Top Nutrition Tips for Athletes

So you call yourself an athlete? That can mean a lot of different things; it could mean you play a sport occasionally or it could mean you seriously train to get better at a sport. If it’s the latter, then you better get serious about your nutritional requirements as an athlete. Eating right is every bit as important as training is for an athlete; it refines your body, gives you energy and spurs muscle recovery. Here are some nutritional tips to get you started eating right.

Avoid Junk Food and Processed Foods

There is a reason that chips and candy are called junk food, if they were better for you then they would be called something else. Studies show that sugary foods, processed meats, chips fried in oil and other snack foods do more harm for your body than good. If you are hungry and want a good snack then eat an apple or an orange.

Keep Macronutrient Consumption in Proper Balance

Everyone’s body needs the proper balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins in their diet. These macronutrients play a part in every process in your body. They spur on muscle growth, help stimulate hormone production and even play a role in reproduction. If you get too much of one and not enough of the other your body will not be functioning at maximum capacity. Try to keep your dietary intake at 50% carbohydrates, 25% protein and 25% fats.

No Binge Eating

One of the worst things you can do for your body is to get a majority of your calories eating big meals. You should avoid binge eating at all costs. Studies show that it is much better for your body to have your meals spread out throughout the day. You should try to eat breakfast, a healthy morning snack, lunch, a healthy afternoon snack and dinner. Don’t eat dinner just before going to bed either.

Don't Totally Avoid Fats

Most people think that it is bad for you to have any fat in your diet; nothing could be further from the truth. As we mentioned above, about 25% of your daily calorie intake should be from fat. Fats play a key role in producing hormones, stimulating metabolism and keeping the body lubricated. Stay away from unhealthy fats and keep other fats a part of your diet.

Choose Lean Meats

A lot of trainers recommend eating lean meats instead of fatty or processed meats. Yes, we just said you need fats in your diet, but that does not mean you want to cook up a big chunk of pork fat for lunch; even lean meats have fat in them anyway. Meats such as chicken breast and pork white meat will build help build your lean muscle mass and keep the extra pounds of. If you want companies like sports scholarships by asmscholarships.com to help you get into college, you will need to be talented and physically fit.

Pay attention to these healthy eating tips and read more about healthy eating when you get a chance; eating right really will help you improve your conditioning and help you perform better overall too.