Eating Well for Sport Aoife Smith Senior Dietitian

1. Eating Well for SportAoife SmithSenior Dietitian

2. WHAT SHOULD A SPORTSPERSON EAT? • Both athletes and non athletes need the same nutrients... Carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, mineral and water • Sports persons need to consume them in different quantities and proportions. • Carbohydrate, protein and fat (along with alcohol) provide energy.

3. Vitamins and minerals do not provide energy, but are needed in very small amounts to enable the body to perform efficiently and effectively. • It is essential that the food you eat provides sufficient energy to fuel your sport. • It is also important that you obtain this energy from the correct food choices, to avoid gaining excess body fat, and to ensure you meet requirements for vitamins and minerals.

4. Adolescent Athletes • Teen athletes have unique nutrition needs. Because athletes work out more than their less-active peers, they generally need extra calories to fuel both their sports performance and their growth. • Depending on how active they are, teen athletes may need anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 total calories per day to meet their energy needs.

5. So what happens if teen athletes don't eat enough? • Their bodies are less likely to achieve peak performance and may even break down rather than build up muscles. • Athletes who don't take in enough calories every day won't be as fast and as strong as they could be and may not be able to maintain their weight. • Extreme calorie restriction could lead to growth problems and other serious health risks for both girls and guys

6. FUELS FOR EXERCISE • Carbohydrate and fat are the 2 main fuels for exercising muscles. • The proportion of carbohydrate to fat used during exercise depends on the - Type Duration Intensity Fitness level Nutritional status.

7. CARBOHYDRATE – THE MAINSTAY OF AN ATHLETE’S DIET • Carbohydrates are chains of glucose/sugar units. • Carbohydrate is stored in the body as glycogen in both the liver and muscles. • During exercise glycogen is broken down into glucose to supply the working muscles with energy. • An inadequate intake of carbohydrate rich foods leads to incomplete muscle glycogen stores. • This will cause early fatigue, and will affect your daily training and performance.

8. HOW TO INCREASE YOURCARBOHYDATE INTAKE… • Base every meal around a carbohydrate rich food, such as: bread, breakfast cereal, potatoes, rice, and pasta. • Consume a high carbohydrate snack between meals, such as: fruit, wholemeal scone, low-fat yoghurt, dried fruit, cereal bar, fruit bread, fruit smoothie. • Use thicker slices of bread. • Choose deep pan rather than thin based pizzas. • Add potato to soups and salads.

9. Eat boiled/ mashed/ baked potatoes instead of chipped or roasted. • Try boiled rice/pasta with stews and curries for variety. • Pasta and rice mixed with beans/peas/sweetcorn or raisins make tasty salads. • Add fresh or dried fruit to breakfast cereals and desserts. • Make your own "high carbohydrate" smoothie with fresh or tinned fruit, low-fat yoghurt and honey or sugar.

10. Protein • Protein is necessary for growth, maintenance, and repair of body tissue. • Athletes taking part in strength and endurance sports have higher protein requirements than non-athletes. • Most athletes can meet this increased requirement through a varied balanced diet. • It is generally not necessary to take specialised protein powders / bars / supplements.

11. Reference: www.indi.ie

12. PROTEIN POST TRAINING • After a heavy / strenuous training session most athletes will benefit from taking a small amount of extra protein along with their post training Fluid and Carbohydrate snack. • The requirement of protein post training varies depending on your body weight (approx 0.2g / kg body weight is recommended).

13. Protein Snacks www.indi.ie

14. Fat • Small amounts of fat in your diet are necessary. HOW TO CUT DOWN ON FAT • Limit your intake of high fat foods (see list below) • Grill, boil, steam, braise or microwave food instead of frying. • Eat chicken, turkey and fish regularly. • Lean red meat is a good source of iron and can be included 2-3 times a week. • Trim visible fat from meats and skim fat from casseroles and stews. • Use low fat, monounsaturated/polyunsaturated spread • Use low-fat, vitamin enriched, or skimmed milk instead of full-fat.

15. Fat • Choose low-fat cheeses such as "light" cheddar, Edam, Gouda, • Feta, Camembert, Cottage or low-fat cheese spread. • Substitute low-fat yoghurt/fromage frais for cream • Use fat-free or vinegar based dressings, mustard, or chutney instead of mayonnaise, on salads and sandwiches. • FOODS HIGH IN FAT INCLUDE • Butter, margarine, cream, full fat dairy, mayonnaise, fat on meat, • processed meats, fried food, pastries, crisps, cakes, and chocolate.

16. Fluids • During exercise fluid loss from sweating can be very high, particularly in warm weather. • This can lead to dehydration, which will impair performance and is a potential health risk. HOW MUCH FLUID DO I NEED? • BEFORE EXERCISE: Drink 300-600ml in the 15 minutes prior to exercise. • DURING EXERCISE: The general recommendation to athletes is to drink 150-200ml every 10-15 minutes but it is better to individually assess • AFTER EXERCISE: Replace all fluid lost during exercise

17. To check you are drinking enough... • Weigh yourself undressed before and after exercise. • Try to keep weight loss below 0.5 kg by increasing fluid intake during exercise. • After exercise you must drink 1.5 litres of fluid for each kg of weight lost. WHAT SHOULD I DRINK? BEFORE AND DURING EXERCISE • Isotonic sports drinks, e.g. Club Energise Sport, Gatorade,Lucozade Sport, Powerade. • Homemade carbohydrate-salt solutions • Water AFTER EXERCISE • Isotonic sports drinks and homemade carbohydrate salt solutions. • Hypertonic sports drinks, e.g. BPM, Club Energise, Lucozade • Original, Lucozade Energy. • Soft drinks. • Water.

