diet & nutrition

Nutrition Tips for Badminton players: by Shelly Meltzer RD (SA):

Optimising your diet can help you achieve the speed, agility, concentration and endurance required for badminton. Your diet should:

• Supply you with sufficient ENERGY for training and recovery - playing badminton places high demands on both your anaerobic and aerobic energy systems so your carbohydrate needs are high.
  
• Meet your FLUID requirements - sweat losses in badminton players (especially in large players) can be high - even in winter and when playing several matches in successive, days can result in chronic dehydration.
  
• Promote LOW BODY FAT levels - too much body fat will make you fat and the extra 'dead weight' will slow you down, reduce your stamina and heat tolerance.

1. Eat REGULAR meals and snacks:
   Eating small frequent meals and snacks will help you meet your energy needs. If you are on the go the whole day, pack portable snacks and drinks to take with to school, work and to training.
2. Make CARBOHYDRATES the focus of all your meals and snacks:
   Carbohydrates are the main source of energy in the diet. Your body can only store a small amount of carbohydrate in the muscles (as glycogen), liver and blood and because regular training rapidly diminishes these small reserves you need to constantly ensure an adequate daily carbohydrate intake.
   
   Choose nutrient-dense carbohydrate-rich foods such as cereals and porridge (e.g. mealie meal), breads, rice, pasta, potatoes and starchy vegetables, fruit (fresh, dried, canned, juice) and dairy products (milk, yoghurt, maas).
   
   Cold drinks, sports drinks (Energade, Powerade etc.,) energy bars, sugar, jam, honey, syrup, sweets (jelly babies, marshmallows etc) can be used to boost your carbohydrate intake, but because these foods are low in vitamins, minerals and fibre, they should not replace meals. Also note that eating or drinking sugary foods and beverages between meals, without regular cleaning of teeth will promote dental caries so - brush and floss your teeth regularly, rinse your mouth frequently with water, eat casein-containing food like milk/cheese, chew sugar-free gum, drink through a straw or squeeze bottles directly into your mouth (this minimizes contact time with teeth), have drinks chilled (the erosive potential of acidic drinks is temperature dependent) and always be adequately hydrated (this will promote sativa which is an important buffer that prevents erosion).
3. Eat moderate portion of low fat PROTEINS at least at eve meal:
   You need protein for strength, growth and to build muscle. Rather than going out and buying expensive protein powders, enjoy eating protein-rich foods like lean meat, fish (fresh, frozen, canned e.g. pilchards), liver, low fat dairy products (milk, cheese, maas, skim milk powder) and legumes (dried beans, split peas, lentils).
4. Minimize your FAT intake:
   Limit your intake of chips, chocolates, biscuits, doughnuts, pies, samoosas, fatty meats, chicken skin, full cream dairy products, oils, margarine, cream, mayonnaise etc. See Tip 7 for appropriate snack options.
   Top
5. Eat 2-4 FRUIT a day and at least 2 VEGETABLES a day:
   Fruit and vegetables provide you with a range of vitamins and minerals needed to release the energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Vitamins and minerals also protect you against diseases and help you recover from heavy training sessions and matches.
6. PORTION CONTROL according to the plate model:
   Every plate of food you eat should consist of 1/2 to 2/3rds carbohydrate-rich foods, 1/3 Portion rich foods, and the little that remains, fat.
7. Choose HIGH CARBOHYDRATE, LOW FAT SNACKS:
   Fruit or dried fruit, bran muffins or scones, fruit bars, water ices, provita, hot cross buns, raisin bread, unbuttered popcorn, low fat pretzels, sports bars (less than 5g fat/server), marshmallows or sweets (as a treat), plain biscuits like Maries, low fat yoghurt or frozen yoghurt or maas and low fat milk drinks are all suitable snack choices. Have snacks between meals and after training / playing a match to aid recovery.
8. Strive for VARIETY:
   Variety adds interest to your diet and increases your chances of getting in the wide range of nutrients you require.
9. Establish a FLUID PLAN for before, during and after training/tournaments:
   Bring at least 1 bottle of fluid containing cool and refreshing fluid to practices and tournaments, which you can top up. Individual needs will vary and may be between 500­ 800ml/hr depending on body size, temp etc. After a match, continue to drink to account for further fluid losses in the recovery period.
   
   If training sessions or tournaments are long and intense use carbohydrate drinks like sports drinks, glucose polymer powders (e.g. Refuel Powder) that you can add to water or cold drinks. Sports drinks/salty snacks provide sodium and so should be encouraged if sweat losses are high. Drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol should be avoided as this will encourage further fluid losses.
10. TOURNAMENT TIPS:
    Never try any new dietary strategies on the day of a tournament. Forward plan as much as possible to handle all situations. At least 2 hours before the match, you should eat a light, easy-­to-digest carbohydrate-based meal (e.g. cereals with low fat milk/yoghurt, toast with honey, fruit, sports bars OR pasta with a non-creamy topping; low fat chicken a la king and rice, cornflakes and low fat milk, a sandwich with low fat cheese/ham/chicken..), or if you have no appetite or if you can't tolerate solid food, have a liquid meal supplement (e.g. Ensure/Nestle BuildUp). With this have a carbohydrate drink, continuing with your fluid intake as described above. Within 30 minutes after the match have 50-100g carbohydrates (together with fluid) and a little lean protein 50g carbohydrate options = ­ 250-350 ml smoothie or a liquid meal supplement like BuildUp; platters of diced fruit and 1/2 carton low fat yoghurt; 2 cereal bars or 70g pretzels + Utile lean biltong; 1 sports bar providing 50g carb (some also provide a little protein); a sandwich with a low fat filling (eg lean biltong/lean chicken/jam/low fat cheese) and a fruit

A NOTE ON SUPPLEMENTS:
If are considering taking any supplements, they need to carefully selected and monitored to ensure safety, appropriateness and that they contain no prohibitive ingredients.

Useful link: http://www.lisamiraclediet.com

Top