Nutritional tips for athletes

The life of an athlete is full of practices and heavy workout, to bear all this the body must be quite healthy as well as strong. Continuous exercise for at least an hour or more, especially involving high intensity requires a lot of endurance. For this purpose the meal plan for athlete must be balanced and rich in nutrients to offer energy for such endurance. If we specifically talk about healthy food Dubai then it includes all basic nutrients like carbohydrates, fats and proteins in sufficient quantity. In this article we will discuss some of the nutritional tips which are usually recommended by the health professionals for an athlete.

Rich carbohydrate intake

Carbohydrate is the main source of energy so it is considered to be the fuel of an athlete. After consuming carbohydrates the body breaks it down into glucose molecules which is then stored in muscles in form of glycogen, this whole mechanism is done by insulin. Whenever the body has to perform physical activity this stored glycogen is released to provide energy. For a normal person it is recommended to have normal carbohydrate intake because they don’t demand excessive energy but the life of an athlete is quite different and they require huge amount of energy in order to perform daily workout. But one thing which has to be ensured is that the athlete is not consuming too much sugary or starchy food or else they can lead to weight gain and dehydration as well.

Sufficient protein

Protein is not an instant source of energy but is quite essential for the muscle maintenance. An athlete requires more proteins than a normal person because his muscles have to face a lot of stress in terms of heavy workout and other sporty activities. In such situation if he will not consume sufficient protein then the chances of bruises and muscle cramps are enhanced. But too much protein consumption can lead to kidney stress which is not favorable so it is recommended to take protein from natural sources like meat, fish, nuts and eggs instead of any supplement.

Often fluid intake

Heavy exercise and intense practice especially in hot weather can lead a body of an athlete towards dehydration. This is not good for his performance as in dehydration the person feel lethargic and weak. On the other hand this dehydration also causes a drop in electrolyte balance. Electrolytes play a very important role in transferring signal in our body so they should be well maintained. For this purpose the athlete must drink a lot of fluids and consume hydrating food items like watermelon, dates, spinach, oranges and much more. In this way they could replenish their fluid and electrolyte levels of the body.