A balanced, healthy diet is important for everyone, regardless of their circumstances. But for active athletes – whether professional or amateur – the right nutritional balance, starting with a healthy breakfast, plays a particularly important role.
Regular exercise and sport have a positive effect on physical and mental health and on body weight.
Particularly in today's working world, where long hours of sitting are often the norm, exercise provides a welcome change.
It also helps to reduce the feeling of stress. However, to get the full benefits of exercise, the right nutrition is also important.
Sometimes an individually tailored nutrition plan can make sense, especially if regular exercise is an integral part of your daily routine.
How should I eat as an athlete? When it comes to nutrition, athletes should focus on a varied and balanced diet.
Healthy eating for athletes – find out more!
The food pyramid provided by the German Nutrition Society (DGE), for example, can be used as a basis.
It provides information about the type and quantity of food and drink that should be consumed. All foods are allowed if they are in the right proportions.
The recommendations can then be adapted to the respective needs depending on the type of sport (trail running, mountain biking, climbing, CrossFit, running,...) and intensity of the training.
Sporty people have a higher energy consumption than those who do little or no sport. And with increasing physical activity, energy consumption naturally increases.
When choosing food, you should therefore make sure that the increased energy consumption is balanced accordingly. A food selection based on this can ensure an adequate energy supply, but also a sufficient supply of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates.
In the following, we will discuss in more detail why certain nutrients and an adequate intake of carbohydrates are important in sports.
What role does nutrition play in sports?
Energy supply
As already mentioned, people who do sports should make sure they eat a balanced diet that provides them with enough energy, because: you can't perform without energy.
The energy you consume should at least equal the energy you use (basal metabolic rate). This suggests that the amount of energy you need depends on the intensity of your performance.
Thanks to the numerous oat flakes they contain, muesli and porridge provide the perfect basis for an energetic start to the day. Our protein porridge is particularly suitable if you are active in sports. The high proportion of protein and fibre gives you plenty of strength and energy before sports, but also to get through the day.
Metabolism during sports
While the actual meaning of the term ‘metabolism’ (also known as ‘metabolism’) describes the totality of all chemical processes in the body, it is actually commonly understood to mean calorie consumption.
Metabolism, and thus calorie consumption, is boosted by regular sporting activities. Thus, your calorie requirement also increases with increased exercise.
With the right training, you can boost your metabolism and lose weight healthily. In addition to an active lifestyle, the right nutrition can also help to stimulate your metabolism.
Wholegrain products and nuts as well as hot spices (chilli, pepper) are particularly suitable. But be careful: a change in diet alone is not enough.
To achieve long-term results, a lot of exercise and regular sport are essential. In the long term, this is much more effective and also healthier than frequent or extreme diets. Why is that?
When you exercise, you not only consume energy but also build muscle mass. This automatically increases your basal metabolic rate, because muscles require more energy at rest than other tissues.
Carbohydrates in sport
Carbohydrates are one of the most important sources of energy for our metabolism. They keep our internal engine running, so to speak.
If we do not regularly supply our body with energy in the form of carbohydrates, we feel weak and unable to concentrate. The more active your lifestyle, the more carbohydrates you should eat.
Professional athletes – especially endurance athletes – have long since discovered this for themselves and eat accordingly. Carbohydrates make up 50 to 60 percent of the food intake of active people.
However, it is important to pay attention to the type – you should choose mainly complex carbohydrates with a low glycemic index. These include all more or less unprocessed carbohydrate-rich foods.
- Oats and wholemeal products, as well as products made from them (e.g. wholemeal pasta, oat porridge, Bircher muesli)
- Rice
- Nuts and legumes such as peas or lentils
- Potatoes
- Pasta
These still have their original fibre content and at the same time have a low glycemic index.
They also have a high nutrient density and are rich in trace elements, vitamins and minerals, as well as phytochemicals that promote performance. In contrast, high-glycaemic foods usually only provide empty calories.
