|
What
Kind of Fuel Can Help You Stay Active
During times of physical activity, you need to make sure
you're eating healthy meals and snacks (and in the right
amounts too). So what kind of "fuel" can help
you be and stay active? Whether you're a recreational athlete
or a serious endurance athlete exercising for several hours
a week, here are suggestions for getting the most out of
your exercise program.
Glucose: fuel for muscles: When you start exercising, your
muscles use mostly glucose (a form of sugar). As you continue
to exercise, your body starts to use fat to produce energy.
But glucose is still very important. In order to have a
steady supply of glucose energy available for exercise,
you need to fill your muscle and liver glucose storage (known
as glycogen), to maximum capacity by eating a carbohydrate-rich
diet. To accomplish this, you should follow Canada's Food
Guide to Healthy Eating and choose fruits, vegetables, and
grain products (preferably whole grains) more often. Grain
products include cereals, pasta, rice, breads, and more.
Before exercising: The amount of time you have before exercising
will determine the amount of food you should eat. For example,
if you are going to start exercising in three to four hours,
you can eat a full meal. If you will be starting to exercise
soon, opt for an easy-to-digest and nutritious light snack.
You can find a few meal and snack ideas in the next section,
for the hours leading up to an activity. But remember, each
person is different and what works for your exercise partner
may not work for you. Listen to your body and choose foods
that give you energy and that you digest easily.
After exercising: If you will be exercising again in one
to two days, stick to a carbohydrate-rich diet to restore
your glycogen reserves. If you will be performing another
activity in less than 24 hours, eat carbohydrate-rich foods
within 30 minutes of the end of your current activity. Some
good choices are fruits, fruit juices, plain biscuits, cereal
bars with fruit filling, fruit yogurts, and different types
of breads.
Hydration: Good hydration is important for top performance.
Drink water, milk, juice, or sport drinks during the hours
leading up to your activity. When exercising, do not wait
until you are thirsty to drink. Consume about 150 mL to
350 mL (2/3 - 1½ cup) of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes.
If your exercise session lasts one hour or less and if you
have eaten enough, water will do. For longer physical activity,
sport drinks or a mixture of water and juice will help you
to keep going longer.
Article Source: Health Sympatico
Article Author: N/A
Net Reference 39
|
