ABSTRACT
Athletes have special nutritional needs that go above and beyond those of the normal sedentary individual. To optimize performance, athletes need a solid foundation that includes proper training and nutrition. Proper training should be based on the principles of training and largely depends on the goals of the individual athlete and the point in time within the training cycle (pre-season, in-season, and post-season). Proper nutrition should focus on a variety of whole foods that adequately meet the demands of the athlete, and this nutritional approach will vary depending on the athlete’s “season” and individual goals (hypertrophy versus strength gains, etc.). This
7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 117 7.2 Factors Limiting Athletic Performance ........................................................ 118
7.2.1 Dehydration ...................................................................................... 118 7.2.2 Muscle Glycogen/Blood Glucose Depletion ..................................... 119 7.2.3 Lactic Acid and Lactate .................................................................... 120
7.3 Carbohydrates in the Everyday Diet ............................................................. 120 7.3.1 Carbohydrate Structure and Classi™cation ....................................... 121 7.3.2 Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load ................................................ 121 7.3.3 Carbohydrate Recommendations ..................................................... 122
7.4 Pre-exercise Carbohydrate Intake ................................................................124 7.4.1 Carbohydrate Loading ......................................................................124