They have no added benefit for athletes or for people with little physical activity. Glucose or glycose also plays a special role, as it is the most important energy source after fructose and galactose.
It is the smallest and most common unit of carbohydrates and is also commonly known as dextrose, grape sugar or simply sugar.
Incidentally, glucose is converted into glycogen in the liver and stored there and in the muscles.
The glycogen stored in the liver serves to maintain the blood sugar level, while the portion stored in the muscle cells serves as an energy reserve for the muscles. This way, the body can use it for immediate energy production when needed.
Healthy nutrition for more energy in sports – find out more!
Which fruit is good for sports?
Fresh fruit and vegetables should be part of every diet. With its numerous vitamins, fruit strengthens the immune system and – if chosen and used in a targeted way – can even be beneficial for building muscle, improving endurance or burning fat.
As a rich source of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, various types of fruit can contribute to a strong immune system, cardiovascular health and brain function.
With the right types of fruit, athletes can optimise their training performance. With over 300 ingredients, apples are considered THE fruit par excellence in our part of the world.
They contain the natural pigment Kreacitin, which is beneficial for oxygen uptake and can thus positively influence performance increases in endurance sports.
But other fruits also have a lot to offer. The following fruits are particularly suitable for athletes because they are high in potassium, vitamin C, antioxidants, iron and other relevant nutrients that increase performance, support recovery and inhibit inflammation:
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Raspberries
- Cranberries
- Pineapples
- Apricots
- Raisins
Beware of hypoglycaemia in sports (low blood sugar)
Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) is an abnormal physical condition caused by an excessively low glucose level. It is usually triggered by various metabolic disorders, an unhealthy diet or physical overload, for example through sport.
Especially during longer training or competition phases, athletes should therefore prevent hypoglycaemia.
Make sure you supply your body with enough energy, i.e. glucose, which serves as fuel for the cells. However, it depends on the right amount and on choosing the right energy suppliers.
Foods with a high energy density, such as wholemeal pasta or wholemeal rice, are suitable. You should eat about two to three hours before physical exercise.
Protein
Protein should not be missing from your daily diet. Along with carbohydrates and fats, it is the most important source of energy for our body.
It provides the body with important building blocks, known as amino acids. The amino acids are involved in many processes, such as muscle building, which is why humans cannot survive without proteins.
The term ‘protein’ can be misleading, because it is much more than the actual component of chicken eggs. Proteins are not only found in eggs, but also in a series of other animal and non-animal foods.
For example, oats are an excellent source of protein. Oat flakes, original grain muesli, granola and porridge are perfect for providing vegetarians and vegans with sufficient protein without the need for additives.
Muscle building and maintenance with proteins
Proteins, along with fat and carbohydrates, are among the so-called macronutrients and are used by the body primarily for energy production.
However, a high-protein diet also supports muscle building. Proteins are, so to speak, a basis for building new muscle fibres.
Protein is used for regeneration even under the slightest strain – and even more so in the case of injuries. So if you do sports regularly and want to build muscle, you should make sure you eat a high-protein diet.
The DGE recommends a daily protein intake of 0.8 g per kg of body weight for a balanced diet.
For someone weighing 70 kg, this means 56 g of protein per day. However, for active muscle building, it can be more, up to 2 g per kg of body weight.
This value is considered to be the maximum amount of protein that the human body can utilise per day. The products in our sports range provide your body with the full power of pure plant-based proteins and the essential amino acids, minerals and vitamins contained in oats.
We only use vegan and lactose-free protein sources. They help you to replenish your nutrient stores and provide you with the optimal energy supply for athletes.
In addition to the amount of protein, the quality of the protein is particularly important to us. To ideally support your muscle building, we have combined the protein-rich ingredients in such a way that the dietary protein can be perfectly converted into body protein.
Proteins for endurance athletes
While the importance of proteins in weight training is well known, they also play an important role in endurance sports.
