Eating a well balanced diet is the only way to have proper endurance sport nutrition

Article by JohnT Scott

The saying working hard pays off is not always true. Endurance athletes are the proof that while hard work does show great results it is not the deciding factor in endurance sports. For an athlete who is going to be in a competition their nutrition is essential. No matter how much an athlete has trained if they do not have the right endurance sport nutrition it will all be for nothing because their body will not have the strength it needs to be able to last during competition.

Endurance athletes can not go on any fad diets if they expect to be able to truly win in competition. While diets like the Atkins Diet and the Hollywood Diet have been shown to help someone to quickly lose weight they do not have the proper nutrients for endurance sport nutrition. Both diets lack the amount of carbohydrates the endurance athletes need to be able to perform at their peak ability. When someone works out their body uses the complex carbohydrates they ingest as fuel. If someone is on a low carb diet they will not be giving their body the nutrition they need to use as food. This will make their muscles weaker and not give them the strength their body needs to perform.

Another key component to proper endurance sport nutrition is protein. Protein needs to be ingested by the endurance athletes because it helps to promote muscle repair. When an athlete works out their muscles are tearing apart and then repair themselves to grow strength. Eating protein gives the body the nutrients to be able to repair muscles quickly and efficiently. Eggs, chicken, beans, and certain red meats all contain protein. They can be prepared a variety of different ways os that the athlete does not become bored with their diet.

Eating fat is something that many people avoid at all costs. Athletes know that eating healthy fat is another important part to endurance sport nutrition. Healthy fats that are found in nuts, seeds, and certain animal fats. Healthy fats are also called lean fats. They help to fuel the body and give it the extra energy it needs to be able to be pushed further.

While not everyone is an endurance athlete they do need to eat a healthy diet. While fruits and vegetables are good for someone they do not provide enough of the nutrients that someone needs to be able to be as healthy as possible. Fad diets and exercise do not work well together. Someone who is on a fad diet and tries to work out could be putting their body at risk of serious injury because it does not have the nutrients it needs to be able to fuel and rebuild its muscles. Eating a well balanced meal that contains proteins, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, and lean fats is the only way to have good endurance sport nutrition habits. It is possible for someone to easily change their eating habits and help their body to be able to perform the best way possible.