Monday was the last of five sessions of the Female Coach Development Mentorship Program. The focus of the last session was on sports nutrition and how it directly correlates to an athlete’s performance. Athletes put additional stress on their bodies when competing, which can make them more susceptible to illness, especially when in a team environment where spreading germs is easy, such as travelling on a bus or sharing a water bottle. Eating well, can help prevent illness.
Carbohydrates are a major energy source that fuels the muscle and brain. Athletes need to ensure that they’re eating enough carbs so that they can perform for an entire game and don’t run out of energy. Foods that are high in carbohydrates are vegetables, fruits, grains, milk, yogurt and milk alternatives. Protein is also extremely important as its required for growth and repair of the body tissues such as muscle. Protein is what keeps an athlete full and is needed for hormones, enzymes and immunity. Foods that are high in protein are eggs, lean meats and poultry, nuts and seeds, fish and shellfish, lower fat dairy products, beans, peas, lentils, fortified soy beverages and tofu. The key message that coaches should be sharing with their athletes is that eating well prevents illness and injury, speeds recovery, maintains a healthy body weight and improves performance.
Hydration is another factor that contributes to an athlete’s performance. Our body is made up of 50-60 per cent water. Our muscles are composed of 70 per cent water! Since we need to have so much water in our bodies, the impact of dehydration in sport is drastic. The impact of dehydration can include: impaired aerobic exercise performance, increased perceived effort (you feel like you are having to work harder), difficulty with mental focus, concentration and balance, and can increase muscle cramps. The general fluid guidelines suggest 8-9 cups of water per day; 2-3 cups by the time you start an event. Drinking it right before is not a great idea, as you will be more focused on going to the bathroom during the game than scoring the game winning goal. During a competition 1-2 cups of water should be consumed for each thirty minutes of training or competing. After training, drink 2-3 cups, continuing to take small sips through out the day. If your team has a great first and second period, but they always seem to struggle in the third, check and see if your players are properly hydrated. If you’re exercising for one hour or less, plain water is all you need, if you’re exercising for a longer duration, at a high intensity, a sports drink is recommended to keep you hydrated.
If you would like to book a team or individual nutrition session, please contact Kristina Segall at the Alberta Sport Development Centre- Southeast. She can be reached via email at ksegall@mhc.ab.ca and via phone at 403-504-3547.
