Doing physical activity has to go beyond just walking a couple of blocks or a few times a week or practicing only yoga at home on a chronological basis. Exercise implies dedication, discipline and perseverance, due to the effort involved in practicing it, for many people it is very difficult to include it in their daily routine.
However, its important to include it in our habits, especially as we know how to apply it, and thus be able to maximize the results we want to obtain. It should not necessarily be a strenuous routine. Taking advantage of the benefits of the balance between food and sport, helps us adapt effectively to fight day by day.
We will always have doubts about consumption before and after doing sports, or high-performance physical activity. Certain group of foods you could add their consumption, or modify how many times a day we have to eat, but really if we need supplements or not, and need? But of course, if we are not elite athletes, there is no need to worry excessively, although it is never more than having the correct orientation of how our body works to learn to care for and fulfill our goals.
The called “macro”, macronutrients.
Carbohydrates: They provide energy but you have to know which ones … And Products mainly from cereals, legumes, dairy products, fruits or vegetables.
Proteins: They work as energy precursors and we obtain them from vegetables, legumes, red meats, fish, eggs, milk, cheeses. It is important to know that it is the most important macronutrient for muscle synthesis.
Fats: energetic, regulatory function at the hormonal level. We can obtain it from oils, butter, nuts, fish, eggs, avocado, meat and dairy.
How can we use these macronutrients for a better use?
Sport generates waste and muscle destruction. That’s why its important to have the recommended daily basic protein needs (approximately 1.2-1.8 grams per kg of body weight). It will also depend on the type of exercise performed. It helps muscle repair and prevents negative wear. It is important that they are of high biological value, but if you want to gain muscle, it is good to include protein throughout the day in different intakes with amino acids.
The greater the physical effort and the more dependence on muscle glycogen, the more energy is obtained, reducing carbohydrates, which will decrease the fat that is no longer needed, generating other energy mechanisms in a short period of time. In these cases, it will be important the previous intake of carbohydrates, and help to keep the glycogen deposits full (so a balanced diet is recommended to the requirements of an assessment by a health professional to adjust it according to training you do.
You must know that each person is a world, both at a sporting level and those who like to merely exercise. For this reason, treatments must be personalized, be it eating several times a day, three or even special diets. That is why I invite you to do the test with our nutrition specialist in IREGA.
Lic. Ntr. David Mendoza Ortiz
Responsable of Nutrition Unite at Irega Cancun.
1.- Peraita-Costa, I., & Morales-Suarez-Varela, M. (2018). Ingesta dietética de macronutrientes y suplementos en un grupo de estudiantes según su práctica deportiva. Rev Esp Nutr Comunitaria, 24(4).