Diet, Nutrition and Energy Balance

Fuel for the performer

A performer is only as good as the fuel they put in. Food provides the energy the body burns in training and competition, and the nutrients that build and repair it. Carbohydrate is the main fuel for exercise, protein repairs muscle, fat is an energy store, and water keeps the body working. Just as important is energy balance: the energy taken in from food against the energy used in activity. Get the diet and the balance right and performance improves; get it wrong and the athlete tires or gains unwanted weight. This module covers diet, nutrition and energy balance for sport.

Diet and energy words

Learn these before you plan any diet for sport. They name the fuels a performer needs and the idea of balancing energy.

Match the nutrient to its job in sport

Energy in against energy out

Energy balance compares two totals over a day: what goes in and what is used. Whether they match decides what happens to body weight.

Balance, surplus or deficit?

Over a week, a performer takes in more energy from food than they use in training and daily life. What is this called?

• An energy surplus
• An energy deficit
• Energy balance
• Dehydration

Match the diet to the sport

Different sports need different fuelling. An endurance runner needs plenty of carbohydrate for long-lasting energy. A weightlifter needs enough protein to repair and build muscle. Every performer needs water before, during and after exercise. Name the demand of the sport, name the nutrient that meets it, and say why. Demand, nutrient, reason: that is how you write about diet for performance, rather than just listing foods.

Pick the jobs of carbohydrate

Select every true statement about carbohydrate for a performer.

• It is the main fuel for exercise
• It provides usable energy for activity
• It can be stored for use during exercise
• Its main job is to repair muscle
• It is not needed by athletes at all

Order fuelling for an endurance event

Put the steps of fuelling for a long endurance event in a sensible order.

• Eat plenty of carbohydrate in the days before
• Drink water to be well hydrated before the start
• Take on water, and some energy, during the event
• Eat protein afterwards to help muscles recover
• Keep drinking water to rehydrate
• Rest so the body can rebuild

Complete the diet facts

The main fuel for exercise is _____. The nutrient that repairs muscle is _____. Taking in more energy than you use is an energy _____. Keeping enough water in the body is _____.

One day of fuel for a footballer

Think about a day of training for a footballer. In the morning they eat carbohydrate, such as porridge or toast, for lasting energy through the session. They drink water before, during and after training to stay hydrated, because even a little dehydration slows them down. After training they eat protein, such as chicken or beans, to repair the muscles worked hard in the session. Across the day their energy in roughly matches their energy out, so their weight stays steady and they have the fuel they need. Each choice serves the demands of the sport. Reading a diet this way is the heart of this topic.

Spot the good advice

Tap the TWO statements that are good diet advice for a performer.

• Eat carbohydrate before a long run for lasting energy
• Drink water before, during and after exercise
• Skip all food to stay as light as possible
• Water makes no difference to how you perform

Work out the energy balance

Suppose a performer takes in 3000 units of energy from food in a day and uses 2600 units in activity. What is their energy balance for the day, in units? Give a positive number for a surplus.

Advise the athlete

Different athletes ask for diet advice. Choose the best answer each time.

• A marathon runner wants lasting energy for a long race. What should they focus on?
• A weightlifter wants to repair and build muscle after training. What matters most?
• An athlete keeps gaining unwanted weight over a season. What is most likely happening?

Build a nutrition point

Choose the word for each gap to complete one clear point about diet for sport.

Explain diet and energy balance

A friend who has started training thinks any food will do as long as they eat enough. Explain how diet, nutrition and energy balance affect a performer.

• Explain what carbohydrate and protein do for a performer
• Explain why hydration matters
• Explain what energy balance means
• Explain the difference between an energy surplus and a deficit
• Explain how the diet should match the sport