What does a healthy and balanced diet look like? We 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 can never achieve your desired athletic goals if you choose the wrong diet. We explain the most important things and describe which nutrients you should consume before, during and after your workout.

To begin with, however, we need to clarify how the metabolism works and influences your diet. Metabolism is the basis for all vital physical processes in our body. This includes digestion, respiration and the production of energy. This means that your athletic performance depends on how well your body can manage the metabolic processes.

So what exactly does the metabolism do to our body? 

During metabolism, the individual components of nutrients are utilized and converted in our cells. This is why our body needs nutrients continuously. These can also serve as a source of energy, for example. It is therefore clear that nutrition and your athletic performance are interlinked.  

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

It is important to note that not all carbohydrates are the same!

Carbohydrates 

Carbohydrates are our body's most important source of energy. 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.  

The "good" carbohydrates have a low glycemic index, which means that the blood sugar level does not rise sharply. You can find this type in green vegetables or wholegrain products, for example. 

The "bad" carbohydrates, on the other hand, make you fat in the long term and only provide a short energy boost. These can be found in wheat or white flour products, for example.

Boost your athletic performance with a balanced diet!

Fats

Fats also serve as a source of energy and are therefore also important in sports nutrition. As fat is processed the latest compared to other nutrients, you should avoid high-fat meals before training. If your body is busy digesting during exercise, your performance will be reduced. 

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

Proteins 

Proteins are particularly responsible for the regeneration of stressed muscle fibers. You should make sure you eat enough protein throughout the day. High-quality sources of protein include eggs and dairy products.

Make sure you eat enough carbohydrates and protein after exercise!

What should you eat before and after exercise?

As a general rule, you should leave at least three hours between your last large meal and the start of your training session. Otherwise your food will be heavy on your stomach and, in the worst case scenario, cause you to have side stitches or heartburn. If you feel a little hungry before training, a few nuts, dark chocolate, an apple or a banana before training are a good choice.

During training, you should make sure you drink enough fluids. This not only balances out the increased water requirement, but also provides you with the necessary nutrients. Please note that your body absorbs water with a delay, which also means that the nutrients only reach their destination when the water balance is right.

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

A handful of nuts gives you energy for your workout

How is proper nutrition regulated on fitness trips?

Boot camps or high-intensity training (HIIT) are often a big part of fitness trips. This involves alternating between cardio and strength exercises. When building muscle, it is important to ensure the right protein intake. The fitness trips at Travelling Athletes offer you a balanced and tailored 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 support you and help you achieve your fitness goals.

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

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

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

Healthy breakfast - trip to Portugal with Travelling Athletes