Generally, athletes should eat a diet that is about 60-70 per cent complex carbohydrates ~ plenty of fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice and potatoes, for example. Protein should also feature in the diet ~ but it should be in the form of lower fat meats such as chicken, fish and turkey rather than steak or other red meats. This general advice applies to anyone who wants to be healthy, not just an athlete.
However, endurance athletes often practice carbo loading in the week before a big event, which most of us would not want to do. About 5 days before a big race, a marathon runner, for example, will reduce the amount of carbohydrates in his diet and eat more protein instead. This depletes the body's reserves of glycogen ~ an intermediate energy storing molecule that is usually stored in the liver.
Three days before the race, the athlete switches to a very high carbohydrate diet and this increases the amount of glycogen store in the muscles. Normally this muscle store is transported to the liver but, in three days, the body doesn't have time and this diet makes sure the athlete has the maximum energy store in the muscles, just when it is going to boost performance.
However, endurance athletes often practice carbo loading in the week before a big event, which most of us would not want to do. About 5 days before a big race, a marathon runner, for example, will reduce the amount of carbohydrates in his diet and eat more protein instead. This depletes the body's reserves of glycogen ~ an intermediate energy storing molecule that is usually stored in the liver.
Three days before the race, the athlete switches to a very high carbohydrate diet and this increases the amount of glycogen store in the muscles. Normally this muscle store is transported to the liver but, in three days, the body doesn't have time and this diet makes sure the athlete has the maximum energy store in the muscles, just when it is going to boost performance.
