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Nutrition for Kiteboarding, Part 2

November 15, 2005 Print This ArticleShare

Author: Trainer-X

Daily Nutritional Needs

Kite boarders require the majority of daily dietary intake to come from carbohydrates (CHO) to maintain stamina and replenish lost glycogen stores (carbohydrates stored in muscle) during practice and weight training.

For athletes, the American and Canadian Dietetics Associations recommend 55 to 58 percent of calories be carbohydrate, 12 to15 percent protein and 25 to 30 percent fat. However these are the minimum requirements. The following plan has been altered with increased fat and protein levels.

Read on for tips on how to eat smart.

The Training Diet

The recommendations of the training diet suggest that a meal should be comprised of 55 to 60 percent CHO, 20 to 25 percent protein and 15 to 20 percent fat. The goal of the training diet is to provide adequate energy for recovery and tissue repair quickly and efficiently – without adding body fat – thus maintaining a high strength-to-weight ratio. For simplicity, if you ate 2,000 calories a day, 55 percent of that is 1,100 calories from CHO, which is equal to 275 grams of carbohydrates (there are 4 calories of CHO per gram; thus, 1100/4 = 275 g of CHO per day. For protein, there are 4 calories of protein for gram also). For some it is easier to keep track of grams than calories.

Protein

Some research suggests that protein should be 1.4-1.7 g/kg bodyweight (bodyweight in kg = bodyweight in pounds / 2.2 kg) per day or as high as 2g/kg bodyweight per day in athletes. The Recommended Daily Allowance of 0.8 g/kg bodyweight per day protein is based on what is healthy for the average sedentary individual, which is not necessarily enough for athletes – particularly younger athletes, who may still be growing.

The additional protein is crucial not only for muscle repair, but also as an additional energy source. Competitive diving is intense, and the body may start using its own muscle as an energy source if it is over-training. Because it is so difficult to build and maintain muscle, athletes should be careful not to lose it.

Fat

Keep fat intake to 15 percent of your total calories, consisting primarily of essential and monounsaturated fats. Essential fatty acids are a type of fat that the body cannot create from fish, flax seeds and walnuts. Monounsaturated fats, which are fats with one binding site, can come from olive or canola oils, seeds and/or avocados.

For someone consuming 2,000 calories a day, the fat intake should be about 400 calories. This is equal to about 44 to 67 grams (each fat gram contains nine calories).

Fat is used as fuel for endurance, but it also aids in neural recovery. Keeping your fat intake to less than 15 percent may have a harmful effect by inhibiting absorption of those vitamins that dissolve in fat, and it has no effect on improving your body fat percentage. Because of the type of energy systems involved in all forms of kite boarding, fat is used the least. Therefore, by keeping fat intake low, you will have less likelihood of adding any body fat.

Pre-Heat Meal

The primary purpose of the pre-heat meal is to offset fatigue during the competition. There is no one-size-fits-all prescription for the pre-heat meal. Different people react differently to the same foods. Athletes should try to find food that won’t cause GI distress and will help to maintain focus and endurance. A few guidelines:

  • In the days prior to a competition, try to pattern your eating schedule to what it will be on the big day.
  • Eat your last training meal three to four hours prior to the competition
  • Eat lightly approximately one to two hours before a competition. Try a banana, cereal bar or grapes.
  • The meal should consist of low-glycemic index complex carbohydrates, keeping protein and fat intakes low because these slow digestion.
  • Avoid bulky foods. They may stimulate bowel movements. Bulky foods include raw fruits and vegetables, dry beans, peas and popcorn.
  • Avoid gas-forming foods such as vegetables from the cabbage family and cooked dry beans.
  • Drink water to be adequately hydrated. One suggestion is to drink two cups of cool water one to two hours before the event. Follow this by drinking one to two cups of fluid 15 minutes before the event. Pay attention to the temperature and humidity because more may be needed. Make note of bladder response to such an intake so the need to “go” won't arise during competition.
  • A debatable tactic you may want to try is eating 30 to 60 minutes prior to the game, consuming 0.7-1.0g CHO/kg (0.3-0.5g CHO/lb.) of bodyweight. Try this during a practice session first because it may cause lethargy while training.
  • Avoid drastic changes in normal diet routine immediately prior to competition.
  • Some athletes prefer to use their favorite foods that may give them a psychological edge.
  • Immediately before your workout and event, consume a high-glycemic carbohydrate drink to keep your blood sugar sustained at an appropriate level.

Recovery

DO NOT FORGET the post-match meal!

Consume carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages within 30 minutes or as soon as possible after a competition or a long day practicing. Because a diving meet can last four to six days, recovery between days will largely be dependent on food and rest. Eating within about 30 minutes of training or meet can have an effect on performance 24 hours later. CHO-rich foods will replenish glycogen stores quickly and return the diver to optimal performance shape for the next meet.

The Post-Meet meal might not be necessary if the athlete was properly sipping CHO during the meet.

Watch overall calorie consumption for the day to avoid unwanted weight gain.

After physical activity lasting longer than an hour, the body best restores lost glycogen when carbohydrates and protein are consumed together in a ratio of 4:1 or 3:1, rather than simply consuming carbohydrates alone. Furthermore, the combination of CHO and protein has the added benefit of stimulating amino acid transport, protein synthesis and muscle tissue repair, all of which will further speed recovery and re-energize you for your next competition.

Products such as Endurox R4 by Endurox and Recoverite by Hammer Gel will provide both nutrients. If you are in a bind and do not have access to one of these specially formulated drinks, another option is drinking 20 oz. of chocolate milk post-exercise.

It is better to consume the meal as a liquid in order to facilitate recovery faster, and follow with a variety of whole-foods between three and four hours later.

Replace fluids that have been lost. For every pound that is lost, drink two cups of water. This must be determined by taking weight measurements pre- and post-competition or following the end of your day.

Return to your Training Diet, following the prescribed percentages, at your next meal.

Alcohol

Alcohol is readily available at kite boarding competitions both for the audience and riders at any time and especially after the event. The temptation to binge drink may come more for a celebration of victory or a gathering to ease the pain of defeat. A sensible amount will not hinder performance or health, however alcohol intake can interfere with post-exercise recovery. You need to know what “a sensible amount” is for your own tolerance. In general, this means one drink for women and two for men.

But alcohol intake can interfere with the game and post-exercise recovery.

Get a post-exercise meal and fluids in first before drinking any alcohol. This way, less alcohol will have a tendency to be absorbed into the bloodstream and pass into the small intestine with the rest of the food.

Avoid any alcohol 24 hours post-exercise if you have any soft tissue injuries or bruises. Alcohol and injuries are a bad combination, and it may actually increase swelling, bleeding and delay recovery.


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