Eating for Peak Performance
Answers to the top ten questions
Is your performance suffering?

Do you:
– Drink water or sports beverages before you feel
thirsty?
– Get most of your calories from carbohydrates?
– Include at least 20% fat in your diet?
– Rely on food rather than supplements for your
daily nutrition?
Activity & Diet Priorities…
Listed in Order of Priority
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1. Fluid needs
2. Calorie needs
3. Adequate
Carbohydrates
4. Increased protein
especially for strength &
endurance athletes
5.Adequate fat
6.Micronutrients
(vitamins and minerals,
such as calcium & iron)
Hey….Did You Catch the
Message of the Last Slide?

After assuring that
fluid needs are met,
the next most
important nutritional
concern for the athlete
is…..
Eating Enough Calories!!!

A competitive athlete
really needs to

Eat, eat, eat!!!

Fuel that fire!!! Keep
it going!!!
The Energy Diet

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Having energy is synonymous with consuming
energy
With too few calories you feel:
– Weak and tired
– Performance suffers
– More prone to injuries
There is no pill, potion or powder that can enhance your
performance like the right foods and fluids
What is the energy diet and what
foods do I need?

Best balance for sports diet includes:
– 60-65% of calories from carbohydrates
» Body’s main source of energy
» Found in potatoes, bread, cereals, grains, pasta,
milk, yogurt, vegetables and fruit
» Oatmeal, spaghetti/rice, dried fruits are excellent,
inexpensive carbohydrate rich foods
Energy diet continued

10-15% of calories from protein
– Form basic structure of body tissue and organs
– Used for growth and repair of cells
– Found in eggs, milk, cheese, nuts, meat, fish,
poultry, dried beans, split peas, and lentils
– Baked beans, tuna, peanut butter, low-fat milk
excellent, inexpensive source of protein
Energy diet continued
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20-30% of calories from fat
– Provide energy and are used for growth and
repair of tissues
– Found in olives, nuts, cheese, meat, fish,
poultry, butter, margarine, oils, whole-milk
dairy products, avocado, mayonnaise
Are there foods I shouldn’t eat?
Eating healthy doesn’t mean giving up all
sweets, fats, or snacks
 Moderation with high-fat, high cholesterol,
alcohol and sugar
 Minimize fatty red meat

Is snacking harmful?
Athletes need to snack to meet their
increased energy demands
 Well-planned snacks and pre-planning can
help athletes meet their caloric needs
 Snacks you can eat every day include:

– Non-fat yogurt; fresh fruit; baby carrots; celery
with peanut butter; bagel, cold cereal, fig
newtons, graham crackers, rice cakes, pretzels,
fruit juice, granola bars
Is an energy bar best for an
afternoon snack before I work out?
Fueling within an hour of exercise boosts
stamina and endurance
 Energy bars (luna, cliff, etc) provide varying
amounts of calories, carbohydrates, fats,
proteins, vitamins
 For athlete, primary need is bar with
reasonable amount of carbohydrate

Energy bars continued
Meant to be supplement to diet not meal
replacement
 Convenient but expensive calorie source
 Same energy can be found in healthy less
expensive snacks
 Key is to find out what foods or bars work
best
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Why are fluids so important?
Water/fluid replacement is most important
nutritional concern for athlete
 Loss of fluid results in less volume of blood
circulating
 As little as 2% body weight loss can
decrease performance
 Signs of dehydration include:

– Fatigue, headache, loss of strength, dizziness,
muscle cramping, poor sleep, racing heart
How much fluid should I be
drinking?
Maintain hydration on day-to-day basis
 Need to replace “maintenance needs” and
daily losses (sweat, respiration, etc)
 Maintenance fluids equal 0.5oz per pound
of body weight (e.g. 150 pound person
should drink 75 oz per day)
 Drink before, during and after exercise

Monitoring hydration
Weight
 Urine frequency, color, odor
 Thirst is NOT an accurate indicator of how
much fluid you have lost

Which is better—water or a
sports drink?
Fluid transport to tissues is equal with water
or sports drink
 Sports drinks have added edge of
carbohydrates for energy and provide some
electrolytes lost in sweat
 Concentration and types of sugar vary
between drinks
 After a workout, carbohydrates and fluids
can be replaced with fruit juices

What’s the purpose of a precompetition meal?
To keep you from feeling hungry before and
during the event
 To maintain the levels of sugar in your
blood for your muscles to use during
training and competition
 Food you eat 5 minutes to 4 hours before
activity will be beneficial for your muscles
and brain

When should I eat before exercise and what is
a good pre competition meal?
Before a 6 am workout?
 Before a 10 am soccer game?
 Before a 3 pm practice?
 Before a 7 pm soccer game?
 During an all-day soccer tournament?
 After practice or my game?
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Do I need vitamins and
supplements?
To date, no evidence suggests that extra
vitamins will enhance athletic performance,
increase strength or endurance, increase
energy or build muscles
 Supplements appropriate for certain highrisk individuals
 Most people get adequate supply of
vitamins if consuming well-balanced diet
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Bottom LineFor Peak Performance
You must
INVEST IN NUTRITION