Introduction to Sports Nutrition
Original Editor - User Name
Top Contributors - Wanda van Niekerk, Jess Bell and Lucinda hampton
Introduction[edit | edit source]
Basics of Nutrition[edit | edit source]
Macronutrients[edit | edit source]
Macronutrients provide calories or energy to the body. Their function is to promote:
- cellular growth
- metabolism
- maintenance of normal bodily functions
Macronutrients are necessary in large amounts to provide a full and proper effect. The three types of macronutrients are:
- carbohydrates
- proteins
- fats
Carbohydrates | Proteins | Fats |
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Micronutrients[edit | edit source]
Micronutrients are essential, but we need these in smaller amounts. Micronutrients are necessary for cell growth and function. The human body can not produce micronutrients so it must be consumed.
Vitamins | Minerals |
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Water[edit | edit source]
- Humans are 2/3 water
- Water is best for hydration, but any calorie-free, non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic fluid can work
- Caffeine and alcohol function as diuretics
Food Groups[edit | edit source]
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Protein
- Plant based sources
- beans, lentils, legumes
- nuts, nut butter, seed
- Animal based sources
- Poultry
- Lean cuts of beef and pork
- Oily fish
- Plant based sources
- Grains/starch
- Whole grains
- Quinoa, oats, barley
- Popcorn
- Potatoes, corn, peas(nutritional make up of these are more similar to grains than vegetables)
- Whole grains
- Dairy
- Milk, yoghurt, cheese
- Non-dairy milks and yoghurt
- Kefir
- Fats
- Plant based fats are better
- Avocado, olives, nuts/seeds
- Plant based fats are better
Link to Choose My Plate
Portion Size[edit | edit source]
Quantity | Estimated Portion Size | Food |
---|---|---|
3 Poultry or meat | Size of a smart phone (3 -d configuration)/ deck of cards | Chicken, steak |
1 cup | Size of a baseball | Uncooked fruit and vegetables |
1/2 cup | Size of a light bulb | Cooked fruit and vegetables, grains |
1 ounce or 2 tablespoons | Size of a golf ball | Peanut butter, salad dressing, hummus |
1 Tablespoon | Size of a poker chip | Olive oil |
1 1/2 oz cheese | Size of a lipstick tube | Cheese |
Hunger/ Fullness Scale[edit | edit source]
0 | Starving, weak with hunger, may not feel anything but headache, irritability, lightheadedness |
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1 | Very hungry/famished - too hungry and will eat anything and/or want to eat anything |
2 | Preoccupied with hunger - stronger physical signals |
3 | Hungry and the urge to eat food is strong, body sending signals to eat - stomach growling |
4 | Starting to get hungry, can wait for desire to develop fully, or have a snack |
5 | Not hungry, not full - neutral (in between meals/snacks) |
6 | Starting to eat, need to keep eating |
7 | Eating, enjoying food, but not yet satisfied, close to finishing |
8 | Satisfied, comfortable full, good time to stop eating |
9 | Quite full, some discomfort, a few bites past satisfaction, food seems less delicious |
10 | Uncomfortable, painfully full |
- Helpful tool to use
- Start eating at around 3, generally
- Stop eating at around 8, generally
- Ebb and flow between 3 and 8 on the scale
Sports Nutrition[edit | edit source]
Energy Balance and Exercise[edit | edit source]
- Energy balance is important for athletes wanting to change their body mass and/or body composition in order to improve performance or make a specified weight category for their sport.
- Insufficient energy consumption in relation to expended energy will result in the effects of training being lost, as muscle and fat will be used as energy sources
- Restricted energy intake may compromise and athlete's ability to obtain necessary nutrients
- Athletes need to consume enough energy to cover the energy costs of:
- daily living
- their sport
- building and repairing muscle tissue
- Energy balance = Ein = Eout
- Ein = energy consumed
- Eout = expended energy
- Energy balance is a dynamic process
Resources[edit | edit source]
- bulleted list
- x
or
- numbered list
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