Everyday nutrition for a powerful performance

Would you use the wrong fuel to power your car? No. So why use the wrong fuel to power your body? By Kimberly Taylor, nutrionalist.

Quality nutrition provides the building blocks for your body to function at peak performance. Just as you wouldn’t use the wrong fuel in your car, it is important not to use the wrong fuel in your body!

Nutritional research now shows what we’ve really known for centuries - that diet plays a critical role in how the body looks, feels, functions and whether it stays healthy or not.

We all know someone who seemingly can eat whatever they want and still pull off a victory every week, so many people question what high performance nutrition is really going to do for them – isn’t three decent meals enough?

In reality, everybody is different and what may work for some, certain doesn’t work for others! Improper dietary habits result in inefficient body functions therefore ensuring all the nutritional needs are met at optimum levels (not simply minimum daily intake) is key to your body being ready to race and perform at it’s best.

If our friends that always win without trying actually paid more attention to their nutrition, their performance would be even better, their results more consistent and their recovery even smoother!

Athletes require extra support from high performance nutrition. During times of increased or intense physical activity, the body burns through fuels, stripping several essential vitamins and minerals from the body and requiring extra amounts of quality nutrition in order to heal, repair and rebuild itself after exercise, the majority of which is done in our sleep.

Regardless of whether you are competing at a high level or deciding to take on Lake Taupo, your body requires some immediate nutritional basics regularly and on a daily basis.

Protein

The essential building blocks for life and critical for rebuilding and repairing your muscles after physical activity! Protein is the primary component of muscles, skin, eyes, internal organs (especially the heart and the brain), the immune system, hormone production and more!

Primary proteins are complete proteins with all eight essential amino acids, whereas secondary proteins are incomplete proteins, the key is combining two or more to make a complete protein source.

So how much do I need?

Ensuring that you have a good quality source of protein at every main meal is essential for everyone. Lack of quality protein is the number one thing missing in many of my clients diets when I see them.

For athletes and sports people, aim for 1 serving the size of your palm and the thickness of your hand with every main meal.

For muscle recovery and repair, ensure you eat a protein-rich meal or snack within 90mins after training or racing.

Where do I get it from?

Primary proteins: Lean animal meats – beef, lamb, chicken, fish; eggs;

Secondary proteins: nuts and seeds; yoghurt and low-fat diary products; lentils, pulses and beans (ie. kidney beans, chickpeas, etc); grains (ie. quinoa, amaranth, brown basmati rice, barley, rye, etc)

Carbohydrates

The body’s daily energy source! Carbohydrates add bulk, fibre and varying levels of instant energy the body can use straight away!

Not all carbohydrates are equal - simple carbohydrates (ie. sugar, honey, glucose, fructose, potatoes, white rice, raisins, etc) hit the bloodstream within minutes of being consumed and work instantly to energise your body, therefore very important during that race or training session but not so good when sitting in front of a computer!

Eaten daily, without the presence of physical activity, simple sugars can do more harm than good causing major fluctuations in blood sugar, mood swings and hormonal imbalances.

Slow release carbohydrates (ie. oats, brown basmati rice, kidney beans, lentils, several vegetables and fruits, etc) still provide your body with fuel and energy but the sugars are released into the blood stream at a slower rate, providing your body with sustained energy for longer – exactly what you need during physical activity!

So how much do I need?

A serving the size of your handspan (heaped) is roughly what an athlete should aim for with every main meal. If you are finding this is actually cutting down your meal portions, you are probably right! But you will also notice that you will be bumping up your protein intake.

Where do I get it from?

When you say carbohydrates many people instantly think bread, pasta, rice and potatoes but this is only one form!

All the vegetables and fruits fall into the carbohydrate category and are generally overlooked however they are high quality and highly nutritional carbohydrate sources! Let them make up 60-80% of your daily carbohydrate needs and you’ll feel the difference!

All the grains (wheat & wheat flour, barley, rye, rice, corn, oats, etc) are major carbohydrate sources but the more ‘whole’ the grain, the better it is for you (ie. always go for brown over white!)

Of course all sugars, honey, glucose, dried fruits etc are sources of simple carbohydrates and important during training but don’t over do them.

Fats

It is vital to draw a distinction between “good” fats (ie. fish oil) and “bad” fats (ie. margarine) – over time bad fats can kill you, while good fats can actually help heal you!

Do not discriminate all fats on account of their name! Lipids (fats) protect the body against micro-organism invasion, chemical damage, manufacture hormones and are critical for the nervous system.

The therapeutic omega-3 fatty acids regulate oxidation (respiratory) rate, metabolic rate and energy production in every cell in our body! They increase athletic stamina and recovery rates, and are anti-inflammatory playing a key role in healing tissue injuries, sprains and bruises.

So how much omega-3 do I need?

A little bit everyday is just fine! This translates to a serving the size of your forefinger and middle finger for solid foods – otherwise roughly 1-2 tsps of good quality, cold-pressed oil (ie. flaxseed) drizzled over your meal once cooked. Do not cook food in the oil, this will damage the fat and will have a negative impact in the body.

Where do I get omega-3 from?

Fish and seafood are an excellent source – particularly oily fish (ie. salmon, tuna, sardines etc). Other sources include avocado, eggs, nuts and seeds, soybeans, olives and good quality, cold-pressed vegetable oils (ie. flaxseed oil).

October, 09.

About Kimberly Taylor

Kimberly is a Clinical Nutritionist and a Naturopath. She is based in Wellington and works with cyclists and endurance athletes using high performance nutrition to boost their general health and performance. She also specialises in working with women's health, fertility and hormonal issues.

With a life-long interest in nutrition, food and cooking, Kimberly started her naturopathic studies in London. After nearly four years overseas, she headed back to New Zealand to complete her qualifications in naturopathy, herbal medicine and clinical nutrition. Kimberly also holds a bachelor of Commerce and Arts from Otago University.

To book an appointment with Kimberly, contact Zest Natural Health within City Osteopaths on 04) 499 1439 or 021 421 380. Alternatively email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.zestnaturalhealth.co.nz (site currently under construction)

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