Cross-country skiing diet example - cross-country sport diet example

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Premise

The following indications are for informational purposes EXCLUSIVELY and are not intended to replace the opinion of professionals such as a doctor, nutritionist or dietician, whose intervention is necessary for the prescription and composition of PERSONALIZED food therapies.

Cross country runner's diet - cross country sport diet

The cross-country skier needs a balanced diet aimed at supporting sporting activity, which engages him 5-10 times a week (even 2 workouts a day).
First of all, it is necessary to clarify what are the real needs of those who practice the "background" activity:

• Energy: the energy consumption of the cross-country skier is often overestimated; there are tables and formulas to calculate specific energy consumption but, in general, they all suggest expenditures higher than the real ones. In particular, the cases most affected by the overestimation of energy consumption are those affecting amateur sportsmen; on the contrary, professionals, or even just secondary circuit agonists, by training on a daily basis enjoy a high and constant "oxygen debt" (which increases the basal metabolic rate), which effectively compensates for the caloric overestimation for training.
• Glucides, proteins and lipids: by practicing cross-country sports, depending on the intensity, a more or less high caloric expenditure is generated, which affects the oxidation of a mixture with a prevalence of glucose or fatty acids. While lipids are never a limiting energy source (therefore, in the distance runner's diet, they do NOT play an essential role: recommended at doses of approximately 25-30% of the total daily energy), carbohydrates must be introduced constantly but without exceeding to avoid converting them into fat in case of surplus (recommended at doses equal to about 50-60% of the energy); in this way it is possible to guarantee a total restoration of the body's glycogen stores (muscles and liver). As far as proteins are concerned, they perform a very important function, namely the ANTI-catabolic one. As we all know, among the various roles of peptides in the body, there is also the PLASTIC one; proteins STRUCTURE the muscles which, in movement, if not adequately supported by the carbohydrates present in the diet, slowly but inexorably catabolize the amino acids of which they are composed. To tell the truth (in a small percentage) this impoverishment also occurs with a correct diet, not to mention that the human body uses dietary proteins in various metabolic areas (in addition to the plastic one); therefore, dietary peptides should be introduced consistently and to an extent appropriate to the athlete's needs (1,5-1,7g / kg of physiological weight, or real if the fat mass is <15% M and <24 F) without the risk of exceeding (taking away space for carbohydrates) or deficiency (running into a reduction in muscle mass and the immune system, already compromised by intense physical activity).
• Vitamins: in the diet of the cross-country sportsman, vitamins play an essential role even if (on average) their contribution is totally covered by the diet; It is true that the needs of the cross-country skier are greater than normal, but it is also true that together with energy, by increasing the portions of food, the athlete introduces many more vitamins than the sedentary.
• Mineral salts: for most of the mineral salts the same argument as for vitamins is valid; the only exceptions concern potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg); the body concentration of these two salts essentially depends on the athlete's sweating and often, in order to avoid exceeding with fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (which contain many fibers and anti-nutritional chelating molecules), it is necessary to add them in the cross-country skier's diet by means of food supplements.
• Water: the diet of the cross-country sportsman must be very rich in water (rich in mineral salts) which is concentrated mainly in the hours preceding and following the performance (to be honest, even during the session); In addition to compensating for sweating and ensuring rehydration, it is an effective vehicle for restoring sugars and mineral salts thanks to the formulation of slightly hypotonic energy supplements.

Useful supplements in the cross-country skier's diet

As can be deduced from the above, the essential supplements in the diet of the cross-country skier who trains 5-10 times a week are saline and energetic ones. To calculate the formulation, it is necessary first of all to establish what is the actual water loss (therefore saline with sweating) of the cross-country skier concerned; it is then essential to trace the saline loss and, through the energy calculation of the performance, to add a quota (reasonable and that allows to maintain the mild hypotonicity of the solution) of maltodextrin and / or vitargo (or mixture of both) to favor the absorption of the drink, support performance and promote energy recovery (for calculations see the article: The power of the cross-country skier - the diet of the cross-country skier).
Another strongly "discussed" dietary supplement in cross-country sports is the branched chain amino acid (BCAA) based supplement; these, representing an energetic substrate that does not require neoglucogenesis, become part of the energy production of the athlete. Unfortunately, it is not possible to actually establish in what quantities they are oxidized in performance, but it is certain that their catabolism occurs mainly due to a lack of carbohydrates in the muscles; if the cross-country skier's diet is well balanced, it is not necessary to supplement with branched chain amino acids. It is clear that their use mainly performs an anti-catabolic function, therefore, for the more zealous, it is possible to take them in percentages of 1g / 10kg of physiological or real weight divided into ½ before and ½ after the performance.

Cross-country skiing diet - cross-country sport diet: example

• Marathon student, he trains 6 times a week; it is in transition between general and special preparation. He sweats a lot and at each 90 'workout he loses about 2700ml of water and 4,5g of mineral salts (Na, Cl, K and Mg) for an average energy expenditure of 750kcal.

First of all we compose the slightly hypotonic drink:

• Volume: 1,5l (10°C)
• Salts: 1 tablet or sachet containing at least 200-250mg of potassium and 200-250mg of magnesium
• Maltodestrine/vitargo: 60g (circa 240kcal)
• BCAA: 6-7g divided 3-4 before and 3-4 after or diluted in the drink (about 25kcal)

Cross Country Runner Diet Example - DAY 1

Cross-country skier's diet example - DAY 2

Cross Country Runner Diet Example - DAY 3

Cross Country Runner Diet Example - DAY 4

Cross Country Runner Diet Example - DAY 5

Cross Country Runner Diet Example - DAY 6

Cross Country Runner Diet Example - DAY 7