Nutrition For Performance In Ultimate

What you eat can and does have a dramatic effect on a player's performance. The better your nutritional status, the better you look, the better you feel and the better you perform!

1. Energy and Carbohydrate Requirements
2. Hydration
3. Nutritional Supplements

Energy and Carbohydrate Requirements

Whatever activity you are involved in (male or female), you must balance energy (calorie) intake with the energy demands of training. In Ultimate this is particularly important. Calorie needs vary depending on body size and gender.

Generally speaking, energy needs increase the taller, heavier and more active a person is. This is highly variable from person to person, from day to day, and from week to week. Other factors to take into account relating to training include weather conditions, etc. A vital point to understand is not only must we consider the calorific needs of time spent in training, but also energy needs for recovery as well as growth in younger players. All working muscles need daily fuel, so it's important to eat enough carbohydrate (and fat), and drink plenty of water. Good quality protein ensures the muscles repair and the immune system is kept strong and healthy.

Getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals and fatty acids is vital for all the body's metabolic processes, enables the food you eat to be metabolized and stored, and allows the necessary energy to be produced. The diet should therefore contain a relative balance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. A good balance for most people regularly involved in Ultimate is 55-60% carbohydrate (fruits, vegetables, whole grains), 15% protein (fish, poultry, eggs, beans and pulses) and 25-30% fat (oily fish, olive and seed oils, nuts and seeds etc.). Less than 10% of total calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. animal fat – meats and meat products, processed foods, cream, butter, chocolate etc.).

Eating to fuel the body

The quickest way to fuel and re-fuel empty glycogen stores (i.e. stored energy in the muscles) is to consume carbohydrates (simple and complex CHOs). This also saves protein from being diverted from its job to repair the microstructure of the muscles, to being used for energy. Make sure your general diet is high in complex carbohydrates, i.e. plenty of vegetables and whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa (similar to rice), noodles, potatoes, wholegrain bread etc. with main meals. Eat fruit and dried fruit bars for quick energy, and energy bars that contain protein for a more sustained release of energy.

Complex carbohydrates are by far the best way to ingest the all-important sugars. However, there will be times when you will need glucose to enter the bloodstream as quickly as possible to quickly feed starving glycogen-depleted cells (e.g. during training lasting 1 to 2 hours, post-workouts, between daily training sessions OR between games). This is when you will need fast-releasing, simple carbohydrates. Remember too that the body of an ultimate player is often in a constant state of repair and needing constant replenishment. Foods such as dried fruits (dates, apricots, figs and raisins), bananas, oatcakes or rice cakes with fruit spreads, ready-mixed isotonic carbohydrate drinks, flapjacks etc.

These are perfect examples of useful high-sugar, simple carbohydrates that will quickly replenish the body of fuel. If the diet is too low in calories and carbohydrate, a player never fully replenishes stores of energy in the muscles, and the liver. Over time this leads to slower recovery, fatigue, and a decrease in performance. The negative cycle goes on and on! A fatigued player is also left more open to low-grade infections. Achieving steady blood sugar levels are the key to maintaining concentration, controlling a normal appetite, normal body weight, and efficient fat utilization. Take note of the following and you’ll begin to achieve steady blood sugar levels, and more sustained energy levels.

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1. Do not miss meals. Have at least three a day so that your blood sugar levels do not have an opportunity to fall. It would be preferable in fact to have five or six small meals a day. If you opt for eating 5-6 times a day be sure to keep the portions down so not to overeat! When blood sugar levels stabilize, three meals a day may be sufficient.
2. Begin to replace ANY refined carbohydrates in the diet with complex carbohydrates (unrefined) – whole grains (brown rice, whole oats, rye or granary bread), legumes, (peas and beans), fruit (apples, pears, bananas throughout the day) and vegetables (broccoli, courgette, onions, carrots, baked sweet potato, spinach etc.). One advantage of eating complex carbohydrate foods is that they release glucose (energy) into the bloodstream slowly, avoiding the production of too much insulin. Experiment to determine which foods help you to feel more “stable”. For example you may well find oats, yogurt and fruit at breakfast will keep you going a lot longer than toast and jam!
[by Mark Earley]

Langer Beach Hat
3. Include some form of concentrated protein with at least two meals, e.g. chicken, turkey, tuna, salmon, sardines, fish, cottage cheese, yoghurt, eggs, etc., (or if vegetarian, tofu, or quorn). A handful of almonds can be a useful mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. Almonds are high in calcium, protein and essential fats. To increase the protein content of salads add tofu, almonds, sesame seeds, cooked beans, hard-boiled egg, cheese etc. Try goats or sheep’s cheese for a change.
4. Add a small amount of unrefined/cold-pressed oil to grains, salads, legumes and vegetables, e.g. flax seed oil, walnut oil, sesame, or olive oil (1-2 tablespoons). These healthy fats help slow the release of ‘sugars’ into the bloodstream, making meals ‘last’ longer, and much tastier too! These essential fatty acids can also help boost the metabolism, strengthen the adrenal glands (which work hard under stress!), and improve the skin and hair.
5. Avoid refined sugar as much as possible.
6. Always dilute fruit juice with water (50-50).
7. If you are trying to kick a sugar habit, fresh fruit is a good alternative whenever you are craving something sweet. Try grapes, apples, oranges and pears.
8. Minimise the use of caffeine in any form – coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate milk. Drink herbal teas, or simply hot water and lemon or fresh orange slices.
9. Minimise intake of alcohol. AVOID COMPLETELY THE DAY BEFORE COMPETITION. It severely disrupts blood sugar levels, AND ENERGY LEVELS.
10. Increase fibre in the diet by eating more whole grain cereals, fresh vegetables and fruit. Have an abundance of vegetables in salads, soups, casseroles, stir-frys, etc. Have them both raw and steamed. Try adding a tablespoon of wheatgerm to fruit and yogurt in the morning or soak 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds in juice and water overnight. Blend with yogurt.
11. Include legumes in the diet. Use and experiment with lentils, split peas, navy, pinto, aduki beans or chickpeas. Tinned beans and lentils are perfectly acceptable and highly nutritious. Use in soups, salads, casseroles, dips, side dishes etc.