Since they play an important role in the organism, they have a generally positive effect on performance, the immune system and regeneration. Ultimately, endurance athletes also benefit from this.
The focus here is not necessarily on building muscle mass, but on maintaining existing muscle mass.
Optimising muscle strength and ensuring regeneration after training also plays a crucial role. Oats score points not least because of their high protein content.
The small flakes are real powerhouses, with 100 grams of oats providing around 14 grams of protein. This makes the grain one of the most protein-rich plant-based foods of all and perfect for building muscle.
The human body needs proteins not only for various metabolic processes, but also to strengthen the muscles.
Vegetable proteins, which are found in vegetables or grains, are also cholesterol-free and contain unsaturated fatty acids. And they provide satiating fibre, which also aids digestion. They thus offer strength and performance across the board – and not just as a meal before exercise.
Vegetable proteins for muscle building!
Fat
The word ‘fat’ may usually evoke numerous negative associations. However, fat is actually an essential part of any balanced diet. We get our energy mainly from fats, carbohydrates and protein.
While protein is considered crucial for building muscle (see above), the other two main nutrients also play an important role.
Regardless of whether you are an active person or not, they should be included in your diet in the right way and in the right amounts.
If you are active, fats should make up around 20 to 20 percent of your daily calories. You should make sure that the following fatty acids are included in your diet:
- Saturated fatty acids (meat, sausage, cheese, animal fats)
- Unsaturated fatty acids (meat, grains, potatoes)
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (salmon and other fish, chia seeds, safflower oil and other oils)
If you want to increase your fat intake, the ketogenic diet may be right for you: a ketogenic diet is characterised by an extremely low-carbohydrate and low-sugar diet that is very high in fat.
The result is a change in metabolism in which the body is forced to draw the energy it needs from fat stores.
However, care should be taken not to consume too much fat, because numerous foods contain fats, even if you wouldn't expect it. As a result, our diet is generally too high in fat.
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements
Vitamins, minerals and trace elements are part of every diet. They also play an important role for athletes.
A balanced diet that meets the reference values of the German Nutrition Society also ensures that you get all the important nutrients you need.
It not only supplies the right proportions of carbohydrates, fat and protein, but also ensures an adequate supply of vitamins, minerals and trace elements, without the need for dietary supplements. The reference values can be summarised as follows:
- Plenty of plant-based foods and drinks
- Moderate amounts of animal-based foods
- Sparing amounts of high-fat foods and sweets
Vitamins for losing weight
In addition to the all-rounder vitamin C, vitamins from the B group in particular have a particularly good reputation as slimming aids. They help the body to burn fat and, as an added bonus, also help to keep your nerves strong and your mood high.
Vitamins B2, B3 (niacin), B5 (pantothenic acid), B7 (biotin) and vitamin B12 control the metabolism and boost the breakdown of body fat.
Weight control using BMI
If you want to track or control your progress in terms of weight loss, it is worth calculating your body mass index, or BMI for short.
This also provides information about your ideal weight, which you can use to create or adjust your further training and nutrition programme.
If you calculate your BMI using a BMI calculator, the result is based on the ratio of your body weight to your height and can be easily calculated using the following formula: body weight [kg] / (height [m])². A BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 corresponds to a normal weight.
Vitamins for muscle building
You can also support and even boost muscle building with certain vitamins. Vitamin B6 is involved in protein metabolism, which means that it supports fat loss and promotes muscle building at the same time.
This vitamin is found in rice, potatoes, bananas and nuts, among other foods. Vitamin B1, on the other hand, primarily makes the muscles strong and promotes the digestion of carbohydrates. It also ensures a balanced protein metabolism.
Fluid balance and intake in sports
Drinking water: when and how much?
A healthy diet also includes an adequate intake of fluids. Our body needs fluids to survive, and a quantity of around 2.5 litres per day is considered a good guideline.
Preferably, the fluid intake should consist primarily of water and should be spread throughout the day. Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages, on the other hand, are not useful.
