THE RIGHT BALANCE Just as a car runs best with a full gas tank, your body needs the right kind of «nutritional fuel» for peak performance. Eating well for 89 your sport can be very simple. You do not need special foods or supplements. It is important to fuel your body with a balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, vitamins, and water. Carbohydrates (found in pasta, bread, cereal, rice, potatoes, fruits, milk, yogurt, etc.) are especially important for athletes because they supply the body with glucose (blood sugar) for energy. Extra glucose is stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. During short bursts of exercise such as sprinting, basketball, gymnastics, or soccer, your body primarily uses glycogen for energy. If you don’t have enough glycogen you can feel very tired, which will affect your athletic performance. During longer exercise, your body uses the glycogen stores first and then uses fats stored in your body to fuel performance. Fat is an important source of energy used to fuel longer exercise and endurance activities, such as hiking, cycling, and long-distance running. Eating a diet that is too low in dietary fat may decrease athletic performance and cause other health problems. Protein is needed for your body to build and repair muscles. Small amounts of protein may also be used for energy. Vitamins and minerals are not sources of energy, but they have many important functions in the body. For example, vitamin D and calcium are needed for strong bones, and iron is needed for blood cells to carry oxygen throughout your body. Certain minerals, like potassium, calcium, and sodium are called electrolytes. They are important during exercise because they affect the amount of water in your body and muscle activity. Athletes should eat a balanced diet with a variety of foods to make sure they get enough vitamins and minerals. It is fine to take a regular multivitamin, but supplements with high doses of vitamins and minerals do not improve performance and may actually be harmful. Water is essential to keep you hydrated (when your body has enough fluids). Dehydration (when you don’t have enough fluids) can cause muscle cramps and keep you from performing your best. 2. Answer the questions. 1. Why do athletes need the right balanced nutrition? 2. What are the main organic compounds that should be present in the right balanced nutrition? 3. What products contain carbohydrates? 4. Why it is important for athletes to have an adequate amount of carbohydrates in their diet? 5. What can happen if you do not have enough glycogen? 6. What cause the reduction of athletic performance? 7. Should the athletes enrich their diet with vitamins and minerals? Why? 8. What substance keeps us hydrated?