Originally Posted on 2/22/2007
As promised I want to give you some tips on how to make the most of a big day in your particular sport whether it be competition training or otherwise so that you can feel and perform at your absolute best.
Let’s start with hydration. In my podcast about hydration called ‘Body of Water’ I explain many of the healing benefits of staying properly hydrated at all times. There are too many points to outline in this post however with respect to energy water is a key ingredient. In his book Your Body’s Many Cries for Water Dr. Batmanghelidj explains that water at the cell membrane (by osmotic flow through it) generates hydroelectric energy thereby creating ATP and GTP (chemical sources of energy) which can be used at a later time for the body to draw on when it needs more energy. A good rule of thumb for an exercising individual is to drink 2/3 of an ounce of water for every pound you weigh. So multiply your weight (in pounds) by 2/3 and use that as a starting point for hydrating yourself throughout the day. Of course bioindividuality must be taken into account as your body may need more or less so pay close attention to your urine making sure that it is a light yellow at all times.
Remember that muscle glycogen is the fuel stored in your muscles to be used during sports requiring highly intense activity. When muscle glycogen stores are low your ability to produce powerful muslce contractions for prolonged periods of time diminishes. This typically results in fatigue/lethargy during your sport. With respect to building up glycogen stores in your muscles studies show that your body is most sensitive to insulin (the hormone that is responsible for transporting glucose (carbohydrates) into the muscles for storage as glycogen) during the first 2 hours following exhaustive exercise. After this time the body becomes more resistant to insulin meaning less glucose is moved to the muscles. So on days when you either compete or have an especially taxing training day it would be a good idea to replenish your body with high quality carbohydrates shortly after you are finished. Avoid pop candy doughnuts and other processed chemicalized junk foods. Rather try whole wheat bagels/breads potatoes brown rice pasta rice cakes or honey. Fructose (fruit fruit juice sugar) has been shown to be less effective in its ability to be stored as muscle glycogen so this should not be your primary choice immediately following exercise. Fruits are important for liver glycogen storage so eating various fruits throughout the week is a great way to top off your liver stores. A good rule of thumb for carbohydrate supplementation after competition or intense exercise is 1.0 grams of carbohydrate per kilogram of bodyweight. Studies have confirmed that this is the ideal amount to maximize recovery and get your body ready for the next bout of activity.
Hopefully this gives you some insight about taking steps to maintain your energy throughout the season. In my posts I will continue to stress bioindividuality. All of the scientific studies in the world cannot compare to your ability to read your own body. I suggest that you take this information as a baseline and devise your own individual experiments with yourself. A great way to do this is by creating an exercise training journal that includes a section for what and how much of each food you eat and the times you eat them in relation to activity. You will also want to write about your performance that day with respect to your energy levels. Over time you will be able to create a program that fits you.
In my next post I will discuss the benefits of proper breathing for better sports performance. Until then…
Live well.
Ryan
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