Sports drinks
During sporting activities or other physical exertion, the body loses fluids, which is why you should drink more in such cases. This is the only way to keep the fluid loss to a minimum and avoid a drop in performance and, in the worst case, dehydration.
Unfortunately, the feeling of thirst often comes too late and when you feel thirsty, it is no longer a warning signal. You should therefore always drink before you are thirsty.
When you do sports, the fluids you consume should supply you with energy and minerals, so-called electrolytes.
Isotonic drinks, which have the same particle concentration as our blood, are suitable for this. Hypertonic drinks, on the other hand, dehydrate the body, which can lead to increased thirst and dehydration, as well as abdominal pain and diarrhoea. These include carbonated soft drinks, fruit juices and energy drinks.
Distinction between endurance and strength sports
Sport and exercise are healthy and keep you fit. What type of sport it is is ultimately irrelevant and depends on personal preference. While some people train their strength in the gym, others swear by exercise in nature, which primarily promotes endurance.
However, endurance and strength sports are not just two different forms of training on the surface, because they train different muscle fibres.
And how fast, how enduring or how strong we are depends on the nature of our muscles. As so often in life, a healthy mix should be chosen when it comes to sport in order to achieve optimal goals.
- Endurance sports: train more red (slow-twitch) muscle fibres; these contract very slowly but are particularly enduring.
- Strength training: trains more white (fast-twitch) muscle fibres; these contract quickly and are responsible for intense and powerful movements.
How do the nutrient requirements for strength and endurance sports differ?
While strength athletes should primarily ensure a high protein intake, endurance athletes – especially when competing – rely on full carbohydrate stores.
In general, however, a varied diet that includes protein, healthy fats and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins and minerals, is beneficial and will help you reach your goal.
Oats are a particularly valuable food, whether you do sport or not. With their high vitamin, mineral and protein content, they are a real source of strength and energy. Oats are perfect for active people thanks to their high protein content.
They are broken down slowly by the body and are therefore perfect for long-term energy supply.
Our Protein Porridge is particularly suitable if you are active in sports. The high proportion of protein and fibre gives you plenty of strength and energy before exercise.
The right nutrients for athletes – find out more!
Do energy and nutrient requirements increase during exercise?
During sports, the need for both energy and nutrients increases. In principle, a person's energy needs are made up of various values, which also include basal metabolic rate and active metabolic rate.
Athletes have a significantly higher active metabolic rate and basal metabolic rate than people who are not active in sports.
As a result, their energy needs also increase, especially when it comes to competitive and high-performance athletes.
While the daily energy consumption of amateur athletes is only slightly higher than that of people who do not exercise, it can be as high as 8000 kcal per day for professional athletes at peak times.
Ideally, competitive athletes should achieve their daily nutritional intake with five to six meals. In order to ensure an adequate energy supply, all athletes – including amateur athletes – should pay attention to the following points, in addition to a balanced variety of foods:
- Adequate intake of vitamins, minerals and trace elements
- high nutrient density (fruit, vegetables, wholemeal products, dairy products, lean meat and fish)
- adequate fluid intake
- adequate carbohydrate intake
- adequate, controlled fat intake
- intake of high-quality proteins
What should I eat before exercising and when?
It is not recommended to eat immediately before exercising. When the stomach is full, the body first needs time to rest in order to digest the food consumed.
Therefore, you should wait at least two hours after a full meal before training. The shorter the interval between meal and training, the smaller the portion should be, containing as many carbohydrates as possible and some protein.
Our gluten-free Sport Protein Porridge is the ideal warm-up for a healthy breakfast and before exercise. It consists of a mix of bananas, dates, flax seeds, maca powder, sunflower and pumpkin seed protein powder, refined with chocolate made in Austria.
The protein porridge ensures an optimal energy supply and creates ideal conditions for any kind of endurance training and other sports.
