Nutrition is really important when it comes to how our bodies react to exercise. It helps us perform better, recover faster, and stay healthy. Here are some key points to understand:
Energy Availability: Carbohydrates are super important because they give our bodies glucose and glycogen, which is the energy we need. For every gram of carbohydrates, we get about 4 calories. During tough exercises, like sprinting, about 80-90% of the energy comes from carbohydrates. If we’re doing easier workouts, fats give us about 50-70% of our energy.
Protein Requirements: Athletes need more protein than most people. Instead of the regular recommendation of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, athletes might need about 1.2 to 2.0 grams. This extra protein helps repair and build muscles after exercise.
Hydration: Staying hydrated is really important. If we lose just 2% of our body weight from not drinking enough water, our performance can drop by about 15%. That means we can’t exercise as well.
Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals help our bodies use energy. For example, B vitamins are key for making energy, and antioxidants help reduce the stress our body feels from hard workouts.
In short, eating well helps our bodies work better during exercise and helps us recover afterwards.
Nutrition is really important when it comes to how our bodies react to exercise. It helps us perform better, recover faster, and stay healthy. Here are some key points to understand:
Energy Availability: Carbohydrates are super important because they give our bodies glucose and glycogen, which is the energy we need. For every gram of carbohydrates, we get about 4 calories. During tough exercises, like sprinting, about 80-90% of the energy comes from carbohydrates. If we’re doing easier workouts, fats give us about 50-70% of our energy.
Protein Requirements: Athletes need more protein than most people. Instead of the regular recommendation of 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, athletes might need about 1.2 to 2.0 grams. This extra protein helps repair and build muscles after exercise.
Hydration: Staying hydrated is really important. If we lose just 2% of our body weight from not drinking enough water, our performance can drop by about 15%. That means we can’t exercise as well.
Micronutrients: Vitamins and minerals help our bodies use energy. For example, B vitamins are key for making energy, and antioxidants help reduce the stress our body feels from hard workouts.
In short, eating well helps our bodies work better during exercise and helps us recover afterwards.