Welcome back to Kickin’ it with Kiki! I am super excited for this weeks topic because I find this information SOOOO useful. 

Since I started my journey, I have found that knowing what your body should be consuming is very important. Without the correct food and amount of water in your system, you will not be able to perform to the best of your ability. 

For that reason, I am providing the top 10 nutrition tips that I find most useful:

 Top 10 Nutrition Tips for Athletes

• Eat A Lot Of Carbohydrates
  • Carbohydrates provide the highest amount of energy for workouts, they ensure that you do not get too tired during competition or workouts. Carbs should make up about 60 percent of your total calories for the day because it replaces glycogen that is used during workouts and competitions. 
• Drink A TON Of Water
  • Water is important to help your body avoid injury and perform at the highest level possible. Because so much is lost through sweat during a competition, keeping water or adding a sports drink during and after long practices or competitions is very important.  
• Include Protein In Your Diet
  • Protein is needed for athletes’ muscles to recover and grow. With that being said, it should make up about 15 percent of your total calories for the day because protein is SO important in an athlete’s diet. 
• Replace Electrolytes After Workouts
  • During workouts and competitions electrolytes are lost through sweat and they are needed to help your muscles recover from a hard workout. Drinking a lot of water OR having a sports drink filled with electrolytes after a workout are key to keeping your body feeling good and ensuring you do not feel sluggish. 
• Get Enough Sleep
  • Sleep is vital for athletes because that is the longest amount of time your body has to recover from the day before. Athletes should be getting an adequate amount of sleep to be fully recovered and rested up for the next competition or the next day of lifting. 
• Never Skip Breakfast
  • I’m sure you have heard people say, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but it truly is. Eating breakfast sets your digestive system up for the day and gives you the energy to get your day going. 
• Recovery Food Is Just As Important As Pre-Workout Food
  • The right amount and types of food are needed for your body to recover correctly. I have learned that eating a peanut butter sandwich or drinking a glass of chocolate milk helps my body recover and gets me feeling tip-top in no time.
• Eat For Your Sport
  • This can mean a lot of different things but the easiest way to explain it is that each sport requires a different amount and type of food to thrive. For example, a runner should eat more carbohydrates because they will use the highest amount energy and need a lot of recovery. 
• Eat Balanced Meals
  • Every meal should consist of carbohydrates and some type of protein but every food group should also be included. This ensures that your body will feel fueled and ready to go for the whole day and it will not hit a wall. Hitting a wall results in feeling sluggish and not being able to perform at your best. 
• Avoid Caffeine
  • Caffeine is extremely dehydrating so avoid it at all costs on game day or before a workout. 

Hopefully these will end up helping you in the long run… no pun intended. Following these tips, or even just a few of them, will help you become a BEAST in whatever sport you are competing in. 

Stay positive through the tough time, stay healthy, and have a great week!