The sports muesli, on the other hand, is an energy source based on plant proteins. This delicious mixture is made from wholegrain oats, teff crispies (a type of millet), coconut chips, cashew nuts, puffed amaranth, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds and cornflakes.
Protein Muesli guarantees a long-lasting supply of energy and supports you on your way to achieving your personal endurance goals.
Eating after a workout?
After exercise, the body is particularly good at building glucose and protein. Therefore, you should eat a combination of carbohydrates and proteins after a workout.
Experts recommend waiting at least 45 minutes before eating or drinking anything after exercising. However, if you wait longer than two hours, you risk an undersupply of nutrients to your muscles.
If you are in a weight-loss phase, then carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index (apples, quinoa, wholemeal pasta) are recommended.
On the other hand, when building muscle, you can safely eat more carbohydrates with a medium to high glycemic index (bananas, dates, potatoes, rice, wheat bread). Eating these foods causes a high insulin release, which in turn ensures good glucose uptake in the cells.
On the other hand, the supply of proteins repairs damage to the muscle cells, builds up the musculature and controls enzymes and hormones.
So if you have had an intensive training session, a snack immediately afterwards is recommended. Our VERIVAL Protein Shake (with strawberry-blackberry flavour) is just right in such a case. This protein-packed mixture offers quick energy with the best ingredients for when you are on the go.
Are special products, i.e. food supplements, necessary in sport?
A balanced and wholesome diet ensures an optimal supply of energy and all nutrients even for popular sports. It is only when you train for at least an hour a day or most days of the week at least at medium intensity that your needs increase.
Special sports nutrition becomes necessary when performance-oriented training is part of the daily routine and participating in competitions becomes the declared goal. This requires an increased supply of energy, fluids and nutrients.
The type and amount of exercise you do can vary greatly. Since energy and nutrient requirements can differ depending on the type of sport and the individual athlete, the scope and level of training as well as specific goals must be taken into account.
The appropriate nutrition plan should therefore always be developed in collaboration with your personal trainer or another expert.
What should athletes avoid eating?
Whether you are a hobby or professional athlete, a balanced diet is essential. And while personal preferences and possible food intolerances naturally play a role, there are some basic rules that should be followed.
What applies in everyday life is even more important when doing sports: a high-fat diet should be avoided not only to prevent excess weight, but also to prevent fatigue and sluggishness.
It is also recommended to pay attention to the fat content of your food to prevent tiredness and sluggishness. As already mentioned several times, it is often not about WHAT, but more about HOW. That means that eating shortly before exercising should be avoided if possible.
Conclusion: What should I eat when I exercise?
There is no such thing as the one ideal diet for all athletes. The right diet always depends on a number of factors, such as:
- Type of sport
- Intensity and goal of training
- Personal preferences
- Physical conditions and possible food intolerances
Nevertheless, there are of course foods that are beneficial for sports. Personal nutrition plans developed and agreed with your personal trainer or a dietician are also helpful in getting the most out of your training.
In any case, make sure you eat a low-fat diet if you want to stay fit and not gain weight.
We have a whole range of delicious and healthy products in our range that provide an optimal energy supply, especially during sports.
The products in our VERIVAL Sport range provide your body with the full power of vegetable proteins and essential amino acids.
Only vegan and lactose-free protein sources are used. In addition to the amount of protein, the quality of the protein is particularly important to us. To ideally support your muscle building, we have combined the protein-rich ingredients in such a way that the dietary protein can be perfectly converted into body protein.
Our gluten-free protein muesli, for example, is a mix of sunflower seeds, almonds, cashew nuts, pumpkin seeds, hazelnuts, coconut flakes, linseed and sesame seeds, refined with diced apple, figs and redcurrants.
It enables a low-carb start to the day and supports a balanced diet.
The products in our VERIVAL Sport range provide your body with the full power of plant-based proteins and essential amino acids.
Only vegan and lactose-free protein sources are used. So nothing stands in the way of your pre-lunch workout, your morning run or your strength training session after work!
