© Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015 Sports Nutrition

Learning outcomes Content: Special diets Sports nutrition Students should be able to: suggest and justify diet and lifestyle advice for individuals with special diets. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Energy balance Taking part in lots of physical activity, means that we will be using up lots of energy. Unless someone is trying to lose weight, we need to eat enough food to match our activity level. This will ensure we keep in energy balance. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Carbohydrate Carbohydrate is the most important form of fuel for exercise and sports activities. In general, the more active you are, the more carbohydrates your body needs. The body can store carbohydrate in the muscles and liver, but these stores are small so it is important to keep them topped up. Low carbohydrate stores can lead to a lack of energy during exercise. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Sources of carbohydrate What are some sources of carbohydrate? Sources of carbohydrate are starchy foods such as breads, pasta, potatoes, pulses, rice and breakfast cereals. Fruit, juices and milk also provide energy in the form of sugars. Both starches and sugars are broken down in the body to provide readily available energy. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Sources of carbohydrate Below are some examples of carbohydrate-rich foods which could be included in meals before and after exercise, or as snacks: Bread and bagels; Pasta, rice and noodles; Jacket potatoes; Baked beans; Breakfast cereals; Bananas; Malt loaf; Fruit juices; Dried fruits; Cereal bars. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

When to eat? It is best to wait at least an hour after a snack or light meal before taking part in vigorous sports or exercise. If a large meal has been eaten, it is best to wait longer to give the body time to digest the food and to avoid feeling full or uncomfortable when taking part in the activity. If preparing for intense exercise (e.g. a sports competition), a small snack minutes beforehand may be needed. Snacks and drinks that contain sugar can be useful, because they are less bulky and provide a quick convenient way of taking in energy before exercise. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Recovery Food is also important for recovery from exercise and sports. After a sports game or class it is a good idea to top up your carbohydrate levels straight away with a snack or drink. Ideally this should be within the two hours after exercise. Your next meal should also include a good portion of starchy foods. What could be a good snack to help recover from exercise and sport? © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Protein Protein is required for the growth and repair of muscles. Strength and endurance athletes both have higher protein requirements than the general sedentary population. However, by meeting energy requirements, a healthy diet will provide enough protein to meet increased requirements. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Hydration It is always important to be well-hydrated before you start a physical activity session, so drink regularly throughout the day. Drink plenty of fluids whilst taking part in exercise – even more important if the environmental temperature is high. The more a person sweats, the more they will need to drink. There is a need to drink plenty of fluids as recovery from the exercise takes place to replace the water and salts lost in sweating. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Hydration Exercise makes the body get warmer so the body tries to cool down by sweating; this causes the loss of fluids through the skin. The amount a person sweats varies from person to person and depends on: the intensity of the exercise; how long the exercise takes; the temperature; how much clothing is worn. © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Hydration The more a person sweats, the more they will need to drink. Hydration status can be assessed by a number of measures such as weighing yourself before and after exercise to estimate fluid loss or monitoring urine (e.g. colour). © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Different sports People participating in different sports may have different nutritional needs and have different eating patterns. Can you think of an example? © Livestock & Meat Commission for Northern Ireland 2015

Acknowledgement For further information, go to: © LMC 2015