18. Are you hydrated? • If your urine is light (1 to 3), then you are well hydrated and don't really need to worry about this issue for now. • The darker your urine colour gets, the more dehydrated you are and if you're in the 6-8 range, you should seriously think about a hydration plan. www.gaa.ie

19. VITAMIN AND MINERALS • Active people need to make sure they consume adequate vitamins and minerals to meet the demands of exercise. • A varied balanced diet which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables – at least 5 portions a day – will ensure that your vitamins and mineral needs are met. • Some athletes have higher requirements for iron and calcium, such as female athletes and adolescents..

20. Women and iron. • Iron deficiency in women is becoming an increasing problem and low intakes lead to low stores in the liver leading to eventual full-blown anaemia. • Iron is needed to produce healthy red blood cells, which carry oxygen around our bodies and hence give us energy. • However, if we are lacking in iron this process does not occur efficiently leading to symptoms of fatigue, weakness and poor health

21. Women are particularly vulnerable to developing iron deficiency because of: • 1. Increase requirements due to monthly menstrual loss • 2. More inclined to follow restrictive weight reducing diets thus not taking in recommended amounts. • 2. Drinking too much tea/coffee, both contain substances that interfere with iron absorption. • 3. Intense fitness regimes can cause women to damage red blood cells thus losing iron.

22. Good Sources of Iron Lean Red Meat Chicken Eggs Legumes Fortified Breakfast Cereals Nuts Dried Fruit Spinach

23. Alcohol & Sport • Alcohol consumed during the day or night before training or playing will have a dehydration effect on the body • Remember being just 2% dehydrated can result in significant decreases in performance and alcohol will dehydrate you beyond this amount • Alcohol = Dehydration = Poor performance www.drinkaware.ie

24. Drugs – how will they effect my performance? • Short-term effects • cannabis is a depressant or brain-slowing drug • Some people find that using cannabis is a negative experience. They may feel anxious, self-conscious or have paranoid thoughts. Some experience acute anxiety and panic. • People who are intoxicated on cannabis usually feel more sensitive to things around them and sensations can seem different. People concentrate less well, often talk and laugh more than usual and can have problems with their balance. • Physically, the pulse rate increases (from between 20 to 50 per cent above the usual heart rate), the eyes become bloodshot, appetite often increases (they get the 'munchies') and coordination can be affected, making activities such as driving a car or operating machinery difficult and dangerous.

25. If large doses of cannabis are taken, the resulting toxicity can cause symptoms of confusion, paranoia, panic attacks, hallucinations and feelings of unreality. New users may also experience acute paranoid experiences which usually stop after intoxication wears off. • Cannabis also often impairs short-term memory and attention and makes it harder to complete complex tasks, ie, tasks which involve doing several things at once. • Cannabis is not, as widely perceived, a harmless drug but poses risks to the individual and to society. Pharmacology and effects of cannabis: a brief review C. HEATHER ASHTON, FRCP, Emeritus Professor of Clinical

26. KIT BAG ESSENTIALSIt is very important to take a high carbohydrate/protein snack immediately after exercise to refill your glycogen stores in preparationfor your next training session. www.indi.ie

27. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner Ideas • Breakfast: Always consume approx 500mls fluid at breakfast • Porridge, Special k, Weetabix, All-bran with milk – full or low fat or super milk • 4 slices of granary or wholemeal bread with jam or slices of banana • Fruit salad made with 2 or more tinned or fresh fruit with low fat or bio yoghurt • Low fat rice pudding with fruit • Fruit smoothie blended with fruit, millk or yoghurt • When training add protein to your breakfast: • Scrambled eggs, egg omelette • Grilled bacon with tomatoes • Tinned tuna or salmon • Cheese

28. Lunch • Eat a green salad or selection of veg at lunch • Homemade soup is an alternative • Always include a protein and carbohydrate source • Examples: • A mixed salad with nuts and bread • Vegetable soup with beans and bread • Salad sandwich with cheese, lean meat and plenty of veg – avoid mayonnaise and only use low fat dressings and spreads

29. Dinner • If dinner is taken after training it must include carbohydrates and protein • Ensure that you consume carbohydrates like bread, potatoes, rice or pasta • Include veg or salad • Always drink water to ensure you are well hydrated • Examples: • Spaghetti bolognese – add plenty of veg to sauce • Stir fry with rice – ensure very little oil is used • Lean meat, potatoes and veg

30. Snacks • Limit sports drinks to before and after exercise only • Muesli (1 cup) with milk • Banana sandwich made with light spread • Banana and 500mls of sports drink • Small bowl of cereal with milk

31. Summary • NEVER SKIP MEALS • MORE carbohydrates during training • Prevent dehydration – take fluid on board! • Never drink alcohol • Women – need good sources of iron and calcium

32. Thank you