Category: Sports Nutrition

The anomalies of poor nutrition are highly complex in nature. All originate from the simple fact that most of the sportspersons do not get enough nutrition from their major meals.

Whenever you experience a nutritional deficiency, your body attempts to give you a signal in the form of inflammation, poor recovery, muscle soreness, poor concentration, low energy levels, fatigue, and depression.

If you get these kinds of signals, rather than ignoring, you should get in touch with your physician or a certified sports nutritionist to identify the root cause so that preventive action can be taken immediately.

For a better understanding of balanced diet and various nutrients, it is important to know the food pyramid of different food groups. Food Pyramid comprises of various food groups and demonstrates the servings per day. Food Pyramid is designed to ensure healthy eating.

When you eat a serving from each shelf in the pyramid in right amounts, it gives you a balanced diet. To understand balanced diet and varied nutrients better, it is important to know the food pyramid of different food groups. If you see the shape of the pyramid, it gives a clear picture that the food towards the bottom of the pyramid is “good”, therefore, extremely healthy to eat and the most important part of the diet.

Food at the tip of the pyramid is “bad” and should be consumed in limited amounts. Below illustration gives a fair idea about Basic food pyramid (for average person) & additional servings (if required) for sportsperson:

Food Pyramid for Sportsperson

In case you don’t like something, you can exchange that food item with the one belonging to the same food group (e.g. cereals with cereals), though it may not be a good idea to interchange it with other food groups. It means, it is vital to include foods from each food group in your daily diet because each food group plays a crucial role in sportsperson’s health.

For each sportsperson, intensity and duration of training vary in the off-season, during competition and after the season. Fueling your workout is vital to give you 100% output of your training. Consult with your sports nutritionist to put your food pyramid into practice.

If you have any questions regarding sports nutrition or weight management, please schedule an online diet consultation with the best dietitian Silky Mahajan.

Send us an email at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 7829999400 between 10:00 AM IST – 7:00 PM IST (Mon – Sat).

Many people believe in hitting the gym during the day and then a bar at night. One feels there’s no harm in drinking a little amount of alcohol now and then.

Actually the terms “little” and “now and then” cannot even be used in that former sentence since it’s more like binge drinking every weekend!

Don’t Drink and Drive isn’t only for behind the wheel, it’s also on the field (and the gym).

First, let’s give you a list of how alcohol can affect your body, and then we can get down to the details!

Keep in mind these effects are within 48 hours of alcohol consumption, that too just after 2-3 standard drinks.

• Decrease strength
• Impair hand-eye coordination
• Increase fatigue (by impacting liver function)
• Mineral and vitamin depletion
• Disturbed sleep
• Impact cellular repair (since protein is affected negatively)
• Dehydration thus affects the kidneys
• Loss of endurance
• Unwanted weight gain

Alcohol isn’t something that is recommended for most people; for athletes it just makes matters worse.

While you’re training or competing it’s best to stay away from alcohol! However, the best solution is to give it up completely to live a healthy lifestyle.

How Alcohol Affects Your Body

1. So first things first. Alcohol cannot be stored as energy. This means all the alcohol in your body is converted into fat – hence the term beer belly.
2. Alcohol’s effect on the liver can cause a problem in the production of oxygen which then interferes with the production of ATP ie a direct source of energy for the muscles.
3. Sadly drinking alcohol before your workout hinders the circulation of glucose which is essential for energy. It has also been scientifically proven that alcohol diminishes protein synthesis which in turn stops muscle growth by preventing the repair of damaged muscles.
4. Another thing alcohol does is increase the urge to urinate which leads to loss of electrolytes.
5. Since alcohol is a toxin it disrupts the normal cell function.
6. Alcohol also inhibits the absorption of essential minerals like zinc, folic acid, Vitamin B12, etc which are needed for metabolism and new cell growth (muscle cells included).
7. The consumption of alcohol provides only empty calories which in turn displace valuable nutrients. That’s just a loss of essentials and an increase in fat!
8. Do note, heavy drinking for a night can negatively affect brain and bodily activities for 3 whole days whereas 2 nights of consecutive heavy drinking leave an impact for 5 days! Evidently, dehydration, fatigue and headaches – commonly known as hangovers – really don’t mix well with the physical demands of our body.
9. Alcohol disrupts your sleep cycle which in turn leads to a reduction in the ability to learn and retain new information. This could range from new skills to studying games or even applying strategies in a game.
10. Excessive alcohol can prevent the secretion of human growth hormone which is essential for muscle growth as well as recovery.

