Daily Mail News Release

The Good Fuel Guide: What To Eat To Keep You Sporting Fit

By Anastasia Stephens-The Daily Mail

Last updated at 10:08 PM on 23rd August 2008

Did you know the foods you eat can have a major impact on the stamina, precision and strength you can expect from your exercise? Find out how to fast-track your way to fitness with our easy-to-follow menu plan.

How to plan your exercise menu

Consider what you want from your sport or exercise. Do you want to increase muscle mass, lose weight or improve endurance? 'You can't build muscle without protein, so if you want to increase muscular strength, you will need to eat foods such as meat, dairy, fish or pulses your pre-exercise meal,' says Tim Lawson of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Scientists and founder of sports consultancy Science In Sport.

'After exercise, a good sports drink containing carbs and protein will promote muscle growth and reduce muscle breakdown.'

Staying the course: Catherine Zeta-Jones

For endurance sports, slow-release carbohydrates such as bananas, avocados, wholegrains and muesli are the most important fuel. But endurance exercise switches off the muscle-building gene,

If weight loss is your aim, exercise will help you burn more calories, even once you have finished. However, that doesn't mean running or cycling on an empty stomach.

'You need fuel to give your body energy for the exercise,' says sports scientist Joanna Hall. 'Eat carbohydrate-rich foods before and after your workout. The activity speeds metabolism and aids weight loss. Endurance sports such as cycling or running are best for weight loss as they tone muscles without adding bulk.'

If athletic performance is important, eat within two hours of exercising so that any carbohydrate is used to refill stores of glycogen, a type of starch, stored in the liver as a source of energy.

If you exercise regularly, think about getting a good supply of antioxidants from food or drinks - and remember, the more intense your workout, the more antioxidants you should consume. Vitamins A, C and E, zinc, selenium and

Omega 3 fatty acids are powerful antioxidants that protect the cells against damage caused by free radicals.

These are formed when oxygen is liberated during certain biological processes. If they are not mopped up by antioxidants and removed from the body they can lead to cell damage and degenerative diseases.

'Exercise speeds up the metabolism and increases the rate of oxidation in the body,' says nutritionist Patrick Holford. 'Oxidation is the equivalent of a car rusting - it is a damaging process that prematurely ages tissue. Antioxidants prevent this process and can reduce the harm it does.'

Good hydration is vital. 'Just 2 per cent dehydration can reduce performance by 10 per cent,' says Joanna Hall.

However, stop drinking liquids when you feel satiated as too much water can strain the body just as much as not having enough.

 

Running man: Gordon Ramsay

Distance Running

Aim: Sports scientist Joanna Hall recommends: Before and during the event, give your body sustained energy from complex carbohydrates with some protein and try to stay hydrated. Replenish your muscles' energy supply by eating carbohydrate within two hours of finishing.

Before: Leave at least 30 minutes to digest a banana with a bowl of porridge sprinkled with nuts; two boiled eggs with two slices of multiseed toast. Drink half a litre of berry smoothie mixed with water. Berry juice is rich in antioxidants. And the mix of juice and water will make your drink more 'isotonic'. Isotonic drinks contain a mix of hydrating salt and sugar in a similar amount to that found in the blood.

During: At five miles, drink half a litre or more of water. At around ten miles your body will be running out of its own carbohydrate supplies, so have an energy drink or fruit juice.

After: An hour after, eat two slices of toast and marmalade for a carbohydrate 'blast' to help your muscles recover their energy stores. An hour later, eat a substantial meal containing carbs and protein such as a jacket potato with tuna, or a large bowl of pasta with pesto sauce and salmon. The protein will help rebuild muscle after exercise. Drink one large glass of apple juice to hydrate and replace lost energy.

Jogging

Aim: A high carbohydrate snack will give your body the energy needed for a medium-intensity endurance activity such as jogging. Eat carbohydrates shortly after you finish.

Before: Thirty minutes before, eat an energy-filled snack that is low on the glycaemic index. This means it turns to sugar in your blood slowly, to give you sustained energy over time. Good snacks include a fruit and nut bar or a flapjack. A cup of green tea is packed with antioxidants and its caffeine will give you an energy boost.

During: Drink up to half a litre of water when required.

After: One hour after, eat a carbohydrate-rich meal such as a vegetable lasagne or roasted vegetables. Add a green salad and drink a large carrot or orange juice to top up on vitamins and minerals.

 

No sweat: A light meal is all Sting needs before his exercises

Yoga

 Aim: Eat a light snack for sustained energy during your class at least 30 minutes beforehand. With lots of stretching, it is best to do yoga on a fairly empty stomach and eat well afterwards.

Before: Ideally, eat a fruit and nut bar 30 minutes before. Fresh carrot and orange juice are more 'isotonic' than water alone, meaning they will hydrate you faster. It's better to be well hydrated, particularly in an intense class where you may work up a sweat. Don't drink a concentrated fruit smoothie - the high sugar levels have a dehydrating effect so dilute or stick to water.

During: Drink half a glass of water if you feel you need it.

After: Eat plant-based protein such as chickpeas in a falafel wrap, which is easier to digest and will keep you feeling energised. Or try tofu to build muscular strength. Green tea will rehydrate you and give an energy boost, thanks to the caffeine.

Golf

Aim: A meal containing 50 per cent protein and 50 per cent carbohydrate before you play will help you maintain physical and mental precision. Avoid eating large carbohydrate meals - these can leave you feeling lethargic and foggy.

Before: Try eating lightly grilled tuna on a bed of potato and spinach or with chips and salad at least an hour before teeing off.

