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“To optimize your physiological capacities during exercise and to be in shape, it is necessary to distribute your nutritional contributions throughout the day”, advises Vanessa Bedjaï-Haddad, dietician-nutritionist. Whole starchy foods, fruits and vegetables at every meal, meat, fish or eggs (at least once a day) and two or three dairy products every day are part of the athlete’s menu. “For a regular supply of energy, we eat at regular times without skipping breakfast. This determines the course of the day, but also the recovery! “, Warns the specialist.
Proteins, carbohydrates and fats
“Proteins are essential to meet the needs of muscles during exercise. They are found in meat, pulses and soybeans. It is also necessary to favor carbohydrates which contain sugars with a medium and low glycemic index, such as cereals and derived cereal products, and consume them with each meal to provide the muscles with their dose of fuel. And lipids side, very energetic, it is better to limit them. Prefer those contained in vegetable oils, oilseeds and oily fish, they participate in the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system and its protection during exercise, ”says the dietician.
After the effort, the comfort
“We hydrate with water rich in bicarbonate which helps regulate the body’s pH. If you sweat a lot, you take carbonated water rich in minerals. But you can also drink vegetable broth, ”recommends Vanessa Bedjaï-Haddad. On the plate side: “We eat within two hours of the session. Just after exercise, fast sugars (bananas, dried fruits, cereal bars) compensate for the deficits, ”advises the nutritionist. A snack that “repairs” tissue after a workout? “We mix 1 banana, 100 ml of almond milk, 1 yogurt, 15 g of oatmeal and it is tasted very fresh! “
Daddy’s eye, Rodolphe, father of Martin and Margot
After having made two convades during my wife’s pregnancies, I watch my meals. Why rush on fat after a workout? I prefer lean meats (chicken…) or fish, with one of the vegetables to recover without panicking the scales. “
Dry vegetables
Legumes must be on the athlete’s menu because they cover the needs of complex carbohydrates, those which provide energy over the long term. Long live the chickpeas, lentils, dried beans and soya beans, which are combined with whole grains: rice / lentils, semolina / chickpeas …
Eggs
Rich in protein, with 13 g per 100 g of eggs, they boost athletic performance. And, consumed at the start of a meal, proteins are satietogenic. Practice to eat less before the effort! Source of iron, zinc and selenium, eggs contain vitamins A, B, D, E and K. They are good for athletes.
Oilseeds
Almonds, walnuts (cashew, pecan …), hazelnuts, pistachios are enough to provide energy before exercise. Digested, they contain good quality lipids – especially omega 3s, and are rich in proteins and minerals. Associated with dried fruits, they form an interesting cocktail of trace elements within the framework of a sporting practice.
Oily fish
They contain good quality proteins and especially unsaturated fatty acids – in particular omega 3. They are said to be “essential”, both because the body does not know how to synthesize them and therefore the diet must provide them, and because they are essential for the proper functioning of the brain and the integrity of the cardiovascular system.
Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate has a stimulating effect because it promotes the production of serotonin, a hormone responsible for well-being … In addition, it contains flavonoids, an interesting antioxidant and has a low glycemic index. So, don’t hesitate to bite into a square as a snack!
White cheese
Cheese and natural yoghurts, thanks to the ferments they contain, regulate the intestinal flora and facilitate transit. Very useful in the recovery phase, they are a good source of protein, calcium, zinc and vitamin D.
The banana
In addition to being particularly energetic (90 kcal per 100 g), it is easy to digest. Ideal as a snack, bananas are rich in potassium which promotes recovery and limits cramps. It is also a bomb of phosphorus, calcium and vitamins A, B1, B2 and C.
Chia seeds
Their reputation as a “super food” is due to their protein content (about 20%) of good quality because they contain the eight amino acids that the body needs. Chia seeds are a concentrate of minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus) and fatty acids from the omega 3 family.