete will need more calories than probably any other time in his or her life. In addition, the level of activity each day effects how many calories you need. Super active with sports and exercise; you’ll need to meet those demands with added calories. In order to perform, to hit your peak, you need to fuel your body. You need food and lots of it.

Sorry mom. The 3 square meals a day rule simply will not suffice for the athlete hitting the gym and engaging in his or her favorite sport. Though three squares are OK for the inactive individual, the athlete’s requirement for calories is so high, it presents a unique conundrum. If he or she were to resort to 3 huge meals, the result may likely be insufficient absorption, bloating or intestinal gas. Furthermore, three large meals could possibly contribute to an addition in body fat as there is a prevailing idea that when an individual eats too much at one sitting – all at one meal – some of those calories and energy gets deposited as body fat. Athletes looking to excel want a lean bulked up physique lacking unnecessary body fat. The solution to 3 squares? Five to six blocks. Meaning; take 5 to 6 blocks of time each day to replenish your body with a balanced amount of energy yielding carbohydrates, muscle supporting protein and small amounts of dietary fat. The 5 to 6 meals per day approach is a radical overhaul from the 3 square approach, yet is the single most important factor that helps an athlete keep his or her body fueled and energized to the max, while limiting the build up of unwanted body fat.