10 sneaky nutrition tips for athletes
1. Oatmeal – Your secret friend
When training cycling, be sure to include oatmeal in your diet! They are a source of simple carbohydrates and thanks to the presence of fiber, they fill you for longer. They are perfect as a pre-workout breakfast or an addition to a smoothie.
2. You don’t want to drink artificial isotonic drinks?
Make an isotonic drink at home. All you need to do is add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of honey to the water. You can spice up the drink by adding fresh mint, lemon or other fruit.
3. Remember to stay hydrated!
Dehydration at the level of 2-3% contributes to the deterioration of the body’s efficiency and results by up to 20-30%. Consume 2-3 liters of water a day plus losses associated with physical exercise (about 500 ml per hour).
4. Did you buy an unripe avocado?
For the avocado to ripen faster, put it in a paper bag with two apples or a banana, wrap it and put it on the countertop at room temperature – ethylene, which is contained in apples or bananas, accelerates the ripening of the fruit
5. Keep the avocado fresh longer!
To keep a fresh avocado longer and avoid turning black, after opening, keep it in the refrigerator in cold water.
6. you fed up with meat? You don’t need to eat it to maintain your protein level.
There are other sources of it. Similar content in 100 grams is found in salmon, cod, tuna, cottage cheese, soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, red beans, tofu, tempeh, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, and almonds.
7. Do you experience indigestion after whole grain products? There may be too many of them in your diet.
This is especially true when you consume them just before training, or you need carbohydrates that are really high. Try to replace them with products that are easier to digest. It is enough to replace whole grain pasta with wheat or rice noodles, pearl barley with millet, or manna, brown rice with white.
8. Do you feel constipated despite eating a lot of fiber?
Maintain the fluids at the proper level. Fiber binds to water and without the right amount, it will fulfill the opposite function than assumed (it causes constipation).
9. Do you feel an uncontrollable desire for sweets?
The desire for sweets may also signal a chromium deficiency, which is involved in the metabolism of sugars in the body and enhances the effect of insulin, as well as a deficiency of zinc, B vitamins, vitamin C, and manganese, which also play a role in glucose metabolism.
10. Don’t be afraid to eat while training.
If your training unit takes more than 2 hours, remember to provide the right amount of simple carbohydrates – 60 g for each hour of exercise. Energy gels, bananas, jelly beans, wafers, and rice cookies will work great here.
Find more Nutrition tips for athletes
Check our Cycling Guide for more nutrition and training tips and on how to create your own training plan.
