What does a healthy and balanced diet look like? We'll explain what you need to know!

The basis for successfully achieving your fitness goals is not only fitness and strength training, but also a healthy and balanced diet. The right diet also determines your athletic performance. This means that you will never be able to achieve your desired athletic goals if you choose the wrong diet. We will explain the most important things and describe which nutrients you should consume before, during and after your workout.

First, we need to clarify how the metabolism works and how it affects your diet. Metabolism is the basis for all vital physical processes in our body. This includes digestion, breathing and energy production. This means that your athletic performance depends on how well your body can handle the processes of metabolism.

What exactly does the metabolism do to our body? 

In metabolism, the individual components of nutrients are utilized and converted in our cells. That's why our body continuously needs nutrients. These can also serve as energy suppliers, for example. So it's clear: nutrition and your athletic performance are related.  

Now you may be wondering which and how many nutrients your body needs when you exercise. As a guideline for sports nutrition: 50% of your energy requirements should be covered by carbohydrates, 20% should come from fats and 15% from protein.

The important thing to remember is that not all carbohydrates are created equal!

Carbohydrates 

Carbohydrates are the most important source of energy for our body. However, the body can only store and utilize a certain amount in its glycogen stores. Here we have to distinguish between the “good” and the “bad” carbohydrates.  

'Good' carbs have a low glycemic index, meaning they don't cause a big spike in your blood sugar. You can find these in green vegetables or whole grain products, for example. 

'Bad' carbs, on the other hand, will make you gain weight in the long run and only give you a short burst of energy. These can be found in wheat or white flour products, for example.

Fats

Fats also serve as a source of energy and are therefore also important in sports nutrition. Since fat is processed the slowest compared to other nutrients, you should avoid fatty meals before training. If your body is busy digesting during sports, your performance will decrease. 

Polyunsaturated fats like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are particularly relevant in sports nutrition because they strengthen the heart and circulation. They are mainly found in salmon or vegetable oil.

Proteins 

Proteins are especially important for the regeneration of stressed muscle fibers. You should make sure to consume enough protein throughout the day. High-quality protein sources include eggs and dairy products.

Make sure you consume enough carbohydrates and protein after exercising!

What should you eat before and after exercise?

In general, the last major meal should be at least three hours before the start of training. Otherwise, your food will be heavy in your stomach and, in the worst case, lead to side stitches or heartburn. If you feel a little hungry before training, a few nuts, dark chocolate, an apple or a banana are a good choice before training.

You should make sure to drink enough fluids during training. This not only compensates for the increased water requirement, but also provides you with the necessary nutrients. Note that your body only absorbs the water with a delay, which also means that the nutrients only reach their destination if the water balance is correct.

After training, however, you should make sure to increase your protein intake. This strengthens your muscles. It is also important to replenish your glycogen stores with carbohydrates.

How is the right diet regulated on fitness trips?

Bootcamps or High Intensive Trainings (HIIT) are often a big part of fitness trips. This involves alternating between cardio and strength exercises. When building muscle, it is important to pay attention to the right protein intake. The fitness trips from Reiseathleten offer you a balanced and customized diet on every trip. No matter which trip you choose, with a conscious diet you can increase your performance and improve your metabolism. We are happy to help you and help you achieve your fitness goals.

In order to guarantee a suitable diet on your trip, we will send you a questionnaire in advance, for example, on our fitness trip to Tenerife in order to create your meal plan and ensure a healthy diet, even during your fitness trip. It is important to know that you need different nutrients that affect your body. If you take simple rules of thumb into account in your diet, you can visibly increase your training success.

Would you like to learn more about boot camps? You can find more information here.

Of course, each person and each body has its individual nutritional requirements and needs an individual diet (including more / less protein), so this article is of course only intended as an overview.