All about Nutrients and Training

Knowing each of the nutrients in food, their functions, and when to consume more of one or another is essential for those who train their body. So here I explain everything about nutrients!

Our diet has an essential purpose in body training; the nutrients that we incorporate into it will be the fuel that will stimulate the body during exercise and keep us in optimal health.

If you don’t already know, it’s by incorporating the proper nutrients, whether for energy or even building or repairing tissue, that we’ll be able to meet our training goals.

First of all, as we have seen in different articles,  we must remember that food is energy. Our primary energy sources are carbohydrates, followed by fats and proteins, respectively.

We must not forget that there are also micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, elements of vital importance for our health and metabolic processes, which must also be incorporated through food.

This is why it is of the-utmost importance, for those who are just starting in the practice of any sport,  to know all these groups of nutrients and how they influence our training,  regardless of the discipline we practice.

WATER

Although all nutrients are essential, we should not underestimate one over another since a deficit in any of them can generate critical imbalances that will compromise our health.

However, we will all agree with saying that  WATER IS THE ONE THAT CAN NEVER BE MISSING, since it is in this environment where the necessary metabolic reactions will take place, within our cells, to keep us in an optimal state of health.

Our bodies consist primarily of water, it is vital to maintain fluid levels, and both extremes of fluid intake should be avoided.

In other words,  WE MUST AVOID A DEHYDRATION PICTURE: which can lead to dramatic problems in our health if it lasts for long periods. Still, we must also avoid a state of hyperhydration, which will generate an imbalance of electrolytes (or minerals).

THE CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source in our diet, amounting to approximately 60% of the food consumed.

CARBOHYDRATES  can be considered of two types:  simple and complex.

The difference lies in the rate at which our bodies can process them. This speed is classified as the glycemic index or GI for short. And it is something significant to take into account in sports nutrition.

THE GLYCEMIC INDEX

Diabetes patients well know the GI index as it has been created as a reference to help them cope with their disease.

The GI index shows which foods release energy faster or slower.

Glycemic index

This is very useful in any activity since it allows us to adjust the diet before training or competing and thus obtain better quality results.

The main idea is simple:  before exercising, you should eat foods that offer a slow release of energy to maintain energy consumption levels throughout its development.

After training,  we will need to restore glucose levels quickly, and we will do this using carbohydrates with a high GI.

Glycemic Index charts are also beneficial in creating well-balanced eating regimens; combining high and low GI foods at meals is a way to balance energy release.

If our diet is based on a weight loss regimen, it should incorporate more low GI foods.

The Western diet contains high amounts of simple carbohydrates such as sugar; this is a safe way to gain weight.

So if you want to keep your carbohydrate intake in check, you should eat moderate amounts of simple carbohydrates.

PROTEINS

PROTEINS  will be used in building muscles and many other vitally critical enzymatic functions; however, we are not obliged to ingest them in large quantities unless our goal is to increase muscle tissue considerably.

Lean meats are a-good source of protein, as are fish, poultry, and dairy products.

In our previous article on  THE 7 BEST TYPES OF PROTEIN FOODS, you can find much more information on this point.

FATS OR LIPIDS

LIPIDS  include different organic substances that are insoluble in water.

The three main nutritional lipids are triglycerides (the main form in which it is found in food and the state in which they are stored in the body), cholesterol, and phospholipids.

Although they are associated with overweight, fats are essential in the sports diet, but quantities or very high.

Athletics’ lipid needs are different from those of the rest of the population due to energy and metabolic expenditure, which establishes a range that oscillates between 20 and 35% of total energy intake.

A healthy diet needs various types of fats, but the foods that we should avoid contain saturated fats; these are not healthy at all.

In contrast, the large percentage of lipids that we must incorporate in the diet are unsaturated fats present in various fish and some oils.

VITAMINS AND MINERALS

These are essential in the body’s different metabolic processes and have infinite functions depending on the type in question.

VITAMINS and  MINERALS  occur naturally in food, so if your diet contains a wide variety of natural products, then you technically do not need to supplement with vitamin supplements.

The only exception would be a vegetarian diet where certain nutrients cannot be replaced as effectively.

CONCLUSION ON NUTRIENTS IN SPORTS

With all that said, we can conclude by stating that our diet goes hand in hand with our physical condition and that we must adapt both to our goals.

I say goodbye with a phrase that sums up sports nutrition, which applies to everything in life:  “make sure you avoid extremes” this will always bring us adverse effects.

Maintaining balance and fitness will help us obtain the best results.