During: A banana and berry smoothie diluted with 50 per cent water, drunk throughout the game, will hydrate and maintain energy levels. Dark berries such as blackberries and blueberries contain anthocyanidins, which will keep your eyesight sharp.

After: Eat a carb-rich or warming meal within an hour after the game, especially if it's cold out, such as pizza with a mixed topping or a vegetable and chicken broth. The carbohydrate and B-vitamins in meat such as chicken will help to replenish your body's energy supplies.

Swimming

Aim: You can't exercise intensively on a full stomach. For a sprint-like early-morning swim, give your body a sudden energy boost with a light snack - but eat properly afterwards.

Before: Twenty minutes before, drink a strong black coffee or tea, and have a banana, pear or mango. Coffee gives you an adrenaline surge that boosts energy levels without the need to eat. Bananas, pears and mangos are sugar-rich and will boost your blood sugar for extra stamina. Also, drink a large glass of water as coffee is a diuretic and will rid your body of fluids.

During: If you're swimming longer distances, top up your hydration with half a litre of water.

After: Eat within an hour of exercise. Choose any option that combines some carbohydrate and protein. If you've swum long distance, make sure your carbohydrate source is fairly calorie-rich to replenish energy supplies. Pancakes with maple syrup and a yogurt drink would work well, or eggs on toast. Have a fruit smoothie containing berries, apple juice and oranges for a blast of Vitamin C, betacarotene and other antioxidants.

 

On his bike: David Cameron

Cycling

Aim: Liquid energy replacement is more valuable than food during a long cycle ride - the body isn't moving much and liquid is easier to digest.

Before: Eat a banana spread on two slices of wholemeal toast to give you a high-energy boost 30 minutes before intense exercise. For a long ride, make sure you eat a snack containing protein such as a croissant with ham and cheese as this will give you more stamina, plus a fruit smoothie diluted with 50 per cent water.

During: Drink water or a sports drink regularly to prevent dehydration.

After: Balance your carbohydrates and protein equally. The carbs will replenish your body with energy for your next workout while the protein will help your muscle fibres recover after a long ride. Try a bean casserole with chicken; tuna with a jacket potato or bowl of pasta and tomato salad. Two cups of green or white tea will hydrate you and give your body vital antioxidants to aid recovery.

Football

Aim: A high-carbohydrate meal before will ensure you can maintain a vigorous cardiovascular game. Eat a high-protein meal afterwards to build muscle mass.

Before: Try a baked potato with beans or coleslaw; or a salad containing avocado, sweet potato, tomatoes and a green salad an hour before. Drink a berry fruit smoothie for an energy blast that's rich in vitamins and other antioxidants to help your body combat cellular damage during intense exercise.

During: Drink a litre of water to replace lost fluids and eat a banana to keep energy levels in check.

After: An hour or so after, eat a lamb stew with potatoes and vegetables or roast chicken with bacon, sausage, potatoes, broccoli and leeks. The protein will help build muscle mass, while some greens will give additional vitamins and replace those depleted by exercise.

Steady rein: Jordan needs a balanced diet for stamina

Horse Riding

Aim: Eating equally balanced protein and carbohydrate meals will give your body the strength, stamina and endurance required.

Before: Eat a moderate breakfast - neither too light nor heavy - an hour beforehand. You want sustained energy without a full stomach. Cereal with fruit, nuts and yogurt, or mackerel on toast. Have a smoothie made with fruits such as strawberries, banana or apples for energy and to boost levels of antioxidants.

During: Drink half a litre of water to keep up fluid levels.

After: Within an hour, eat a nutritionally balanced meal such as lentil or chicken and sweet potato soup with tomato, mixed leaf and avocado salad. And after exercise, drink a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon to help boost immunity and levels of Vitamin C.

Tennis

Aim: Go for light, high-energy nutrition before a game to prepare your body for vigorous exercise and sharp reactions.

Before: Eat at least 30 to 60 minutes before a game to avoid exercising on a full stomach. Try making a super-nutritious shake containing banana, oats, cinnamon and milk, or two boiled eggs with wholemeal toast. Eggs are rich in lecithin, an important brain nutrient that may help with hand-to-eye co-ordination and fast reflexes.

During: Drink half a litre of water or apple/orange juice.

After: Replenish your body with a meal containing a nutritional balance of carbs, protein, oil and vitamins. Choose an open sandwich on rye bread with avocado, roast chicken and olive oil plus a cup of herbal tea to keep hydrated.

 

Pumped up: England rugby star Mike Tindall in action

Rugby

Aim: Build your body's energy stores the night before with a big meal containing two-thirds carbohydrate and a third protein. At least an hour before the match eat a high carbohydrate meal with an energy drink.

Before: The night before, try pasta with chicken or spaghetti bolognese. Try muesli with fruit, honey and yogurt; or a jacket potato with beans 90 minutes before the match, washed down with an energy-boosting drink such as hot chocolate or fruit juice.

During: Drink a sports energy drink such as Lucozade or Gatorade. These isotonic drinks are designed to hydrate your body fast and contain sugar for an energy boost, making them ideal for intense and demanding exercise such as rugby. Snack on a banana, which will raise blood-sugar levels fast to give you more energy.

After: Within two hours after a match eat some animal protein such as steak or a good quality hamburger with chips as this will help build muscular bulk more effectively than plant protein. Greens such as spinach or broccoli will help boost levels of vitamins - which will have been depleted by exercise. Drink a litre of orange juice to hydrate you and provide Vitamin C.