Define Nutritional Needs during Exercise?
During Exercise: Addressing the nutritional needs during training is essential for optimal performance. The focus should be to:
- maintain water balance and body temperature control,
- maintain normal blood sugar levels,
- Fuel muscles and brain, and
- Delay fatigue.
Maintaining normal body temperature during exercise is essential. Heat is a by product of muscular work, and excess heat must be dissipated. The higher the intensity of the exercise, the more the athlete sweats to cool the body. Water lost by sweating needs to be replaced during exercise or the athlete's core temperature will rise and cause his body to overheat. Even being a little dehydrated can weaken the performance. Mental and physical fatigue results from dehydration. During the limited time available between the events like in terms, athletic events, boxing, the consumption of adequate carbohydrate and fluids may be taken care of. In shorter breaks, carbohydrate rich foods like banana, juices, carbohydrate based drinks or simply water may be taken. Carbonated beverages that contain caffeine must be avoided.As the duration of high intensity events continues, muscle glycogen levels diminish. For endurance athletes, carbohydrate rich solids or liquid meals are recommended during exercise lasting longer than two hours.