The secrets of the diet of an elite athlete

The Pan Am Games, Olympic Games, World Games and many other competitions provide an opportunity for elite athletes to break new ground and perform more and more.

And to perform well and avoid injury, it is essential to have a healthy diet. This is vital for all competing athletes, as well as for teens who are growing and seeking to excel and develop in the sport.

Whenever we enjoy a high level sporting competition, professionalism and discipline are appreciated in every movement and skill of the athletes. Training is the foundation. The food, the support. The life of a first-level athlete is marked by strict care in his daily life.

Experts ensure that professionals must prioritize their performance in the practice or discipline to which they are dedicated, but they must also position themselves: the importance of good nutritional health at the same levelboth aspects are closely related and can not be seen as two different things.

As part of the full development of the Pan American Games, the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Nutrition Working Group has stated that "diet affects sports performance and the foods we choose to consume during our lifetime" 39, training and competition will affect the outcome of the same event. " Each athlete needs to be aware of his personal nutritional goals and how he can choose a feeding strategy to achieve them. "

Thus, the diet affects sports performance and the food will affect the results. Judoca Paula Pareto is a striking example of the diet of an elite athlete currently competing at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

Your breakfast consists of a carbohydrate which, in general, is a toast. A calcium intake, preferably cheese, added to a fruit that sometimes comes in the form of juice.

After the morning workout, Pareto incorporates a snack, whether it is a fruit, a cereal bar or a handful of nuts, so to recover the lost energy. During the rest of the day, he prefers to avoid excess hydrates, such as pasta, because they "come alone", for example in salads. In total, it includes 4 daily meals and various specific snacks.

To safeguard the particularities of each athlete and each discipline, Infobae He consulted cardiologist and sportsman Jorge Franchella (MN 44,396), who are the general guidelines that a top athlete should follow in his diet.

"In general, because of the volume and intensity of the training, it is usually athletes who consume a lot of calories, about 6,000 kcal a day, which makes them requires to consume high-energy foods, "said the director of the Physical Activity Program for Health and Health. Sports hospital clinics.

And after making sure that carbohydrates were predominant in the close periods of competition, he said that "largely depending on the type of sport and the form of the competition, if it is a question of Daily participation for example, it will have a last solid hold of three hours before the competition of the so-called semi-liquid waiting ration containing no more than 10% of carbohydrates. "

It is very important for the professional to maintain proper hydration for as long as possible during the test, depending on the mode of play. "Between the days, consumption of high glycemic index carbohydrates, rapid absorption and recomposition fuel deposition (glycogen) is essential, "he said.

Many carbohydrates

According to Dr. Cynthia Lair's book, "How to Feed a Young Athlete", eating a healthy meal with large amounts of carbohydrate before a game or training is essential to having the muscle strength to play well: " When the glycogen levels are low, we become slower, weaker and lose our ability to concentrate.We must stop eating an hour before the game or practice, because digestion will reduce the attention to performance and it's possible that a full stomach generates cramps or other discomfort. "

At half-time, the best snack is a high-moisture fruit, such as orange, melon, grapes, strawberries or pineapple. All provide glucose and hydration, without slowing down the body.

After the match, you have to replenish your energy. Several studies indicate that an athlete's muscles have the ability to recover glycogen more quickly if carbohydrates are consumed immediately after the game or workout. This is especially important if another match is to be played the next day.

According to the expert, the proteins provide energy with better performance, thus contributing to the repair and increase of muscle tissue, as well as the regulation of the muscle. water in the body and muscle contraction. Eggs, lean meats, fish, beans, nuts, seeds and dairy products are excellent sources of protein. Young athletes can use a little more protein than non-athletes, but it's a myth that they need a lot more. It is suggested that they represent 15% of caloric intake.

"The fats contained in nuts, seeds, fish, meat and olive oil are a second-rate source of energy.They are an essential food for the brain, which provides a better response on the ground, "he said.

The Argentine Society of Nutrition (SAN) understands the importance of knowing in depth the characteristics of each individual for the exact composition of a healthy, balanced and varied diet.

Inadequate diets and lack of physical activity are among the major risk factors for health. However, there is no effective meal plan for everyone: the important thing is to take into account the characteristics, needs and background of each person. At this point, the scientific community stresses the importance of conducting a complete nutritional badessment at all stages of life.

The SAN emphasizes that "a healthy diet helps protect against malnutrition in all its forms, as well as against noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke and certain types of cancer".

How is a healthy diet?

The exact composition of a healthy, balanced and varied diet depends on the needs of each individual: age, bad, habits, exercise, health status, cultural background, food and eating habits available locally.

Thus, recommendations for foods are an educational tool that adapts scientific knowledge in nutrition and food composition, using simple material that guides the population in the selection and consumption of food. In Argentina, the food guidelines developed by the Ministry of Health are practical recommendations agreed upon by nutrition professionals throughout the country.