Hydration
Maintaining adequate hydration is one of the most important aspects of sports nutrition in any season. It doesn’t just help optimize performance on training days, it helps every day! Even a slight amount of dehydration (1% loss of body weight) can negatively affect the body’s ability to perform optimal physical activity. If you’re running laps or pushing through demanding drills in the last of summer’s heat and humidity, you need to start hydrating early in the morning and continuing drinking often throughout the day.
Pre-workout Fuel
Think about the fluids, foods and supplements you take prior to starting exercise. What you choose should be determined by your training. Are you outside in the heat and humidity? Will you be indoors focusing on muscle and strength gains in the weight room? Both require ample—but different—muscle fuel to help tackle your training. That means planning a well-balanced meal a few hours before, and then possibly topping off your glycogen stores with a quick-digesting, carbohydrate-rich snack 30 minutes before hitting the field or gym.
Interested in pre-workout supplements? Learn more about preworkout supplements.
During Activity
No matter what, maintaining hydration during your entire workout should be a goal. While water is important, participating in high-intensity conditioning and long training sessions may require more than just fluid to support your performance. Sweating may result in fluid and electrolyte losses, and heavy sweating—as well as training at higher altitudes—may further increase the need for fluid and electrolyte replacement. Replacing lost electrolytes is necessary to help regulate your body fluids. Losing electrolytes through sweat may lead to muscle cramping, derailing even the most dedicated athletes.
Keep in mind that intra-workout support isn’t just confined to your water bottle or shaker cup. Eating protein may help fuel skeletal muscles during a workout. If it doesn’t sit well in your stomach mid-practice, a beverage supplemented with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) may help supply the support you’re looking for.
Similarly, carbohydrates are a primary source of energy for working muscles—and long, grueling training sessions may deplete the body of stored glycogen. This makes it just as important to incorporate additional fuel during activity, as well as before and after.
Recovery Nutrition
It’s carbohydrates and protein for the win! Carbohydrates help replenish energy stores and electrolytes help rehydrate the body after high-intensity exercise. The combination of whey protein with carbs following resistance exercise supports muscle amino acid uptake, and therefore muscle protein synthesis. This combo also helps replenish muscle glycogen stores, which support the muscle energy regeneration you need to hit the field just as hard tomorrow.
Day-to-Day Nutrition
Establishing a plan to fuel training before, during and after practice is important, but it’s not more important than what you eat and drink the rest of the day. Overall nutrition and hydration play a huge role in sports performance—what you eat day to day matters most! Make sure you are incorporating adequate nutrition into your meals each and everyday, not just on training days. If you’re tight on time, use a protein powder to prepare snacks like these protein bites ahead of time, or make a smoothie.
With proper hydration and the dedication needed to stick to a results-based diet, any athlete can set themselves up for an awesome season. Make sure you get the best fuel for your goals, and good luck out there!
