Sound nutrition is not as easy as it may seem, but every athlete should strive to make it a priority. Although it is not always practical to eat properly, attempts to do so will make you a better competitor.
Here are some suggestions for good athletic eating habits, whether you’re trying to lose fat, gain muscle, or simply maintain your chiseled physique.
- 1. Always eat at least 5 meals a day. Two or three meals simply aren’t enough. If your muscles don’t get the calories they need, how do you expect them to keep going? The only way your body can do this is by cannibalizing muscle tissue! That’s the same muscle tissue you spent hours training to get! On the other hand, overeating even one meal a day keeps the fat building enzymes in your body more numerous turning the excess food in to body fat.
- 2. Remember the 1-2-3 rule. In each of your five or more meals, approximately 1 part of the calories should come from fats, 2 parts from protein, and 3 parts from carbohydrates.
a. Example: Let’s say you eat 600 calories 5 times a day. That’s 3000 calories. If you’re following the 1-2-3 rule, each meal is broken down as follows:
i. 100 calories from fat
ii. 200 calories from protein
iii. 300 calories from carbohydrates
b. The important thing to remember is that when following this plan, if you cut back on calories, do not cut back on protein calories. Cut back first on fat, simple carbs, then complex carbs, but keep your protein intake the same as determined by your daily activity. - 3. When you sit down to eat, ask yourself “What am I going to be doing for the next 3 hours of my life?” If you’re taking a nap, eat less carbs; if you’re planning on a training session, eat more carbs. And so forth.
a. Calories in a meal before a strenuous workout: (add 300 calories to average meal)
b. Moderate workout: (add 200 calories to average meal)
c. Vigorous activity: (add 100 calories to average meal)
d. Moderate activity: (average meal)
e. Light Activity: (subtract 100 calories from average meal)
f. Relaxing: (subtract 200 calories)
g. Nap Time: (subtract 300 calories)
Remember, when you overeat at a meal, the excess calories get stored as fat. So, if you skip a meal, do not eat to make up for it, eat for what you are going to be doing. - 4. Zigzag your caloric intake. This means that you increase your calories for 4-5 days and then back off again for 1-2 days. Using this method you can gain a pound of muscle and fat, then lose the fat and hang onto the muscle. Continued over several months, your muscle mass will increase remarkably. Zigzagging your caloric intake will also reset your metabolism so your body can burn calories more efficiently.
- 5. The final rule of thumb for serious athletes is that no matter how hard you try, you have to supplement your nutrition efforts with multi-vitamins, minerals, meal replacement drinks, and protein drinks.
a. You can’t always eat perfectly balanced meals;
b. You can’t always eat 5-6 times daily;
c. There are many instances where your body requires certain nutrients in greater amounts than what can be derived from diet alone;
d. Vitamins, minerals, and a good meal replacement drink are essential to get you past these types of obstacles.
