Whether you are trying to revamp your diet or are refining your nutritional programming for a competition, there is a lot of information available about what to eat. Much of the advice is conflicting. How is it possible to know what guidance to follow?
Paseo Club has supported athletes of all ages and skill levels since 2003. We know that to reach your fullest potential, you must eat well. That is why we wrote this article for you.
By reading this article, you will learn specific guidelines for supporting your body’s overall health, some of our staff’s favorite products, and ways to save yourself time while eating smart.
7 Best foods for training
1. Protein powder
Protein powder is a great supplement for pre or post-workout. It can be added to a shake if you don’t have time for a meal and also be a great nighttime snack before bed.
One scoop of powder can add 20-25 grams of protein to your smoothies or liquid of choice. Throw it in the blender with a banana, berries, milk, and some nuts for a nourishing shake.
Read the ingredient list on your protein powder because the list should be short. Avoid added unhealthy ingredients such as sugars or synthetic colors or flavors.
2. Collagen
Collagen is a great supplement that can also be added to a protein shake. People also put in their coffee or soups.
It helps healthy skin, nails, and hair growth. It also supports bone and joint health and can encourage muscle mass.
3. Electrolytes
Electrolytes are a blend of essential minerals — sodium, calcium, and potassium — vital to many key functions in the body. They help with hydration and replace nutrients lost through sweat from exercise and heat.
There are several liquid, powdered, and tablet options low in sugar but tasty to drink.
4. Crockpot and pressure pot meals
Crockpot and pressure pot meals are quick and easy. They are a fantastic way to have dinner on the table after a long day with minimal effort.
Crockpots, also known as slow cookers, can be plugged in in the morning to cook during the day. By evening time, dinner is ready.
Pressure cookers have become more popular with the invention of InstaPot. Pressure pots cook food rapidly. Imagine brown rice in 15 minutes, whole beans in 22 minutes, or an entire chicken in 25 minutes.
There are so many healthy recipes for slow and pressure cooking. Many of these resources encourage nutritious eating. Look to these sites for tasty options:
5. Healthy, Balanced, Snacks
It is natural to want a snack at some point in the day, especially in the afternoon lull. Some examples of nourishing snacks are:
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Sliced apples or blueberries
- Almonds and walnuts
- Cheese sticks
- Rice cakes with almond butter
- Turkey jerky
They can be packed and eaten on the go at any time of the day. They keep blood sugar levels even and metabolisms going.
6. Meal Prepping
Meal prepping is a great way to eat healthily. A little time getting your meals organized with a basic protein, vegetables, and a carb makes all the difference. Portioning out food for the week ensures you eat well even when you are short on time.
Meal prepping can be simple or elaborate. You can prep many items or just one or two.
- Overnight oats
- Salad in a jar
- Sheet pan roasted meals
- Trail mix in pre-portioned containers
- Boiled eggs for snacks or egg salad
- Cooked whole chicken or salmon for stir-fries, soups, sandwiches, and salads
7. Water
Water is important to your diet as an athlete and essential to a healthy lifestyle. Water helps with digestion, clear skin, organ function, and metabolism. Drink water!
How much water a person needs to drink varies according to the study you read. Some researchers say to drink half of your body weight in water each day.
People often get enough to drink if they sip on water throughout the day, try to have water with all meals, and especially, drink pre and post-workout.
Why is it important to eat well when you are physically active?
Your body needs all the food groups, nutrients, vitamins, and minerals to maximize performance. Therefore, when your body is properly fueled you work out much better.
If a person doesn’t eat well and stay hydrated for training, they can run out of steam, their blood sugar can plummet, not build proper muscle tone, and even slow down their metabolism.
Nutritional needs vary
There are many variables that affect a person’s nutritional needs.
- Age
- Hormones
- Stress levels
- Body type
- Gender
- Frequency and intensity of workouts
A young 18-year-old male training intensively three hours a day compared to a 69-year-old woman playing tennis three times a week will have vastly different needs.
This means there are no hard and fast rules about how much fat, calories, protein, and carbohydrates a person needs.
But what is true for everybody is that it is essential to eat a diet rich in vitamins, minerals, healthy proteins, and carbohydrates, sourced primarily from whole foods.
Final thoughts on the best nutrition for training
Taking care of your health means being active and eating well. Making good choices does not need to be as complex as many make it out to be. Eat whole foods, a lot of produce, and stay hydrated.
Now that you have read this article, we hope you feel less intimidated about how to make the best selections for your nutrition and have some good ideas about smart ways to cut corners so that you can save time while eating right.
At Paseo Club, we take whole body health seriously. Not only do we have several professional fitness instructors, but we also have two nutritionists on staff, Trish Deboni, and Cézanne Youmazzo.
They offer nutritional consultation for $80 per hour. The 6-week program, The Greatest Results Transformation Program, is also available. Participants receive daily emails, two group workouts per week, a supermarket field trip, a cooking/food prep night, and a group pickleball lesson.
To read an account of a tennis pro’s approach to nutrition, check out the article The Keys to Nutritional Success on the Court. Learn more about optimum plant-based nutrition.
Mental health is a big part of your overall well-being. Check out what 8 steps you can take to support your mental health.
Paseo offers tours every day of the week. If you are in the Santa Clarita Valley, check out the fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and junior-Olympic pool.
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