Sports And Nutrition

Sports nutrition is quickly becoming a hot topic. Kids are involved in after school sports, teens and adults alike are taking up jogging, swimming, aerobics, and city recreational sports.

We've been bombarded with the importance of exercise to combat obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Now we need to know what our bodies need to perform better, feel better and of course, look better.

There are basically two kinds of exercise, aerobic and non-aerobic. Aerobic means with oxygen. With aerobic exercise, an individual is increasing his or her heart rate for at least 20 minutes, three times per week. This type of exercise has been shown to decrease the risk of heart disease. Examples include jogging, aerobic dancing, circuit training and cross country running or skiing.

Non-aerobic means without oxygen. In addition to protecting against heart disease, this type of exercise has additional benefits. Some examples of non-aerobic exercise include weight lifting, downhill skiing, and sprints.

Whether aerobic, non-aerobic or a combination of both, the body needs proper nutrition to perform. The duration, intensity and frequency of exercising or competition are all important factors in determing proper nutrition. Following are suggestions for an average person moderately exercising three to five times a week:

Calories: Exercise can increase energy needs by two to three times depending on the activity. A moderate exercise program may not increase needs at all. As a rule, appetite increases to meet the additional need for calories. For the underweight teenager, provide nutritious snacks between meals. Examples include cheese and crackers, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and ice cream.

For the adult maintaining or trying to lose weight, eat a variety of foods from each of the basic four food groups. Emphasize food from the cereal group, like whole grains, pastas, cereals and fruits and vegetables. At the same time, reduce the amount of fat, cholesterol and salt.

Protein: Americans tend to eat more than enough protein in their diets. A typical diet will usually provide adequate amounts of protein for the slight increase in need.

Water: Water is the most neglected portion of our diet. Most people need 8 to 10 glasses of water a day to keep the body functioning at optimal level. As little as a 2 to 3 percent loss in body water weight can impair performance. The following will allow for adequate rehydration for exercise:

• Sixteen ounces of water 15 to 30 minutes before exercise or competition.

• Four to 8 ounces of water every 15 minutes during the activity.

Electrolytes: It is not a good practice to take salt tablets to replace electrolytes. Salt tablets may actually cause cramping, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration because water is drawn into the gut. The meal eaten after exercise usually has adequate amounts of electrolytes (sodium chloride and potassium) to replace the loss.

Caffeine: Caffeine is a diuretic and may cause dehydration. It is not recommended for use in competition or exercise.

Alcohol: Alcohol affects eye-hand coordination, balance, and reaction time. Alcohol also causes dehydration. It should never be used as a fluid (water) replacement or before exercise or competition.

Vitamins: Vitamin pills seem to have little or no effect on performance in a well-nourished athlete. Since appetite usually increases with exercise, vitamin needs are usually met. The athlete must eat a variety of foods from all the food groups to achieve this. If vitamins are taken, take a multi-vitamin with iron.