5 Eating Habits That Sap Your Strength
.
If
you want to perform your best and feel your strongest—during a game or race, in
the gym, or just about anywhere else— your diet matters. The things you eat
affect your body, and not always in a good way. In fact, some of the choices
you make in the kitchen or at the dinner table could sabotage your performance.
Below are five bad eating habits common among athletes, along with suggestions
to help you make better decisions.
Bad Habit #1: Not Balancing
Carbohydrates and Proteins
A
common myth says athletes should load up on carbohydrates before a big game,
race or workout. Even though carbs are your muscles' preferred fuel source,
athletes who are about to take on a big event will do better to pair those
carbs with protein. Eating just carbs can cause a spike in blood sugar, leading
to a crash that will leave you weak and fatigued later in the day. Adding
protein will stabilize your blood sugar and provide you with a more consistent
flow of energy.
Try this: Three to four hours before
your game or workout, chow down on a moderately sized meal that provides 1 gram
of protein for every 4 grams of carbs.
Bad Habit #2: Eating Dirty
You've
probably heard people say you should eat organic produce. Well, here's one more
reason to go organic: many of the pesticides sprayed onto foods contain
hormone-disrupting chemicals that prevent the body from producing real
hormones.
Try this: Opt for organic produce and
meat whenever possible. Here's a list of common pesticidesand their corresponding
effects on the human body.
Bad Habit #3: Eating a
Bland Diet
We're
not talking about bland flavor here (although that probably wouldn't be great
either.) Brightly colored fruits and vegetables have nutrients and antioxidants
that help you stay healthy and perform at your best. If you're eating produce
of similar colors, you may be deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, which
can cause you to feel weak.
Try this: Expand your spectrum. Swap iceberg lettuce
for romaine, replace green peppers with yellow and orange peppers, or switch
strawberries for raspberries, blackberries or blueberries.
Bad Habit #4: Inadequate or
Improper Fluid Intake
If
you gulp too many sports drinks and not enough water, you risk feeling fatigued
due to blood sugar crashes and dehydration. Sports drinks can be high in
sodium, which is necessary when you're sweating, but not so great when you're
on the couch. Dehydration leads to fatigue because it impacts the flow of
oxygen to the brain and causes the heart to work harder to pump oxygen to your
bodily organs, making you more tired and less alert.
Try this: Drink close to 100 ounces
of water per day to stay hydrated and to avoid fatigue, cramps and other issues
that accompany dehydration.
Bad Habit #5: Inconsistent Meals
and Snacks
Skipping
meals, or going a long time between meals, slows down your metabolism, which
makes you feel tired later in the day. Undereating can also leave you without
energy to maximize your athletic potential.
Try this: Eat every three to four
hours, and create meals that are approximately 20 percent protein, 50 percent
carbohydrate and 30 percent fat (unless you're loading up for a game, in which
case you want to increase the carbs even higher).
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