Nutrition article

What type of food is best for energy?
Carbohydrate (CHO) is the most efficient form of energy and all athletes are recommended to follow a high carbohydrate diet. Carbohydrate-rich foods include bread, crackers and bagels; pasta, noodles, rice and couscous; breakfast cereals; fruit and milk.
The longer you spend training the more carbohydrate you need. The table below will help you calculate your daily carbohydrate needs.
Duration of Training
CHO needs
1-2 hours/day
6-7g CHO/Kg body weight/day
2-4 hours/day
7-8g CHO/Kg body weight/day
4+ hours/day
8-10g CHO/Kg body weight/day
So, if you weigh 68kg when you begin training, you should be eating 408g CHO every day. This should be spread throughout the day. For example, aim to eat 100g CHO with each main meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner), 50g CHO as a snack two hours before training and a 50g CHO snack directly after training.
For example, to reach the 100g carbohydrate target at main meals, include any two of the following foods or drinks at every meal:
Breakfast cereal, milk and sugar (large bowl);
Toast (4 slices);
Sandwich/roll (2 rounds of sandwiches or demi-baguette);
Pasta-based meal like spaghetti bolognaise or lasagne;
Potatoes (2 large, baked);
Rice (4 serving spoons);
Noodles (400g);
Soft Tortillas (flour tortilla wraps);
Fruit juice (500ml);
Apple/banana/orange;
Fruit yoghurt/yoghurt drink (2 pots);
2 pints milk.
If you are finding it difficult to eat the large amounts of carbohydrate recommended for sport, sports drinks, some of which contain up to 50g CHO per can will help meet your carbohydrate needs. Sweets and confectionery bars also have a high carbohydrate content and can be used occasionally to top up your daily carbohydrate intake.
The following foods contain 50g CHO and will be helpful as snacks between meals to help top up your carbohydrate needs:
2 crusty bread rolls;
4 slices toast;
6 jaffa cakes;
Large bowl of cereal;
5 fig rolls;
1 Mars bar;
2 cans Lucozade Sport;
1 can of Gatorade NRG.