Diet is a very important part in the success or failure of any athlete. Sportsmen by nature put stress on their bodies on a daily basis to maximise on their God given talent.
In all aspects, they are expected to perform at the highest level failure to which the repercussions are devastating. One of the core components of being on top of the game is diet. On a daily basis, an athlete has to maintain the optimum body weight and health.
Balanced diet is mandatory but in the right quantity and quality. The quantity of the daily ration also depends on the sport, weight and height of the athlete.
Unlike before, many sports institutions have hired nutritionists to roll out diet programmes for the athletes. They work hand in hand with coaches to ensure that they get the best out of these celebrated stars.
For these sportsmen, carbohydrates is the main fuel that powers the body. The energy is mainly derived from pasta, rice and potatoes.
Sometime last year, i was having a chat with former Kenya international footballer Taiwo Atieno who pointed out the difference between our local athletes and foreign based chaps is the diet they consume. As much as we talk about carbohydrates, he says that some take too long to digest making it useless for the body.
"When i was in the Harambee Stars camp, we used to take Ugali and mboga(sukuma wiki). I refused to take that and people thought that I was crazy but I knew why I was doing that."
"On matchdays, most of my colleagues used to take heavy meals a few hours before kick off and the results were bad to say the least."
"As a pro you don't need to take huge junks of ugali and red meat. In fact a little pasta and white meat will do, and some fresh juice," he says.
"Ugali and red meat take too long to digest and this causes discomfort," he concludes.
From the above example, it is clear that meal proportions and style hugely impact performances. Whatever kind of sport one undertakes, it is important to ask what to take at whatever time of the season.
As an athlete, having a good breakfast helps in kick starting the day just like any other person. A whole meal bread with peanut butter, fresh fruits and juice can do the trick, some porridge can also do the trick.
Matchdays
On match days, it is important to have meals 3-4 hours before action. Take mashed potatoes and white meat. This should also be in small quantities to avoid being sluggish while in action.
During the competition or game, ensure that you’re hydrated well enough. Hydration starts well before the game. Check on your urine color, it should not be dark. Incase of a break, ensure that you take a fruit; bananas and apples are the most recommended because they contain high levels of glycogen which is very important in restoring the much needed energy.
After the competition, one needs to get quick recovery from the workout. One needs to continue with the hydration process to maintain the electrolyte levels. Two slices of bread and some yoghurt will come in handy in this case. They will ensure that the depleted muscle and liver glycogen is adequately replaced.
Apart from diet, good health habits like adequate sleep will also help in making sure that one maintains top form for a long time!