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Hydration: The importance of water!

Drinking plain water on a regular basis is probably the single most positive step toward improving performance and general health.How much water you actually need depends on your body size, level of exertion, as well as the surrounding air temperature and humidity. Considering the fact that around 75% of your total body weight is water, it is not difficult to appreciate the importance of keeping well hydrated. As we know, water is needed to regulate body temperature and for every cells’ normal functioning. It is also vital for the body’s digestive processes, to lubricate the spine and other joints, and is part of the fluid that transports nutrients and waste in and out of the body. Many organs of the body rely on a constant supply of water, especially the kidneys and pancreas.

Fluid replacement during games

Competing in hot environments will lead to significant losses in body water. If water is not replaced adequately, this will have a negative impact on physical and mental performance. The primary aim of fluid replacement is to maintain the body’s plasma volume so that circulation and sweating can progress at optimal levels.

Self-monitoring

Weighing yourself before and after training sessions and games will alert you to the amount of fluid needed to rehydrate. For every kilogram lost, you will need to drink at least 1 litre of water or isotonic solution (sports drink or diluted squash and a pinch of salt). Urine colour is a useful practical guide to state of hydration. It often helps initially to use a urine colour chart to effectively self-monitor hydration status.

Are you suffering from dehydration?

The following signs are also useful ways of monitoring hydration status – they are your body’s way of telling you that you’ve lost too much water……headache, dark-coloured urine, dry mouth, bad breath, and furry tongue. If you suffer regularly with constipation, or are prone to urinary tract infections, you are very likely to be chronically dehydrated.

Simple ways to rehydrate

• Carry a water bottle with you, or keep a stock of bottled water in the car, minibus or in your sports bag.
• Practice staying well hydrated
• Drink a glass of water before you go to bed and one as soon as you get up. Try and drink at least another 4 glasses throughout the day, between your meals. When you train or exercise you will need more. The recommended amount is 1.5 to 2 litres a day, which is about 8 glasses.
• Warm water is actually better than cold water when needing to rehydrate, so warm water with a little lemon is ideal! You will find that the more you drink, the more water your body will want, as it’s temperature regulatory system improves.
• Cut down on alcohol, tea and coffee – they are effective diuretics, which encourage water loss from the body.AVOID ALL THESE THE DAY BEFORE COMPETITION.
• Include plenty of high-water content fruits and vegetables in your diet, especially melon, cucumber, spinach, courgettes, tomatoes, all lettuces, mushrooms and carrots.
• Have some fresh soup and salad at lunchtime. Vegetable soups contain masses of water, as well as providing you with many essential vitamins, minerals and fibre.
• Snack on vegetable crudités, or fruit and avoid salty snacks such as peanuts and crisps. Do not drink lots of water all at once. Your body will not be able to absorb large quantities, and you will find yourself rushing to the loo every 5 minutes!

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Guidelines On Nutritional Supplements

Ask yourself the following:

1. What do I want to achieve from my training
2. Am I getting everything I need from my diet?
3. Is a supplement actually needed
4. What role does this supplement play in my body?
5. What does the available literature say about the benefits and adverse effects of my chosen supplement?
6. Is it a banned substance?

Food is still a superior source of nutrients The body needs many nutrients to stay healthy. Nutrients work in synergy with each other, and never in an isolated way. Carbohydrate, protein and fat (macronutrients) are needed for energy and growth, and vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) serve countless functions in the body, including disease prevention. Whole foods are an excellent source of all these! They are a complex package that provides many essential nutrients as well as other important food substances (rarely found in supplements). A fresh orange, for example, provides, not just vitamin C, but calcium, fibre and fruit sugar (fructose) for energy.

A vitamin C supplement is lacking in these other nutrients. Similarly, whole almonds provide you with energy, protein, calcium, essential fats (which aid calcium absorption), magnesium, B vitamins, fibre etc. If you relied only on calcium supplements and skipped calcium-rich foods, you could easily miss out on the full complement of nutrients you need for healthy bones...get the picture!

Fruit and vegetables contain food substances called phytochemicals, which have been linked to protection and prevention of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes (plus many other diseases). There are great benefits in eating a varied, balanced diet. It is the taste, the colours, flavours, aromas and textures that only whole fresh foods can provide. Remember, the whole is truly greater than the sum of the parts!So, for now, the same advice still stands...eat your greens!

Health supplements should never replace, or ever be used as an excuse to eat anything other than a health-giving, highly nutritious diet. Supplements are an adjunct to a healthy diet and lifestyle. Bear in mind also, that any supplement will be most effective (and sometimes only effective), when used alongside other healthy lifestyle changes, and by those with a normal functioning digestive system. Athletes often benefit from taking a daily Multivitamin and mineral, together with a B Complex and an extra 500-1000mg of vitamin C daily.

If you have any questions or are thinking about taking any nutritional supplements or ergogenic aids, contact a sports nutritionist or seek expert advice.

© Lucy-Ann Prideaux MSc BSc RNutr

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