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Core 2 Factors affecting performance

How can nutrition affect performance?

Nutritional planning for an athlete

When an athlete begins to plan their diet, they need to consider training and performance requirements. An athlete’s nutritional needs can be broken down into the following three phases:

Pre event	preparing your body for exercise.
During exercise	maintaining energy levels during exercise.
Recovery	replacing energy stores following exercise.

Each phase has a specific purpose (goal) which influences the dietary needs of the athlete. The following activity will help you understand each phase and the way in which these goals can be achieved.

Student activity
Complete the following tasks: Identify the goals for each phase of nutritional planning. Briefly explain how these goals can be achieved. Check your answers by discussing your responses with your classroom teacher.

Student activity

Complete the following tasks:

Identify the goals for each phase of nutritional planning.
Briefly explain how these goals can be achieved.

Check your answers by discussing your responses with your classroom teacher.

Carbohydrate loading

To gain a competitive edge, athletes often attempt to gain an advantage through the manipulation of their diets. They may try to supplement their diet or increase the amount of carbohydrate they consume leading up to an event. This is referred to as carbohydrate loading.

Carbohydrates are the preferred source of energy for the body. Carbohydrate loading is a term used to describe a process designed to increase the levels of muscle glycogen prior to an endurance performance. The higher the levels of muscle glycogen, the greater the endurance of the muscles during the performance.

Student activity
Complete the following tasks: Explain the relationship between the amount of carbohydrate in the diet and muscle glycogen. Explain the steps involved in carbohydrate loading. Provide examples of the types of foods which are suitable for carbohydrate loading. Discuss how athletes determine the quantity of carbohydrate they require?

Student activity

Complete the following tasks:

Explain the relationship between the amount of carbohydrate in the diet and muscle glycogen.
Explain the steps involved in carbohydrate loading.
Provide examples of the types of foods which are suitable for carbohydrate loading. Discuss how athletes determine the quantity of carbohydrate they require?

The Nicholas Institute of Sports Medicine site will help to provide answers to these tasks and more information on carbohydrate loading .

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