Sports Nutrition, 2000 Years Ago

Sports Nutrition has really evolved.  Two thousand years ago, meat was a staple of the athlete's diet. Even alcohol was accepted for use during training and before competition. It has been reported that marathon runners drank cognac to enhance performance in the 1908 Games, and at least one German long-distance walker is said to have consumed 22 glasses of beer and half a bottle of wine during competition!  (I guess they didn't have to walk a straight line :) )

At the 1904 Games in St. Louis, Mo., the gold-medal winner in the marathon was given only egg whites, brandy, strychnine, and a wet sponge to suck on over the entire 26.2-mile course. And in the 1952 Games in Helsinki, Finland, the average athlete consumed a high-fat diet with 40% of calories coming from fat, another 40% from carbohydrate, and the remaining 20% of calories from protein.

Then in the 1970s, researchers began studying trained athletes, and much of the initial research focused on hydration, sports drinks, and carbohydrate intake. In the 1980s, as the value of proteins and carbohydrate for recovery became clear, strength athletes began to more carefully consider their carbohydrate intake, and endurance athletes were better educated on the importance of protein consumption.

And in the past 25 years, hundreds of research studies have helped us to better understand the true value of sports-nutrition strategies. As a result, most of today's athletes preparing for competition are well versed in the benefits of proper hydration—as well as a healthful diet rich in carbohydrates and lean, high-quality protein, but with a limited fat intake. Best of all, we know that elite and recreational athletes alike can take advantage of a smart approach to sports nutrition before, during, and after exercise to maximize athletic performance.

What can you do to achieve peak performance?  Go here for simple and tasty sports nutrition.  Click here for lean muscle mass.

Here are Olympic Athletes that have used these products:

Corey Cogdell - Trap Shooter - 2012 Olympic Bronze Medal
Caryn Davies - Rower, 2012 Olympic Gold Medal
Troy Dumais - Diver, 2012 Olympic Bronze Medal
Margaux Isaksen - Modern Pentathlon, took fourth for the best Olympic result by an American athlete in the modern pentathlon.
Eleanor Logan - Rowing, 2012 Olympic Gold Medal
Keith Sanderson - Rapid Fire Pistol Shooter, 2012 Olympic Bronze Medal

Whether you're going for the gold or you (and your family) just want peak performance, choosing high end sports nutrition will provide the best for now and for your future health.

The definition of Prevention: To keep from happening.
The definition of Cure: recovery from disease.

I'm here to help.  Contact me at marybeth@mamabearproductions.net

Mary Beth Potrykus
www.mamabearproductions.net