Eating a balanced diet is the best strategy for health in sports nutrition. In addition, drinking enough water is essential. No one food is better than another in synergy with exercise or participating in sporting events. However, eating more food with certain types of nutrients may be necessary after exercising.
For example, exercise or sports activities for longer than 90 minutes will require carbohydrates afterwards to replace glycogen and protein will be necessary to repair damaged muscle tissue.
Generally, experts recommend eating meals that contain both carbohydrates and protein and eating five servings of fruit per day. Some people think good sports nutrition involves eating foods high in protein. This can be a mistake, as carbohydrates are necessary to help keep muscle energy up.
Fitness gurus advise that meals preceding a workout should not be larger than 800 calories and should include high-carb, low-fat foods, salt, protein and fiber (fruits and veggies). Too much of any one type of food — such as protein or fiber — can cause nausea or heartburn. In addition, it is advisable to be sure that food (200-calorie snack or meal) is eaten at least one hour before working out.
