Mary Jessen: Wellness Makes Cents

You don’t need to be an Olympic Athlete to need good sports nutrition. All exercise needs good nutrition.

At The Games in Helsinki, Finland, in the early 1950s, the average athlete consumed a high-fat diet. The diet consisted of 40% of calories from fats, 40% from carbohydrates, and the remaining 20% from protein.

Today thoughts of nutrition for the athlete has changed. You always have in reserve, about 90 minutes of energy, with carbs being the primary fuel.

Hydration begins before the event. Fluids keep the “engine” running. Fluids are needed for your blood. 60% of your body is made up of water. Even slight dehydration can have a huge impact on your body and sports performance. As little as 1-2% hydration loss can lead to reduced strength. It can also reduce agility and decrease focus. There is an increased risk for injury, along with a faster time to fatigue.

When you “thirst mechanism” kicks in, it means that your concentration of electrolytes in your blood stream has gone up. Sodium is the main mineral lost in sweat. Sweat is made up of water and electrolytes.. A typical person will only replace 50% of the fluid lost when satiation kicks in. (Your body will say: don’t need more.) But you only recovered 50% of fluid lost.

Your body will say “quenched!” before there really is enough fluid replaced. The average adult loses 2 liters of fluid per day though sweat, urine, perspiration, and bowel movements. That’s why the recommendation to drink 8 glasses of water per day for proper hydration. This keeps your body fluids at the best level.

The challenge is when you drink only water: you are not replacing glycogen stores. You will run out of energy in a little over 90 minutes….regardless of who your are.

BEFORE THE EVENT: An athlete needs to be hydrated BEFORE the event. Drinking small amounts of cool liquids early and often during exercise is also recommended. Before a sports event, don’t forget fruits. They are high in fluids. Watermelon, celery, cucumbers, carrots, and broccoli are all good sources.

When you are dehydrated, water will not work. You need to replenish electrolytes and glycogen. Glycogen comes from carbohydrates, altho it is not technically a carbohydrate. When you eat the carb, your body digests them and turns them into glycogen. Glycogen then converts into glucose and is used for fuel. Glycogen is stored glucose.

AFTER THE SPORTS EVENT: Recovery is important. Have a protein/carb snack (chocolate milk works!) Additionally, a full recovery nutritious meal should be eaten within 2 hours to replenish what was used up. I also encourage a cup of Shaklee’s HYDRATE for glycogen restoration.

And SLEEP: When we rest, especially when we sleep, the damage from the exercise is repaired, leading to muscle growth. Even a small child will experience some muscle damage. A nap does help the body recover. Encourage a good night’s sleep. This is where the Warm cup of milk or chocolate milk will help your child recover and sleep.

The longer and better we sleep, the more time for muscle tissue to regenerate and grow. While you are sleeping, your body continues to digest carbs from your diet. It metabolizes them into glycogen. The glycogen is then stored in muscle cells to fuel the muscle. Adequate sleep also promotes a stronger immune system.

Shaklee does offer a great recovery product: RECOVER, PM RECOVERY COMPLEX. This unique blend of natural ingredients help your muscles relax so they can rebuild from the exercise, Boswellia Extract for pain, and also Safflower Extract, help you sleep. (Boswellia is an old, old natural remedy for pain.)

Make sleep an important routine of the day. As getting ready for work or school is important, getting ready for bed is also crucial. Establishing a routine for your body to sleep, rest, and restore is necessary.

You might need a pain reliever due to an extra hard workout, but getting good rest is the most important part of your day. RECOVERY from any kind of exercise or daily routines. You always need that good night’s sleep.

If you want a more personal coaching for you or your athlete, I’ll be glad to chat. We can talk foods in greater depth. We can talk timing of foods and which ones to travel with you for restoration. Message me for an appointment.

#fitness #athlete #nutrition #hydration

https://wellness.maryjessen.com