It’s always better to prioritize a good day’s workout over a night of heavy drinking. At least the workout leaves you worn out and exhausted craving for more!

Alcohol just leaves you with a bad hangover which leads to false swears of never drinking again.

In case of any related query related to diet or weight loss book an appointment with Dt. Silky Mahajan please send us a mail at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 080 6741 7780 (Dial Extension: 778).

Why is It Important to Stay Hydrated?

Whether you’re a serious athlete or a recreational exerciser, it’s important to make sure you get the right amount of water before, during, and after exercise.

All athletes need to drink extra fluids to replace body water lost during exercise (e.g. sweat). When it’s warm, your body perspires more to help you cool down.

Depending on the temperature, humidity, and the nature of your activity, you might not even realize how much you are perspiring. Don’t rely on thirst alone to tell you how much you need to drink.

To keep those muscles working and avoid fatigue; it’s extremely important to drink plenty of liquids before, during, and after the activity.

How Much Water Should I Drink While Exercising?

There are no exact rules for how much water to drink while exercising because everyone is different.

You need to consider factors including your sweat rate, the heat and humidity in your environment, and how long and hard you are exercising.

As a general rule, to maintain adequate hydration, drink fluids before and after the game, Drink about 250 -300 ml of fluid two hours before the activity.

That helps make sure you are well-hydrated before you ever go outdoors. Then, during the activity, try to drink 150-200 ml every 15-20 minutes to keep your muscles well-hydrated.

If you are planning an hour-long walk or gym workout, fill a water bottle with about 500 ml and take it with you.

Are Sports Drinks Important?

For most people, water is all that is needed to stay hydrated. However, if you will be exercising at a high intensity for longer than an hour, a sports drink may be helpful.

The calories, potassium, and other nutrients in sports drinks can provide energy and electrolytes to help you perform for a longer period of time.

Choose a sports drink wisely. They are often high in calories from added sugar and may contain high levels of sodium. Also, check the serving size. One bottle may contain several servings.

If you drink the entire bottle, you may need to double or triple the amounts given on the Nutrition Facts Label. Some sports drinks contain caffeine.

If you use a sports drink that contains caffeine, be careful not to get too much caffeine in your diet.

What Are the Signs of Dehydration?

Dehydration happens when you lose more fluid than you drink. When your body doesn’t have enough water, it can’t work properly.

Dehydration can range from mild to severe. Symptoms of dehydration can include the following:

• Muscles cramps
• Headaches
• Fatigue 
• Reduced mental function & concentration 
• Reduced balance 
• Fast heartbeat

In case of any such symptoms get medical attention immediately.

What Are Signs of Heat Illness?

Heat illness or heat-related illness is a spectrum of disorders due to environmental exposure to heat.

It includes minor conditions such as heat cramps, heat syncope, and heat exhaustion as well as the more severe condition known as heat stroke.

Heat illness can occur when the body is dehydrated and can’t cool itself effectively during exercise in hot or humid weather.

Symptoms of Health Illness

• Confusion
• Dark-colored urine (a sign of dehydration)
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Muscle or abdominal cramps
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

How Much is Too Much Water in a Day?

This depends on your body weight and the kind of activity you are doing. Talk to your Nutritionist if you have questions about the right amount of water to drink while exercising.

In case of any related query related to sport nutrition or weight loss book an appointment with Dt. Silky Mahajan please send us a mail at info@foodsandnutrition.in or call on 080 6741 7780 (Dial Extension: 778).