Clare Manson
Dietitian
BSc Nutrition and Dietetics
University of Wollongong, Australia
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“Making good food choices and fueling your body in the correct way can make the difference between winning and losing.” |
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Written by Ben Thompson (Macesport)
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Monday, 28 June 2010 13:37 |
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Protein
Strength athletes often believe more protein is better and important to build muscle.
However, this is NOT the case, athletes actually require a higher carbohydrate intake to fuel their workouts. This is because all high intensity, powerful muscle contractions (such as weight lifting) are fuelled by carbohydrate and it is the strength training workouts that leads to increased muscle mass and strength.
Neither fat nor protein can be oxidized (broken down) rapidly enough to meet the demands of high-intensity exercise.
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PROTEIN
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FOODS
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GOOD SOURCE
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MODERATE SOURCE
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Meat
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Bread
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Chicken
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Breakfast cereal
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Fish
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Rice
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Seafood
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Pasta
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Cheese
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Oats
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Milk
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Legumes (eg.beans, lentils)
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Yoghurt
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Nuts
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Eggs
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Seeds
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So what is the role of protein?
It’s main job is body repair. Proteins are often referred to as the building blocks of the body. Athletes need protein primarily to repair and rebuild muscle that is broken down during exercise but also to help optimise carbohydrate storage. Proteins are also renowned for their key role in fighting infection.
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Tuesday, 01 June 2010 12:01 |
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Carbohydrates
The majority of people are completely confused when it comes to the topic of carbohydrates due to the mixed press which has surrounded them. Put simply, carbohydrates are important because they:
- Provide fuel for our brain and muscles – essential for training;
- Allow for peak performance - reducing fatigue, helps boost immune system, preventing injury & optimising recovery.
The following are examples of foods predominantly composed of carbohydrates:
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CARBOHYDRATE
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FOODS
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Bread
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Breakfast cereals
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Rice
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Pasta
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Fruit
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Sweets & chocolate
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Biscuits
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Pastries
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Milk products (yoghurt,
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milk, custard, etc)
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Some vegetables (corn,
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potatoes & legumes)
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Some people tell you to cut down or cut out carbohydrate foods to be healthy and lose weight. However, the reality of this is that you are cutting down on fibre and muscle fuel making you more prone to tiredness and constipation!
Carbohydrates will only make you fat if you are inactive, or if they come with a lot of added fat, for example, pastries, biscuits, cakes and chocolate. Your best options are therefore to choose the least processed grain & cereal foods.
As you may have realised, I have merely skimmed the surface with regards to the topic of carbohydrates, because of this I will introduce and discuss the hot topic of Glycaemic Index (GI) carbohydrates in another segment.
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Choosing Food Wisely to Stay on Top of Your Game |
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Written by Ben Thompson (Macesport)
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Thursday, 15 April 2010 10:07 |
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What’s in Food?
The food we eat is made up of many nutrients. A nutrient is essential to us and if we cannot produce it in adequate quantities it will need to be obtained from an external source. Nutrients needed in relatively large quantities are called macronutrients and those needed in relatively small quantities are called micronutrients.
The most relevant are the macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat, which all play a vital part in reaching peak performance.
Over the next few months we will review the improtance of each of these to help you prepare your teams and stay on top of the game.
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Healthy Eating to Stay on Top of Your Game |
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Tuesday, 02 March 2010 10:08 |
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Make sure your players have the right type of fuels to provide their body with the energy required to keep them at the top of their game.
Fuel for Sport
The first nutritional requirement for everyone, regardless of their level of sporting ability, is a well balanced diet that supplies the right amounts of energy and essential nutrients.
Whether you have athletes training for competitions, or recreational sports or exercise, what you eat and drink is very important.
Getting the Balance in your Diet Right
Key Tips for your athletes:
- Eat a variety of foods.
- Eat plenty of starch-rich foods (bread, pasta, rice and cereals) and choose high fibre (brown/wholegrain) varieties where possible.
- Eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day - fresh, frozen, canned, juices and dried all count.
- Cut down on the fatty foods in your diet.
- Ensure you eat some protein-rich food (legumes/pulses/barley, meat, dairy products & eggs) every day.
- Sweet, sugary foods should only be used in small quantities.
- Drink plenty of fluids (preferably water/no added sugar squash) throughout the day, even if you are not thirsty, as well as before, during and after exercise.
Remember: Variety is the splice of life…too much of anything can be bad for you.
Next month I will look at the importance of fluid and how the macronutrients - carbohydrates, protein, and fat - all play a vital part in reaching peak performance.
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