You may have that high kick and karate chop perfected, but without the proper diet to fuel your body, your performance will suffer. The combination of the right foods is essential for allowing your body to produce the optimal amount of energy and stamina to get you prepped and ready to compete. Here are few tips on nutrition to get your body properly fuelled up for that next karate tournament.
Food That Fuels
In order to train and strengthen your body, the proper nutritional diet is important for maintaining energy, increasing muscle mass and allowing your body to properly recover. The three areas of nutrition that will be your source of fuel are: fruits and veggies, fibre from whole grains, and sources of healthy, low fat. Every day, you should be aiming to intake about 25 grams of fibre, 20-30 percent of your total calories for low fats, and 8 to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables. Incorporate them into every meal.
Meal Time Plan
As we all know, it’s important to begin our day with a hearty breakfast. It’s also important to consume foods during the morning time that are gentle on our digestive system. Always incorporate each of the three nutritional categories throughout every meal. So for example, if your breakfast consists of some high fibre cereal, whole grain toast, cut up fruit and nut-based milk, you’re on the right track. If you think you can get by without breakfast or wolfing down an Egg McMuffin, try again.
Additionally, it’s always essential for any workout or competition to correctly time out when to consume your meals. Our bodies require certain amounts of time to digest, store, and deliver energy throughout the body. For this reason, it is important not to overindulge on heavy fibres or carbohydrates directly before a competition. The aforementioned example of breakfast is a perfect start. After that, be sure to pack snacks for your tournament that consist of fibre or carbs, fruits and healthy fats. However, keep in mind that these may only be consumed with a three or more hour gap between tournaments. Anything less than that will not give your digestive system enough time to break down those foods – so stick with liquids.
Drink Up
Finally, you must provide your muscles with enough liquid to keep them from ceasing up. Drink plenty of water. Do not wait until you feel like you may die of thirst before reaching for that water bottle. If you feel thirst, you’re dehydrated already. Maintain a habit of keeping your body hydrated as often as you can. The optimal amount is around one litre per hour. If you allow your body to become dehydrated, this will deplete your energy and cause fatigue.
Preparing your body for a karate tournament not only requires agility and strength, but also the proper food for keeping your body prepped and ready to compete. Simply follow these guides to ensure that your nutritional intake is properly fuelling your body for that next karate tournament.
