Nutrition
Nutrition has become a significant factor in optimal sporting performance as sports nutrition practice and science develop rapidly. That is why the nutrition and dietetics academy holds that performance and recovery from sporting activities depend on a good nutrition strategy. Besides, competitive athletes need a measurable amount of energy, fluids, and nutrients for optimal growth, composition, and shape. Dietary strategies to enhance performance involve micronutrients, fluids, and macro-nutrients composition daily work more efficiently than exercise training (cite). As a result, nutrition for athlete preparation discussed by the academy of nutrition dietetics indicates that the energy intake requirement is the foundation of an athlete’s diet. It supports ideal body functions and determines the intake capacity of nutrients. Moreover, an athlete’s energy requirement varies depending on the training plan subject to training volume and intensity. But to achieve energy balance, total energy intake must equal total energy expenditure.
Body composition and sports performance focus on how various attributes of an athlete’s physique contribute to performance success. Bodyweight and composition tend to be focal points for an athlete. However, not all athletic performance can be accurately predicted by BW and composition, for there is an aesthetic element in determining performance (cite). An athlete can gain biomechanical advantages, speed, and agility. Still, there is always pressure to maintain certain body composition; thus, sports dietitians should always be aware of the sporting events that require loss and attainment of body mass.
The second theme, based on performance nutrition, emphasizes that pre-sporting, during, and after-sporting strategies should address factors such as electrolyte imbalance, gastrointestinal discomfort, and dehydration. (pdf) indicates that strategies such as increasing essential exercise fluids return the body to homeostasis or triggers adaptation to the stress and balancing fluid intake before, during, and after exercise prevents health risks associated with poor dietary practices. Therefore, dietetics should assist athletes with guidelines to advocate for nutrient intake. Besides, adhering to sports foods enables athletes to prevent nutrient deficiencies and direct ergogenic effects.
Special populations and environments focus on athletes’ varying nutrition and performance with different ethnic, philosophical, and religious health beliefs. Also, environmental factors, such as altitude and extreme settings, influence athlete performance, and nutrition. Moreover, supporting the prevention of chronic exposure to high altitudes settings and maximize the desired effect from altitude training, adequate nutrition is essential such as adequate intake of energy, fluids, carbohydrates, and proteins. Also, there are varying nutritional considerations for extremely cold and hot environments since they require physiological and behavioral adaptations for the athletes to perform optimally.
Sports dietitians have essential roles in directing athletes who seek nutritional guidance to enhance their performances. Besides, sports dietitians require nutritional practice on exercise physiology, clinical nutrition, evidence-based research, and nutrition science; thus, one demonstrates all the skills to help athletes achieve their performance-related goals effectively. Specialists in the world of sport specialize in providing effective, safe guidance and evidence-based nutrition assessment for athletes, sports organizations, and individuals who require their expertise. Also, they interpret test results from urine, blood to determine the presence of illegal supplements.
Overall, access to nutrition information differs from one athlete to another; young and recreational athletes access poor quality information, and elite athletes have specialized sports nutrition information. Quality information on nutrition choices is essential to athletes and individuals to maintain healthy bodies and increase performance outcomes. Nutrition guides foster health practices that enable an individual to avoid injuries, prolonged recovery, and impaired adaptations, thus maximizing a particular sport’s performance demands.