Contents
What should athletes eat every day?
Nutrition guidelines for training and sports
The following guidelines are intended for people who play competitive sports, that is to say, for people who practice a constant sport during the week, such as running, or training for a sports league, be it football, basketball, tennis, etc.
In these cases, a number of tips, in addition to following the diet, should be taken into account: Noon food, before training, should be done at least two hours before the sport to be able to do the digestion correctly and should contain:
- Foods rich in carbohydrates such as pasta, but also with a low glycemic index such as legumes and vegetables, milk and lactic derivatives as yogurts, curds, cottage cheese, etc.
- Foods low in protein and fat, to have a fast and not heavy digestion, such as white meat, (chicken, rabbit, turkey, etc.)
- Foods with low fiber, to avoid a possible discomfort from flatulence during training, such as avoiding fruit with a lot of pulp. For example, it is preferable that an orange is consumed in the form of juice instead of natural; or that vegetables green leaves are preferable, contrary to those of cabbage type.
- Make an intake of ½ liter of liquid in small sips two hours before the sport. If we take a bottle of water, we can facilitate constant intake and gradually throughout the day.
- Eat properly the food that precedes the activity. On the day of the match or competition, it is necessary that the food that precedes said activity is performed correctly, to have the necessary energy.
WEEKLY MENU FOR SPORTS AND COMPETITION SPORTS
Below you can see a weekly menu for people practicing competition sports. It offers 5 meals a day. The main meals consist of three dishes, in most of which can be consulted as prepared, their ingredients, etc.
If the training is done for example on Friday afternoon and the games are played on Saturday morning, throughout the week, you can follow the following food guidelines:
Salads are very appetizing dishes that athletes can eat, especially during dinner
MONDAY
- Breakfast: A glass of milk with cocoa
- Half morning: Cheese sandwich with a natural orange juice
- Lunch: Macaroni with tomato, Potatoes, onions and baked pepper, An apple
- Snack before training: Yogurt with cereals and a banana
- Dinner: Mixed salad, Bread with tomato and asparagus omelette, A natural or flavored yogurt
TUESDAY
- Breakfast: A glass of milk with cocoa
- Half morning: Cheese sandwich with a pineapple juice
- Lunch: Mashed potatoes and leeks, Fried Tempeh with onion and eggplant, Two mandarins
- Snack before training: Yogurt with cereals and a pear
- Dinner: Carrot soup, Tofu with salad, A yogurt
Legumes such as lentils provide energy and accumulate strength for the day of competition. In the photo a very easy vegetarian recipe of lentils
WEDNESDAY
- Breakfast: A glass of milk with cocoa
- Half morning: Cheese sandwich with a natural orange juice
- Lunch: Lentils with spinach, Textured soy with pepper, A yogurt
- Snack before training: Yogurt with cereals and a banana
- Dinner: Bread with tomato and a piece of artichoke omelette, One apple
THURSDAY
- Breakfast: A glass of milk with cocoa
- Half morning: Cheese sandwich with a pineapple juice
- Lunch: Fried rice with leeks, Boiled beans, A banana
- Snack before training: Yogurt with cereals and a pear
- Dinner: Boiled potatoes and vegetables, Tempeh with pasta, A yogurt
Fruit should be part of the menu for athletes. In the photo you can see a fruit salad
FRIDAY
- Breakfast: A glass of milk with cocoa
- Half morning: Cheese sandwich with a natural orange juice
- Lunch: Chickpea stew with spinach, Omelette of an egg, A yogurt
- Snack before training: Yogurt with cereals and a banana
- Dinner: Green peas with vegetables, Seitan with vegetable bloody sauce, A kiwi
SATURDAY
- Breakfast: Yogurt smoothie with a banana and two walnuts (before the game)
- Half morning: (after the match) natural orange juice, Bread sandwich with fresh cheese
- Lunch: Vegetable gratin, Millet soup with soy milk, An apple
- Snack: Yogurt with cereals and a pear
- Dinner: Mushroom Pizza, A Yogurt
SUNDAY
- Breakfast: A glass of milk with cacao
- Half morning: Cheese sandwich with a pineapple juice
- Lunch: Mixed semolina, Seitan pinchitos with stewed mushrooms, Two mandarins
- Snack: Yogurt with cereals and a banana
- Dinner: Cauliflower salad, Two little cheese sandwiches, A yogurt
* Related information:
An ideal fruit for doing sports
More information on natural vegetarian food for sport.
