Endurance athletes are individuals who participate in activities that require prolonged physical exertion, such as long-distance running, cycling, swimming, and triathlons. These athletes rely heavily on their cardiovascular and respiratory systems to deliver oxygen and nutrients to their muscles for extended periods of time.
Endurance athletes have unique dietary needs due to the high demands they place on their bodies during training and competition. Here are some of the special dietary needs of endurance athletes:
1. Carbohydrates: Endurance athletes need a diet that is high in carbohydrates to fuel their muscles during exercise. Carbohydrates provide energy and help prevent fatigue. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes are all good sources of carbohydrates.
2. Protein: Endurance athletes also require more protein than sedentary individuals to repair and build muscle tissue that is damaged during training. Good sources of protein include lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, and plant-based sources like beans, lentils, and tofu.
3. Fluids: Endurance athletes need to stay well-hydrated to maintain their performance during long-duration exercise. They should drink water and sports drinks during training and competition to replace fluids lost through sweating.
4. Electrolytes: Endurance athletes may also require additional electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, to replace those lost in sweat. Sports drinks and electrolyte supplements can be helpful for replenishing these nutrients.
5. Vitamins and Minerals: Endurance athletes may have increased nutrient needs for vitamins and minerals, such as iron and calcium, due to the high physical demands of their sport. A balanced diet that includes a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help provide these nutrients.
Overall, endurance athletes require a well-balanced diet that is high in carbohydrates, protein, and fluids, along with adequate intake of electrolytes and essential vitamins and minerals, to support their performance and recovery. Working with a sports dietitian can help ensure that an athlete's diet meets their unique needs.
When signing up for one of our meal plans, you will be give the option of choosing a customizable plan (where you can alter the contents of the meal plan) or a static plan. You can try out the first week for free in either plan using the promo code FreeTrial7 (for new accounts only). After the free trial period, the static plan is $9.00 USD per month and the customizable plan is $19.00 USD per month. You can cancel your plan at any time.
With the customizable plan, you will be able to change meals around to suit your needs. There are also additional features to help you plan your meals for the week. Please watch the video here to see some of the features.
You will note that the meal plans do not give a full week’s worth of meals. That is because of several factors. For one, it gives you flexibility to eat other foods on days that don’t have meals added to them. In addition, with the customizable plan, you are able to add meals to that days that do not have any listed, so that you can create a plan that best suits your individual needs.
With each customizable meal plan you will be able to get the following:
Nutrication is proud to coordinate these meal planning services using LivingPlate Rx software.
