Sports coaching and nutrition – What’s the best diet to secure your sports goals?

Focus on the different diets you can adopt to ensure your sporting goals and a balanced diet.

A healthy and balanced diet is an essential part of any athlete's toolbox.

What you eat has a direct impact on your energy levels, recovery time and overall performance. When it comes to sports coaching and nutrition, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The best diet for you will depend on your specific athletic goals.

In this blog post, we'll explore some of the various diets athletes can adopt to help them achieve their sports goals.

Also, we will introduce you to the diet calculator, integrated into the Featness application, which will allow you to monitor your eating according to your own sports profile in real time.

Carbohydrate loading diet: the right diet for high sports performances

Carb loading is a popular diet among endurance athletes. This regimen consists in increasing carbohydrates consumption 7 to 12 days before an event in order to increase glycogen storage in the muscles for getting extra energy during exercise. It works because burning carbs produces more energy than burning fat, so having adequate reserves of carbohydrates makes it easier to achieve peak performance.

To fill up on carbs, increase the servings of carbohydrates for each meal before your sporting event, or add additional snacks such as energy bars or gels during your training.

Protein and Strength Training: Eating for Muscle Growth

If you are an athlete looking to gain strength or muscle mass, you need to focus your diet on adequate protein intake.

Protein is the core component of muscle tissue and without it you won't be able to increase your size or strength. Aim for 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day (0.5 - 0.8 grams per lb). You can get these proteins through foods such as lean meats, fish, eggs and dairy products.

To fill up on protein before your sports session, you can opt for particularly suitable protein snacks, such as for example whey protein.

It's also important to consume enough calories overall to fuel your workouts and your muscle growth. Make way for a balanced diet with lots of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Healthy fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil are also important for muscle growth.

Ketogenic diet: for improving your sports performance

The fat-adapted diet is a newer approach that is becoming more popular amongst athletes. This diet focuses on getting most of your calories from fat, rather than carbs. Proponents of this diet claim that it can improve athletic performance and increase fat burning during exercise.

For this diet, consume a greater amount of healthy fats like avocados, olive oil, nuts/seeds, and fatty fish. We also advise you to limit your consumption of processed carbohydrates and sugar. It is important to note that adapting to fat takes time - usually several weeks - and is not suitable for everyone.

Three types of diets up close: are they suitable for athletes?

The paleo diet: a good idea for athletes?

In recent years, the paleo diet has become increasingly popular as a way to lose weight and improve overall health. This diet is based on the idea that humans should eat the same foods as our hunter-gatherer ancestors, before the advent of agriculture. This includes lean meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.

Proponents of the paleo diet claim it can help with weight loss, improve cardiovascular health, and reduce inflammation throughout the body. However, some experts have expressed reservations about the suitability of the paleo diet for high-performance athletes and intensive sports such as high-intensity training sessions (HIIT). Before embarking on such a diet, don’t forget to seek advice from a healthcare professional.

The Mediterranean diet: the Latin spirit on your plate

The Mediterranean diet is a heart-healthy eating plan that focuses on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds. It also includes olive oil as the main source of fat and allows moderate amounts of protein and dairy. This diet is a good option for athletes because it provides a high supply of carbohydrates and calories to support training while promoting overall health.

The vegan diet: is it suitable for athletes?

The vegan diet excludes all animal products, including meat, eggs, dairy, and honey. This diet is healthy for athletes if it’s well planned and includes plenty of nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, and seeds.

However, it is important to note that the vegan diet does not provide natural sources of vitamin B12, so you may need dietary supplements to keep up with your training and be in top shape.

Eating well is not enough, staying well hydrated remains the basis of a successful sports training.

Make sure you drink enough water throughout the day and during your workouts. The recommended fluid intake for athletes is 3-4 litres per day (5-7pt). Electrolyte supplements may also be beneficial to help replace electrolytes lost through sweat.

Manage your diet according to your own sports practice thanks to the diet calculator with an integrated AI by Featness

No need to look for the diet that would suit you anymore, the Featness app manages your diet for you according to your own sports practice thanks to its diet calculator with integrated AI. The sports coaching app adjusts the nutrient needs of athletes, helping them achieve their sports goals without compromising on nutrition.

Mass gain food plan or weight loss food plan, ultimately, you are the one to provide all the information to the application upstream, then you just have to follow its advice!

The Featness app also reminds you to stay hydrated and provides you with some feedback on your progress over time. Ultimately, Featness is the ideal companion for competitive athletes who want to optimise their performance and maximise their results, both dietary and athletic!

Subscribe to the Featness application in just a few clicks and take power over your diet and your sports practice simultaneously!

Publié le 04/12/2022