Sports Nutrition and Pro40
Nutrition and Exercise
Good nutrition is closely linked to good health. What you eat and drink can make a significant impact on how well you perform in sport and exercise. Whether you are a competitive athlete, play sport on the weekends, or exercise every day, eating a balanced and nutritious diet is the key to improving performance.
Daily Training Diet Requirements
A basic training diet should:
- Provide enough energy and nutrients to support training and exercise
- Help the body recover and adapt between training sessions
- Include a wide variety of healthy foods such as wholegrain breads and cereals, vegetables (especially leafy greens), fruit, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products
- Help the athlete obtain and maintain an ideal body weight for performance
- Include enough fluids to stay well hydrated before, during, and after exercise
- Support both short-term performance and long-term health
An athlete’s diet should generally follow the same guidelines recommended for the general public.
- 45–65% carbohydrates
- 15–25% protein
- 20–35% fat
However, athletes who train for more than 60–90 minutes each day may need to increase their overall energy intake, especially by consuming more carbohydrates to support their activity levels.
Carbohydrates and exercise
During digestion, all carbohydrates are broken down into sugars (mostly glucose), which are the body’s main energy source. Once absorbed, glucose is then converted into glycogen and stored in the liver and muscle tissue; a key energy source during exercise to fuel the muscles and other body systems. Athletes can increase their glycogen stores by regularly eating high-carbohydrate foods including wholegrain breads, cereals, rice, pasta and potatoes.
If dietary carbohydrate is restricted, the ability to exercise may be impaired because the body does not have sufficient stored glycogen to provide the energy required.
If dietary protein intake is inadequate, the body may begin breaking down muscle tissue to meet its energy needs, leading to a loss of muscle mass and potentially increasing the risk of infections and illness.
Pre exercise
The pre-event meal is an important component of an athlete’s preparation. Consuming a high-carbohydrate meal 3 to 4 hours prior to exercise is believed to improve performance. Additionally, having a small snack 1 to 2 hours before exercise may also help enhance performance.
Examples of appropriate pre-exercise meals and snacks include cereal with low-fat milk, toast/muffins/crumpets, yoghurt and fruit, pasta with tomato-based sauce, or a muesli bar. Liquid meal supplements such as PRO40 may also be appropriate, particularly for athletes who suffer from pre-event nausea or nerves.
During exercise
For exercise that is greater than 60 minutes, quick acting carbohydrate is required to prevent fatigue and top up blood glucose levels. Guidelines suggest 30 to 60g of carbohydrate is suitable, and may include lollies/glucose tabs, sports gels or drinks, muesli or sports bars or sandwiches with white bread.
Post exercise
Rapid glycogen replenishment is important following exercise. Carbohydrate-rich foods and fluids should be consumed following exercise, especially within the first 1 to 2 hours, to help restore energy stores. Suitable choices to start refuelling include Pro40 mixed with low fat milk, sports drinks, juices, cereal and low-fat milk, low-fat flavoured milk, sandwiches, pasta, muffins/crumpets, fruit and yoghurt.
Replacement of fluids is also an important factor in optimising post-exercise recovery.
It is recommended that athletes consume 1.25 to 1.5 L of fluid for every kilogram of body weight lost during exercise.
High-quality proteins such as eggs, milk and lean meats, can aid in the maintenance, repair, and synthesis of proteins in muscle.
For athletes aiming to increase lean muscle mass or support muscle protein synthesis, consuming Pro40 mixed with milk can provide the recommended 20–25 g of protein. Taking it close to exercise—such as immediately after or within 2 hours of finishing exercise—may be beneficial.
Fluids and sporting performance
Dehydration can hinder athletic performance and, in severe cases, may cause collapse or even death. It is important to drink enough fluids before, during, and after exercise rather than waiting until you feel thirsty. Good hydration is especially important during high intense activity, warmer climates and activity lasting longer than 60 minutes.
Consuming approximately 400 to 800 ml of fluid per hour of exercise can help prevent dehydration and hyponatraemia.