Nutrition Tips
The Unique Nutritional Needs of Female Athletes
In case you haven’t noticed, males and females are different. Aside from physical differences between the sexes, however, a number of sport nutrition-related differences also exist, from vegetarianism, hydration, and micronutrients to the Female Athlete Triad.
Read this month’s sport nutrition tip sheet “The Unique Nutritional Needs of Female Athletes”
Sport Nutrition
One complication that exists in sports nutrition deals with the fact that training programs are periodized with high and low intensity/volume training cycled throughout the annual training and competition plan. A quick food guide for adding calories to cover variable training demands using a pyramid format for athletes could assist in successful sports nutrition applications. In light of the complexities and variability of energy, nutrient, and fluid needs of athletes, a simplified pyramid could be extremely helpful, although it would not be without limitations.
Eating on the Road
All athletes, from time to time, have to contend with eating meals away from home. Maintaining good nutritional practices while traveling to and from events may affect an athlete’s health and athletic success. Unfortunately, many athletes have poor nutritional knowledge, resulting in inadequate intakes of certain nutrients and poor dietary practices.
Sports Nutrition for Young Athletes
More and more young athletes are seeking personal fitness trainers for specialized workouts. As part of their training, we strive to help these young people become stronger and better able to withstand the rigors of sports competition. But physical training is only one part of the equation: young athletes also need to learn why proper nutrition is vital to optimizing their sports performance. Nutrient needs are higher during adolescence than at any other time in the life cycle. Even kids not engaged in sports need the proper mix of calories, carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein. Among young athletes, many are deficient in some of the key nutrients that should be fueling their workouts.
Vegetarian Athlete
Optimal performance comes with good health. Athletes who follow any type of vegetarian eating program seem to have a lower risk of developing diseases such as diabetes and heart disease in later years of life. Unfortunately, much of the scientific research is focused on health effects of vegetarianism and not specifically on performance. However, it is easy to infer that vegetarian eating plans could lead to increased performance since carbohydrates are plentiful and carbohydrates are the body’s main source of energy during moderate to high intensity training.
Nutrition Needs of Senior Athletes
All athletes, regardless of age, need to consume adequate energy to participate in their sport and to perform the activities of daily living. However, compared with their younger counterparts, older athletes typically require less energy for weight maintenance. Evidence suggests that an athlete's overall energy needs decline with age, probably because of a decrease in lean body mass (resulting in an overall drop in resting metabolic rate) and a reduction in training volume. That said, this evidence does not take into account individuals who remain active as they enter their golden years.
Supplementary Article: Tips for Older Athletes