Food as Fuel

Your body needs fuel to provide energy, just like cars need petrol! Getting the right balance of nutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat), vitamins and minerals is essential for maintaining health and stamina. If you're training quite hard, have special dietary requirements or need advice on weight management, you may wish to consult with a professional, but here are few general guidelines:

• Carbohydrates: These are your key food source. they are broken down the carbohydrate in food to simple sugars, mainly glucose, which are absorbed by the body. Physically active people need to eat carbohydrates for energy. Some carbohydrate foods will maintain energy levels for hours, while others may cause blood glucose to rise and fall more rapidly. The glycaemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrate foods according to their impact on blood glucose levels. A low GI meal/snack a few hours before exercise can help maintain energy levels for more effective training. High GI foods or fluids provide a rapid source of energy during exercise. After higher intensity exercsie, a higher GI snack (such as a white bread sandwich) should be eaten within 30 minutes, this will help replace energy and start the recovery process. For more information on the GI of particular foods see Diabetes Australia website.
• Protein: Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks for the body eg. muscles, hair, skin, blood cells, enzymes, hormones and antibodies. Active people need extra protein to build muscle, repair muscle damage caused by strenuous exercise and as a fuel, but this doesn't mean you need to consume extra protein. In fact, most Australians consume more than enough dietary protein. To ensure protein is available for muscle building and repair, it is important to input enough energy and carbohydrate so excessive protein is not used up as a fuel source. Protein-rich foods include meat, fish, eggs, dairy products, beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. Strict vegetarians need to make sure that they gain their protein from a variety of plant foods.
• Iron: Iron has an important role in many of the body's functions including transportation of oxygen, enzymes for energy production and a healthy immune system. Menstruating women, vegetarians and atheletes in training are some of the people at risk of iron deficiency. Food sources of iron include red meat, offal, eggs, spinach, nuts and fortified breakfast cereals.
• Calcium: As well as building strong bones and teeth, calcium has a crucial role in the the functioning of nerves and muscle tissue. Good sources of calcium include dairy foods and calcium fortified products such as soymilk and breakfast cereals. Other sources are canned sardines and salmon (with bones), leafy green vegetables, some nuts and seeds.
• Fluids: In general, we need 6-8 glasses of fluids per day. More than 8 glasses is often recommended for the physically active, those exposed to warm or hot conditions and breast-feeding mothers. Try this hydration calculator to see how many glasses of water you need per day to stay hydrated. Water is the best drink but weak tea, herbal teas and low-fat milk are also good choices. Drink at least half a litre of fluids in the two hours before exercising. During the activity, aim to drink about 200ml every 20 minutes or so. After exercising, drink around half a litre of water. Urine colour is a good indication of hydration level, so you should aim for a clear or very pale colour.

Don't forget to eat plenty of fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables and wholegrains as well as moderate amounts of nuts, seeds, dairy, meat, fish, eggs and legumes.