The importance of diet in surfing

Sports performance will depend to a large extent on the diet we have, and many athletes are either unaware of this fact or believe that it is not entirely true.

The truth is that according to some studies, 20% of our performance is due to food, 50% to training and the other 30% to adequate rest. So that 20% referred to the diet can make the difference in the results of some athletes and others.

There are more demanding sports that require a greater contribution of nutrients, as is the case of water sports, which have to deal with extreme weather conditions. In particular, surfing is a very complete sport that is an important effort for those who practice it, which entails a high energy expenditure. Because of this fact, surfers must be sure to take care of their food and for this they will have to comply with some dietary guidelines such as 4 to 5 meals a day, distributing in each of them the required nutrients, adapting to the intensity of training or competition , In order to maintain a good state of health.

Food is the fuel of our body and we need it to be of good quality to get the best possible performance, the best version of ourselves. In addition to measuring the quality of the food we eat we will have to measure the quantities.

Generally speaking, an athlete should ingest throughout the day between 60 and 70% of carbohydrates, preferably integral because they contain a greater contribution of nutrients, 15–20% of proteins and 15–20% of fats Healthy. These percentages will depend on the intensity of the exercise.

To achieve an optimal state, the surfer must be fed in order to meet his energy needs, because a nutrient deficit can cause injury, fatigue, hypoglycemia or dehydration, among others.

Surfers like Kelly Slater talk about the importance of diet for surfers, here is a very interesting video “Kelly Slater Diet of a Champion, Eat like Kelly for health” .

Feeding guidelines for surfers

• Glycogen loading days before training . A good diet should be part of a surfer’s life, but the days before an intense day of exercise should be made some changes, such as an increase in the intake of carbohydrates slow absorption that will bring extra energy and will allow you Increase resistance.
• Post-training protein loading. To help muscle recovery it is crucial to increase the intake of protein foods in the hours after training.
• Yes to natural foods . It is fundamental to improve the performance eliminate from the diet the fatty or prefabricated foods that make us feel heavy and do not contribute beneficial nutrients to our organism.
• Hydration comes first . In a sport like surf where they spend so many hours exposed to the sun it is very important to stay hydrated at all times. Every 45 minutes the surfer should go out to drink water or some type of isotonic drink.
• Snack during training . In long sessions of training the surfer must ingest some kind of food such as gels, energy bars, a piece of fruit or another snack that helps energy recovery during the spot.

A good diet coupled with good physical and mental health is an assured success. On the net you can find hundreds of examples of diets focused on surfing, here’s an example .

Until next week Totalsurferos!

Tags Food Surf Diet Tips Healthy Style

Originally published at totalsurfcamp.com on May 10, 2017.