Maximizing Performance: Nutrition and Hydration for Sports Performance

When it comes to performance- at work, at home, in the gym, or on the water, who doesn’t want to be operating at their best? If you’re here reading this, we’re going to confidently assume that you like feeling good and producing good results, and if you don’t then you’re most likely seeking how to do so. That being said, WE’RE STOKED YOU’RE HERE!

Because success in sports hinges on strength, skill, speed, and endurance, physical training usually takes precedence over other pillars of preparation, but nutrition and hydration influence your training sessions as well as impact your performance and recovery. There’s a transformative power in how you fuel up, so let’s dig into why it matters and how to make it happen.

Before you start a training session, you’ve gotta find motivation to get up and get going or if you already have the motivation, it’s because you’re on a dedicated schedule. Ever tried to get going after a long night with a few too many drinks? Motivated? Probably not. Easy? Not at all. So why make something that’s already difficult, even harder? In a similar way, what you eat makes this kind of difference too. Even though your body might “burn off that cheat meal” or “this one time it won’t make a difference”, it’s about being mindful. That one meal or that one weekend might not set you back looking at the big picture, but as an athlete with goals, it’s important to stay mindful of the smaller pieces so that you don’t get off track, lose your progress, and lose your motivation.

When you’re hydrated, electrolytes are in balance, you’re well rested, you’re in the sweet spot between nourished and not yet hungry, its a whole lot easier to give 100% during a training session. And when you can give 100% in your training sessions, it’s that much easier for you to give 110% during competition. 

Through my 6 years of experience as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I learned how everyone is unique to their gastrointestinal tract, microbiome, and food tolerances which is why I’m not going to tell you exactly what you should eat, but I will tell you some of the things to focus on to fit into your lifestyle that will help meet your performance goals. 

• HYDRATE: You already know that you should be drinking more water, so sip on more water, more frequently.
• CALORIES IN VS CALORIES OUT: No one loves to do it, but by tracking your calories, even just for a day or a week will give you a true idea of if you’re eating enough or eating too much. Pay attention to how you feel during training in relation to what you eat that day and the day prior.
• MORE PLANTS: Plants are our greatest source of antioxidants and we need them because as oxygen consumption increases during physical exercise, so does the production of free radicals. The antioxidants found in natural plant foods is one of the best ways to counter this oxidative stress and combat inflammation so our bodies have the energy and ability to function at a higher capacity.
• PLENTY OF PROTEIN: In order for your muscles to recover efficiently and maintain or grow muscle mass, protein needs to be consumed in adequate amounts at adequate times. Get as much protein as you can from plant sources, then use animal sources and protein supplements if needed.
• CARBS ARE YOUR FRIEND: The first and main source of fuel for your muscles are carbohydrates. More carbs prior to, during, and after moderate and intense activity will help maintain your energy levels while improving muscular endurance.
• DON’T FEAR FATS: Fats are essential to balanced hormones and daily functions, but avoid high saturated fats and instead consume the healthy unsaturated fats.
• LIMIT INFLAMMATORY FOODS: Processed foods with additives such as sugar, artificial sweeteners, MSG, food coloring, oils, as well as dairy, gluten, refined flour products, red meat, fried food, and alcohol all contribute to inflammation. Inflammation can decrease immunity, lead to chronic health conditions, impede muscular recovery, and cause tissue damage.
• SOURCE YOUR SUPPLEMENTS: It’s nearly impossible to reach your Recommended Daily Intake for all macro and micro nutrients so that’s why you should figure out what you’re lacking and find the best supplements to fit in in your diet, whether its a daily vitamin, protein powder, or other supplement. By tracking your food you can get a good idea of both macro and micro nutrient intake, but certain lab panels can also help give long term insight to what you need.

To calculate your personal nutritional needs, use the suggestions below:

Hydration

Hydration in exercise must include adequate electrolytes, particularly sodium and potassium.

Prior to activity, drink 5-10 milliliters of fluid per kilogram of body weight and 170-200 milligrams of sodium per 8 ounces of fluid.

During activity, consume a minimum of 1.5-3.5 cups (400-800 milliliters) of fluid during activity. Use the sweat rate formula for a more specific amount: (weight difference x 16) + fluid consumed/ amount of time in activity. You should only lose 2% of your body weight while sweating. You should weigh yourself before and after exercise to help determine this. If you lose more, you will need to drink more fluid during activity. Athletes should consume 170-200 milligrams of sodium per 8 ounces of fluid for excessive sweating and exercising for 2 or more hours. Consume 20-50 milligrams of potassium for every 8 ounces of fluid consumed.

Recovery: For every pound lost, drink 2.5-3 cups of fluid to replace.

Estimated Caloric Needs

A trusted formula to calculate your estimated caloric intake is the Harrison-Benedict Equation.

For men: 66.5 + (13.8 x weight in kilograms) + (6.25 x height in centimeters) – (6.8 X age), then multiply by activity factor, shown below.

For women: 655.1 + (9.6 x weight in kilograms) + (1.8 x height in centimeters) – (4.7 x age), then multiply by activity factor.

Activity factor

1.2- sedentary (little to no exercise)

1.375- lightly active (light exercise 1-3 days per week)

1.55- moderate (moderate exercise 3-5 days per week)

1.725- very active (hard exercise 6-7 days per week)

1.9- extra active (very hard exercise, physical job, or 2 times training

2.0- extreme activities (elite level athletics)

Protein

Your calories from protein intake should be 10-35% of total daily calories. Endurance athletes are recommended to intake 1.2-1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Ultra-endurance athletes should consume 1.4-2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. Strength gain athletes should consume 1.6-2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight. Vegetarian athletes are advised to increase their protein intake by 10%.

Prior to activity, consume up to 40 grams of protein 3 hours before activity.

During activity, consume a 4:1 or 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein.

After activity, consume at least 20-40 grams of protein or 0.5 grams per kilogram of body weight. This protein should be consumed within the first hour after activity and with a carbohydrate.

Carbohydrates

Your carbohydrate intake should be 40-60% of your daily caloric intake and composed of healthy carbohydrates including whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. For light activity levels, consume 3-5 grams per kilogram of body weight. Moderate training levels should include 5-7 grams per kilogram of body weight. For endurance and high-intensity activity levels, consume 6-10 grams per kilogram of body weight. Ultra-endurance athletes should consume 8-12 grams per kilogram of body weight. 

Prior to activity, consume 1 gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight within the hour before. Increase to 2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight for 2 hours before activity, and so on for 3 grams/3 hours, 4 grams/4 hours.

During activity consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrates for every hour of exercise. Ultra-endurance athletes should consume 60-90 grams of carbohydrates every hour.

After activity consume 1-1.2 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight within the first 15-30 minutes after activity.

Fats

Fat intake should make up 20-35% of daily calories and is approximately 1-3 grams per kilogram of body weight. There are no current recommendations for fat consumption during and after activity.

We hope this info helped to provide some insight to another weapon in your vault. As you fuel your body, remember that your nutrition and hydration can be the real MVP when it comes to your performance. Each choice made in your dietary regimen contributes to leveling up your game, enhancing your endurance, and contributing to energy, speed, and strength. If you’d like to have a conversation about your diet and performance to get you better aligned with your goals, email us to speak with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist!