The Athlete's Diet

Following a healthy diet is important for everyone. But the type of diet you should follow depends heavily on your goals. For athletes, the right protein and carbohydrate intake is crucial; these can be considered the body's fuel and oil.

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins
• Quality and Quantity
• Eight examples of healthy eating
• Conclusion

Carbohydrates

The more exercise one does, the more carbohydrates are consumed. As a result, most of what an athlete eats consists of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are readily available from fruit, pasta, and grain products. Sugars are also carbohydrates, but these should be avoided.

Unfortunately, there's also a downside to carbohydrates: carbohydrates that aren't used are stored as (reserve) fat. Therefore, it's important to track how many carbohydrates you consume and how much you take in, to find a healthy balance.

Proteins

Proteins are used for muscle recovery. These can be obtained from meat, fish, dairy, and bread. The amount of protein needed varies from person to person. However, a normal person needs 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. Highly avid athletes may exceed this amount.

Quality and Quantity

A healthy diet is not only about what you eat, but also about variety. For example, eating bread, contrary to popular belief, is actually very healthy. As long as you don't eat bread every day for every meal.

It's also important to eat regularly. Eating regularly makes you less likely to grab something unhealthy, like a bag of candy or chips. Eating regularly is also good for your metabolism.

Also look at the food pyramid for a good balance and variety in your meals.

Eight examples of healthy eating