Research has shown that GOOD NUTRITION and HEALTHY EATING can play a key role in enhancing sporting performance. There are no magic foods or meals that will replace hard work and good training, but if you follow these simple guidelines you are well on the way to achieving your best performance.

On a day to day basis it’s important to provide your body with essential nutrients for good health and have enough energy to meet the demands of training and enable you to recover fully between exercise sessions.

• An active person’s diet should be high in carbohydrates for muscle fuel
• Eating high carbohydrate foods will help to sustain your activity more easily and aid recovery
• Base meals and snacks around nutritious foods like rice, pasta, noodles bread, cracker biscuits, fruit, yoghurt, milk, starchy vegetables and legumes. Select high fibre varieties where possible
• Research suggests CHO foods that are easy to digest and released into the blood stream at greater speed are best for recovery, examples include potatoes, refined sugars, fruit, rice and bread

• Eating too much fat can mean missing out on those important carbohydrate foods
• Fat is readily stored as body fat, so limiting your intake can help control body fat levels and keep your heart healthy
• Select low fat products, lean cuts of meats cooked in a low fat way (eg. grilling, dry frying), reduce added fats and oils, and limit take-aways
• Remember, it’s LOW FAT not NO FAT

• Protein is used in our body structure e.g. muscle
• Choose small to moderate serves of protein containing foods including lean meat, fish, poultry, low fat dairy products, wholegrain cereals, eggs, nuts and legumes

• Thirst is a poor indicator of dehydration, it is a late signal of fluid loss
• Sweat is mainly water and very little salt; salt tablets are not necessary and can make dehydration worse
• You need to replace fluid lost. As a guide, for every kilogram lost during exercise you need to drink 1 litre of fluid. This fluid should be consumed before, during and after exercise
• Drink cooled water. If exercise is going to continue for more than 1 hour use a sports drink (a carbohydrate concentration of 5-10% with the addition of a small amount of sodium)
• Drink 500ml (2-3 glasses) every ½ hr to 1hr before exercise
• Drink 200ml (1-2 glasses) every 20 mins during exercise
• Drink 500ml to 1 litre (5 to 6 glasses) after a game
• Rehydrate before drinking any alcohol. Alcohol will make dehydration worse

• It is important to top up on fuel stores
• The meal should be familiar. Do not experiment with new foods prior to competition
• Eat at least 2-3 hours before competition to allow time for comfortable digestion
• The meal should be high in carbohydrates and low in fat, protein and fibre
• Ensure adequate fluid intake with your pre-eve nt meal
• If anxiety is a problem before an event, a liquid meal supplement can take the place of a solid meal e.g. Sustagen, fruit smoothies, commercial low fat liquid meals
• Drink a glass of water
  
  Examples of Pre-event (2-3 hours before competition)
  - breakfast cereal & skim milk (or low fat milk) & fresh/canned fruit
  - muffins or crumpet or toast with jam or honey
  - pancakes and syrup
  - fruit salad & low fat yoghurt
  - baked potatoes with low fat filling
  - toast and baked beans
  - pasta with low fat tomato sauce
  - roll or sandwich with banana filling
  - liquid meal (Sustagen or Exceed Sports Nutrition Supplements)

• Regardless of the sport, your body will benefit from keeping up fluid levels
• In events lasting longer than 90 mins you will benefit from taking fluid and some fuel (carbohydrate) during activity. Suitable carbohydrate choices are:

-- 500-1000ml Sports Drink
-- 10-20 jelly beans
-- 2-3 pieces of fruit
-- 1 low fat Sports Bar
-- 1-2 low fat Muesli / Breakfast Bars

• When competing in several events over a day it’s important to have regular carbohydrate snacks in between events to top up fuel levels and help delay the onset of fatigue
• It’s important to be prepared and take suitable food along with you. Make sure it’s something you have tried before.

• Good nutrition can play a vital role in enhancing recovery after strenuous exercise
• Need to refuel your body with carbohydrates in the first 15 mins after exercise and then again in 2 hours time
• The amount of carbohydrate that needs to be consumed is between 50g - 100g see example s b elow
• Drink water or sports drink regularly after training or competition

By following these nutrition tips your body will be fuelled up for the performance edge.