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Are you thinking of
putting your gymnast on a special diet? Are you planning on making her go
through a low-carb diet, a low-fat diet or a juice fast in order to make her
lose a few pounds? Fortunately, your child doesn't have to go through any of
these fad diets unless she is overweight or allergic to some types of food.
But, you still need to take note of what she eats. Young gymnasts have a very high metabolic rate, making it
very easy for them to burn the calories that they consume in a day. Because
their training involves exercising for more than twenty minutes, their
metabolism can increase. In fact, their metabolic rate can remain this way
even hours after they exercise. They need to get these calories from the carbohydrates,
proteins and fats that they should take in everyday. These three nutrients
have different functions in their bodies.
Protein Why is protein important to a gymnast's
body? They need it to repair the muscles that have been torn down during
training. Tearing down muscles is a big part of training. If I asked you
this question: "When does your child's level of physical conditioning start
improving?" what would you answer. If you answered that her conditioning
level improves during training, you got it wrong. An athlete's physical
condition doesn't work during training. In fact, athletes become weaker
right after training. Sometimes, they even have difficulties opening a water
bottle because they are weak from training. This happens because their
muscles incur some microscopic tears during their difficult training. It's
not something to be alarmed about. It's a normal part of the strengthening
process. After working out, athletes do become
stronger while they are resting. Since the muscles went through a hard time
during the workout, they rebuild themselves in such a way that they would
become stronger. This process is called super compensation. It is the reason
why training is effective. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be as effective if
there isn't enough protein in the body. This is the reason why proper
nutrition is important to athletes. Your child must have the right amount of
protein two hours after finishing his workout. The size of the serving
depends on the age and size of the child. Most kids only require 3 to 4
ounces of lean meat.
In order to provide your gymnast the protein
she needs to repair her muscles, you should include beef, chicken, lean pork
and fish in her diet. Reddish fish can be a good addition to her diet. This
is because reddish fish has a high content of Omega-3 oils. Protein is very
important to a gymnast's diet especially after a workout or competition. In
fact, it's also needed the day after because this is the period when the
muscle is repairing and strengthening itself. For vegetarian gymnasts,
having a lot of tofu can be a great idea. Beans and protein are considered
to be a partial source of protein too.
Carbohydrates Why do they need carbohydrates?
Although carbohydrates have been given a bad name lately, it doesn't deserve
to be labelled as such. Carbs are actually needed as an immediate and
short-term energy source for your child's training or exercise. In fact,
simple carbohydrates, like sugars, can cause an increase of blood sugar
levels when it enters the bloodstream. The only disadvantage of this is the
fact that the high energy can suddenly collapse when blood sugar level
suddenly decreases. In order to control the release of sugar in the
bloodstream, they need to have a lot of complex carbs like whole wheat
bread, whole wheat pasta and some vegetables in order to be provided with
the energy that they need without too many highs and lows. Although your
child may need both kinds of carbohydrates to give them the energy that they
need, their consumption of simple sugars should be lessened since it can
harm their teeth. The energy released from carbohydrates takes the form of
glycogen which is stored in the muscles. Your child's storage of glycogen
becomes very low after exercise and this needs to be replenished. Although carbohydrates are important, not all of
them are good. You should keep an eye on the type of carbohydrates that your
child takes in. Too much carbs from wheat flour, for example, may lead to
obesity. This can be found in hamburger buns. There are many types of
carbohydrates. For slow-burning fuel for long workouts, complex carbs from
whole grain breads and vegetables should be taken in. If your child needs a
quick burst of energy, having some simple carbs from fruits and sugars can
help. Unfortunately, this may not be a good idea for some children. Simple
carbs can also be used to replenish a child's blood sugar after a long
workout. FATS Even though fats are considered to be bad for
many adults, your child needs them. Fats are stored in your body's fat cells
and are used as long-term fuel. Of course, it should be taken in moderation.
Having a small amount of fat can be good for activities that require
endurance because it is used up as fuel after the glycogen from your carbs
has run out. Another reason why fat is important is the fact that it can
protect your child's internal organs when she does some tumbling.
Subcutaneous fat, which is found underneath the skin, can also serve as
insulation from the cold. Fats can also regulate a child's metabolism and are
very much needed in a child's growth. It takes a long time for this fuel to
burn. You should take note, however, that the serving of fat that one must
take is dependent on the type of fat. Your child shouldn't have an excess of
saturated fats in your diet. These are usually found in bacon, fatty beef
and fatty pork. There should be more mono-unsaturated fats in her diet.
These are usually found in olive oil, nuts, olives and fatty fish. Aside from being a slow burning source of energy, it is
needed to make food taste better. It also helps in stopping simple sugars
from rapidly increasing your child's blood sugar levels. As a matter of fact, children who tend to have
sugar spikes when taking in simple sugars should have premium ice cream
instead of ice milk. The reason for this is the fact that ice milk or low
fat ice cream does not have enough fats to regulate the surge of blood sugar
into the bloodstream. With premium ice cream, on the other hand, the
entrance of sugar into the bloodstream is controlled by the fat, preventing
the occurrence of sugar spikes.
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Protein, Fats and Carbs for Gymnasts |
