Nutrition for sports and exercise

In this article, you can find information on eating well for sports and exercise. The article looks at:

• Foods for fuel and exercise
• How to stay well hydrated
• Supplements

We should all aim to eat a healthy, varied diet based on the principles of the Eat well Guide, and this is also the case when you are active. When physically active, your body will use up more energy (calories). This can help with weight control or if you are not looking to lose weight, you may find you need more food to replace the extra energy used. It is also important to keep well hydrated.

Eating well for physical activity and sport can have many benefits including:

• allowing you to perform well in your chosen sport or activity
• reducing the risk of injury and illness
• ensuring the best recovery after exercise or a training programe

However, the dietary patterns that will best suit an individual will depend on the amount and intensity of activity. This can range from those who are just starting to get more active, those meeting the activity guidelines (of 150 minutes moderate activity per week), those who are active at higher levels (such as those training for an endurance event such as a marathon or doing organised team sports) or professional athletes. For professional athletes, getting personalised nutrition advice from a qualified sports nutritionist or dietitian is likely to be an important part of their training support.

Physical activity when losing weight

Doing physical activity will increase your energy expenditure (the calories you use), as energy is required during exercise to fuel the contracting muscles, increased breathing and heart rate and metabolism.

It is difficult to lose weight just by getting more active and it is still important to control your calorie intake for weight control. The most effective weight loss programmes include both a controlled diet and increased physical activity. It is also important to be active to keep weight off after weight loss. A study of people in the US who have successfully maintained their weight loss shows that they tend to be active for about an hour a day (usually walking) and spend less time in sedentary activities like watching TV in their free time.

The benefits of physical activity go beyond just burning off calories and can help preserve muscle as you lose weight and increase the proportion of muscle in the body. We also know that physical activity, and spending less time sitting, can reduce your risk of developing several chronic diseases, such as heart disease.

Foods for fuel and exercise

• Carbohydrates
• Protein
• Vegetarian and vegan diets for athletes
• Fat

Carbohydrates

The main role of carbohydrates in physical activity is to provide energy. For athletes, if their diet does not contain enough carbohydrate, it is likely that their performance and recovery will be impaired, as carbohydrate is the key fuel for the brain and for muscles during exercise.

The body can store carbohydrates in the muscles and liver as glycogen and use these stores as a source of fuel for physical activity. These glycogen stores are limited, so for those training at a high level, it is important to be fully fuelled at the start of any exercise. Glycogen is the main source of energy at the start of exercise and during short bursts of exercise. If you are doing high intensity training for long periods and your glycogen stores are not sufficient you may feel tired, lack energy and not be able to perform at your best. So, regular intake of carbohydrate-rich foods can be important in this case to keep stores topped up. The correct food choices can help ensure the body has enough energy for activity, as well as help aid recovery.

Starchy foods are an important source of carbohydrates in our diet. Wholegrain varieties also provide fibre, and a range of vitamins and minerals including B vitamins, iron, calcium and folate. Sugars are also carbohydrates and the amount of ‘free sugars’ (those added to foods and drinks or in fruit juices, honeys and syrups) we consume should be limited. Find out more about this topic on our pages on starchy foods, sugar and fibre.

The amount of carbohydrate you need will depend on the frequency, type, duration and intensity of physical activity you do. Competitive sports people and athletes will likely require more carbohydrates than an average gym user to match the intensity of their activity level.

If you are active at around the current recommended levels (150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of high intensity activity plus two sessions of muscle strengthening activities per week), then you can follow general healthy eating guidance to base meals on starchy carbohydrates, choosing wholegrain and higher fibre options where possible. For information about portion sizes of starchy foods you can use our Get portion wise! portion size guide.

At this level of activity, it is unlikely you will need to consume extra carbohydrates by eating more or by using products like sports drinks or other carbohydrate supplements, and these can be counterproductive if you are trying to control your weight as they will contribute extra calories. Sports drinks also contain sugars, which can damage teeth. Regardless of your level of activity, you should try not to meet your requirements by packing your entire carbohydrate intake into one meal. Spread out your intake over breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks that fit around planned exercise.