The question of healthy nutrition for any athlete is always particularly acute not less, than for girls models a question of each extra kilo. In spite of the fact that for basketball the range of optimum weight quite wide (from the lungs playing to the heavy centers), the athleticism will be relevant to the player on any position. Force, endurance and directly muscle bulk are gained by regular persistent trainings, but the role of healthy nutrition in this system is very high too. The modern Internet teems with simple shops about diets and sports additives which in a trice will make of you the impressive muscleman or will allow to lose the excess weight therefore today we will try to understand this question more in details. Article will be big, but all is brought together basic necessary information on healthy nutrition for basketball players here.
At once I pay your attention that we – not doctors and not biologists, and especially not bodybuilding coaches. We play basketball in different leagues, we regularly train and we watch the diet to achieve the maximum results on the platform. Speaking about sports food to much the huge muscleman who chokes with protein powder from a 3-liter jar on the 115th second after the fourth approach of a press will seem at once lying. In fact everything can be much simpler if to approach a question intelligently. Further we outlined the main recommendations about healthy nutrition for basketball players.
Sports additives do not replace good nutrition and a healthy sleep. This basic rule which all athletes have to know. The matter is that the human body is arranged so that to synthesize elements necessary for it from the entering stream (food, water, sunlight, air). Unfortunately, we cannot eat a pinch of powder which contains day norm of proteins necessary for us, of vitamins, etc. – we need to receive useful substances in a raw state. As a bonus the adequate dose of already processed substances in the form of nutritional supplement can be useful, but it is necessary to take in attention the fact that the organism can forget to synthesize similar substances independently at abuse of a prepares that will lead to violation of activity of certain bodies and constant dependence on an external source. Food has to be balanced and, it is desirable, according to the schedule. As powders-additives will never replace good nutrition, it is important to make it the most saturated. If to speak about fundamental things, then our diet consists of a set of proteins, fats and carbohydrates seasoned with vitamins and mineral substances. The optimum combination of all elements will allow you to gain (to lose if necessary) weight, to build up muscle bulk, to increase endurance and high-speed skills, to be restored quickly after the games and trainings. Proteins – construction material of ours an organism of which internals including muscles mainly consist. Carbohydrates – “fuel” of the person which is necessary for course of a set of reactions: “fast” carbohydrates (for example, from sweets) give an instant impulse of energy to the person as are quickly split, and “difficult” (from grain or potatoes, for example) – on the contrary, break up longer and, as a result, throughout all this period supply an organism with energy and participate in other processes (including and growth of muscles). Fats – a source of reserve food of an organism (when splitting fats a lot of energy which often goes for warming of an organism is emitted) and auxiliary material for interactions of other substances. It should be noted the important fact that proteins can be transformed to fats and carbohydrates, carbohydrates – in fats and vice versa, but neither carbohydrates, nor fats are capable to become proteins that testifies to need of receiving proteins from external sources (with food). The optimum combination of daily consumption proteins-carbohydrates-fats has to make about 60%-25%-15%. It is important to have breakfast densely (with a great effort, vitamin and proteinaceous and carbohydrate food) and to drink a lot of liquid for day. There is an opinion that small having a snack for day (5-6 times) our organism perceives better, then standard 3 dense meals. As a result, the body spends less energy for processing of one portion of food and the organism has no long idle times without nutrients.
The universal recipe on healthy nutrition for athletes does not exist – each athlete needs to develop own model: on structure, the schedule and a dosage. She first of all depends on features of your organism and constitution, the organization and intensity of training process and also goals. In a makeweight to persistent trainings, the balanced diet and healthy sleep it is possible to add on some nutritional supplements. Today there is a lot of producers of such products. We will not begin to stop on them in details especially as to get acquainted with base of the shops offering sports food it is possible here, and we will talk about main types of sports additives:
- Proteine. For many athletes it is on the first place as means of accumulation of muscle bulk. Really, a protein – the protein in pure form synthesized from foodstuff. It is construction material for muscles, but it is important not to abuse ready proteins, and to receive proteins and in the “raw” look – with usual food. We can also recommend to close “carbon-proteinaceous windows”, that is periods when in an organism deficiency of proteins or carbohydrates, protein bars or to use them as addition to usual food – for the purpose of saturation of an organism proteins. Many athletes recommend Zero Impact bars – quickly and tasty.
- Amino acids. Proteins in turn consist of various combinations of amino acids. For athletes the most relevant will be a set of irreplaceable BCAA amino acids which directly participate in restoration of muscles after loadings and promote their growth. Experts recommend to wash down amino-acid powder with a large amount of water and to accept immediately after the training. Amino acids are acquired much quicker than proteins therefore if you accept both, then it is necessary to give to preference to proteins to quiet time (days of rest, morning) and to accept amino acids to, in time and immediately after the training.
- Gainers. In many respects similar to protein gainer – proteinaceous and carbohydrate mixes give effect. It is interesting that the gainer can act as the assistant for a set of weight, and is useful to those who grow thin – depending on concentration of proteins and carbohydrates in its structure it is possible to achieve the different objectives. In particular, we will recommend to do to thin guys a ratio proteins-carbohydrates as 1 to 3, and it is better for that who loses weight to reduce a dose of carbohydrates not to receive an excess fatty layer.
- Creatine as sports additive can be equated to a kind of dope as it gives immediate effect in respect of working capacity and endurance of muscles. During intake of creatine forget about coffee as molecules of caffeine destroy creatine molecules from what the effect will not be. And in general, with creatine it is better to be very careful and to consult with the qualified doctor.
- Chondroprotectors. It is the separate type of nutrients necessary for maintenance of joints in a tone. At basketball players a set of joints test regular overloads, and the problem is aggravated also with the fact that blood hardly informs there (joints are remote for blood vessels) nutrients. We strongly recommend to eat cartilage (for example, chicken) though it is possible to use ready chondroprotector where all necessary substances are already synthesized. Besides, we recommend to add protection of joints also external stimulation (mud baths, complexes magnesium + calcium).
- Vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are necessary to all of us as catalysts of course of various chemical reactions in an organism. There are different types of vitamins (A, the B, C group, D) which we receive differently, but is important the fact that many of them collect at us in an organism therefore it is regularly necessary to receive them from the external environment. In the market of dietary supplements various vitamin complexes meet, but despite it first of all your food allowance has to be directed to consumption of the food saturated with vitamins: for example, fresh vegetables and fruit. We pay attention also to seeds of a flax and nuts – natural nutritional supplements without side effects in which incalculable amount of useful minerals. They can be added as to porridges, and salads.
We sum up the results: for obtaining the maximum effect of training process it is necessary to pay special attention to the basketball player’s food. It is a lot of liquid, the balanced diet (proteins-fats-carbohydrates + fruit vegetables), meal of small portions for day, a healthy sleep and the competent use of sports additives – here a part of the recipe of success of any star in basketball.