Carbohydrates

Research indicates that carbohydrates may be the most important nutrient for sports performance because they provide the most efficient fuel for energy.

There are many different types of carbohydrates. You may think of breads and pastas, but you can also get carbs from fruits and vegetables, including legumes such as beans and lentils. Higher carb vegetables include squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, corn and peas.

Some carbs are healthier than others. Sugar-sweetened drinks and processed grains, found in the typical pastry or white bread, aren’t as healthy as whole fruit or whole grains, such as brown rice or quinoa. Try to get your carb intake through a mix of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

Protein

Protein rebuilds and repairs your muscles after a tough workout or game, but it also primes the pump to make sure the right amino acids are available to your muscles during a workout. That’s why protein – like carbs — is needed both before and after your workout.

Protein helps make red blood cells, which move oxygen to muscles, and white blood cells, which fight infections. Your body also uses protein to make hormones and enzymes.

Try to avoid unhealthy protein sources, such as cheeseburgers, fried chicken and bacon. Rather, aim for lean proteins such as:

• Grilled lean meats, including chicken and turkey.
• Soy products, such as tofu and edamame.
• Fish.
• Beans and legumes.

Fats

Good fats provide energy, help your body use vitamins and phytochemicals, move substances in and out of cells and keep your brain, nervous system and skin healthy.

These foods are rich in good fats:

• Omega-3-rich fish, such as salmon, sardines and mackerel.
• Nuts and nut butters.
• Avocadoes.
• Whole-milk products.

Avoid eating fats in the hours before a workout or game because they take longer to digest; you don’t want to have intestinal cramping or pain during a workout.

Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals don’t give you more energy, but they help unlock the energy stored in food so your body can use it as fuel. Your body needs calcium, magnesium, fluoride and vitamin D to keep bones strong. You should be getting these from the food you eat, but if you’re not, talk to a doctor or dietitian about daily supplements.

Water

A human body is mostly water, comprising more than 60 percent of your weight. Water plays a big part in keeping you cool and flushing toxins from your system.

When you exercise strenuously, you lose a significant amount of fluid. It’s important to replace that fluid (rehydrate) so your body can continue to function at its best.

Signs of dehydration include:

• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded.
• Dark urine.
• Having a dry mouth.
• Not urinating as much as usual.
• Reduced strength.
• Slower reactions.

Fueling Strategies

A common question among athletes is: What should I eat before and after a workout? Every person’s body is different, but these tips can help you put together a fueling plan that will suit your body best.

Carb Loading

Because each fuel source provides energy for a different kind of exertion, what you eat at any given time can affect your performance in the next athletic event.

That’s why many endurance athletes “carb load” – eat foods high in carbohydrates – for a few days before an athletic event. This helps the muscles build up an excess of glycogen to access during competition. Be sure to check with your doctor if you plan to carb load.

Breakfast

Eating breakfast replenishes your body’s glycogen (energy source), which is lower in the morning. Skipping breakfast can leave you feeling tired and unable to concentrate; it also leads to overeating at later meals and snacks. Student athletes who eat breakfast perform better in the classroom than those who skip breakfast.

Before a Workout

Try to eat one to three hours before a workout to give yourself proper fueling. For pre-exercise snacks:

• Choose something that’s carbohydrate-rich to boost muscle glycogen stores.
• Include a small amount of protein to reduce post-exercise muscle soreness.
• Keep fat and fiber low to ensure optimal digestion.

You can eat a meal four to five hours before a workout with generous amounts of carbohydrates, moderate protein and moderate fat. An example may be baked chicken, potatoes or rice, fruit and bread.

Two to three hours before exercise try, a light meal with a moderate amount of carbs and protein and almost no fat. Then, in the hour before exercising, keep your intake small. At all times, make sure to keep drinking fluids to ensure you’re hydrated.

During Breaks

If you have a long game or practice and are allowed a break in the middle, drink water or your favorite sports drink. Either will keep you hydrated; a sports drink will give you some fuel and replace sodium that’s lost in sweat, which helps your body hold onto fluid.

If you feel you need it, eat a small snack, similar to what you would eat in the 30 minutes before a workout, such as a few pretzels. Make sure what you eat is light, low in fat and protein, and will not weigh you down when you jump back into your workout.

After the Game

After strenuous physical activity, the most essential thing to do is rehydrate. Check the color of your urine. If it’s dark, you’re dehydrated and need to drink more; if it’s light yellow or clear, then you’re getting enough fluids. Drink three cups of water to every pound of body weight that you lost while active — you usually lose a pound or two in every tough workout (that’s six cups of water).

During the workout, your body used stored energy (glycogen) in your muscles to power through. As soon as possible post-workout, eat carbs and protein to help muscles replenish the used glycogen and repair any damage. Post-workout food is especially important to avoid soreness and injury if you train hard every day.

Depending on the time of day, post-workout meals could be anything from a small snack — such as a smoothie or low-fat chocolate milk — to a meal of turkey, potatoes, rice and milk. Just make sure that your post-workout food contains a fair amount of both protein and carbohydrates.

Sports Drinks & Nutritional Supplements

Sports drinks, bars and powders contain mostly carbohydrates and proteins. These “sports foods” won’t really help you more than regular foods and drinks, but they won’t hurt you, either. Sport drinks can help replenish electrolytes lost while exercising.

“Performance-Enhancing” Products

The promise of increased strength and endurance in athletic performance can be tempting. Many products are available without a prescription and claim to improve performance. Some supplements, such as anabolic steroids, are legally available only by prescription.

It’s important to remember that even if such “energy” drinks, products and supplements are marketed as “safe,” they’ve been tested on adults, not on growing teens. Supplements that claim to increase athletic performance can have negative effects on teen bodies. Several are derived from hormones that your body is already producing, so they disrupt your natural hormonal balance and may severely compromise your physical and mental health.

These products can:

• Increase your body’s production of cholesterol.
• Cause sex characteristics, such as breast growth in males and baldness and increased facial hair in females.
• Damage your liver, kidneys and heart.

If you’re eating a nutritionally balanced diet, you’re already getting the nutrients your body needs for optimum functioning. Besides being illegal, adding more substances may not give you any benefit and can even harm you.

Quick Tips for Athletes

• Eat before, during and after your sport. This helps maintain and replenish blood glucose (energy) levels.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink water two to three hours before your sport, during breaks and especially afterwards.
• Eat healthy fats, such as peanut butter and avocado.
• Before exercising, eat a meal with complex carbohydrates, such as pasta with meat sauce.
• After you exercise, make sure to replenish some of the calories lost.
• Before a big event, eat at least a snack, such as a bunch of grapes, toast, or a bagel – even if you’re nervous.
• Avoid sugary or fatty foods before exercise.

Last reviewed: January 2020