Sport Nutrition
How To Maximise Performance

How Much Energy (calories) Is needed For Training?
The exact amount of energy needed for a physical activity is dependant on your age, sex, and weight and how hard you train. At least 50-60% of your diet should be composed of carbohydrate (starchy or sugary) foods. As a general rule half your plate should be taken up by the following foods: bread or bread products,
breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, cous cous, noodles, potato, beans and peas and root vegetables.

Sweetened dairy products (yoghurt and milkshakes) and fruit are useful carbohydrate containing foods to use as a dessert. These foods are broken down into a simple sugar called glucose. Glucose is then converted to glycogen, (a glucose storing product) in the liver. The first and main fuel used when training comes directly from the liver, so it is important that your liver has enough energy in it to keep you training optimally.

Suggested Meals To Have 2 Hours Before Training
A heavy meal prior to training diverts the blood needed by the muscles to the stomach. The ideas listed are high in carbohydrate - to provide you with adequate energy and moderate in fat. Too much fat can delay gastric emptying and cause discomfort whilst exercising.

Breakfast
* Fruit juice with;
* Fresh, stewed or tinned fruit and yoghurt,
* Muesli, breakfast cereal or porridge with semi skimmed milk and dried fruits,
* Bread, rolls, bagels, brioche, muffins, croissants or toast with jam, marmalade, honey, Marmite, banana,
* Ham or cheese with bread,
* Baked beans on toast,
* Scrambled, boiled or poached eggs on toast.

Main Meals
* Deep pan pizza with lean meat and vegetables
* Rice with meat accompaniment
* Risotto with fish, ham, chicken or meat and vegetables
* Pasta with meat and / or vegetable sauce
* Jacket potato with cheese / beans and salad

Light Meals
* Chunky vegetable soup with bread or a roll
* Sandwiches made with thickly sliced bread and filled with cheese, meat, chicken, egg, or humus with salad
* Toast with tinned spaghetti or beans
* Pitta bread with filling

Snacks
* Toast with jam and low fat spread
* Sandwich with honey, jam, marmalade or Marmite
* Scones, muffins
* Carrot cake, ginger cake, fruit cake
* Breakfast cereal with dried fruit and milk
* Fruit yoghurt or flavoured milkshake
* Flapjack, whole wheat biscuits or cookies
* Pancakes and fruit
* Dried fruits, banana, melon or grapes
* Chocolate or Muesli bar
* Rice pudding, crème caramel, sorbet, ice cream or fruit salad

Prior to training drink 1/2 litre of fluid (listed below). During your training drink 1/4 litre of fruit squash, water fruit drink or a sport drink every 15 minutes. This will prevent dehydration.

You can lose up to 1 litre of fluid per training hour if you lose more than this it can decrease your training potential by 10-15%. If your urine gets darker –drink more.

Eat one or more of the above snacks and drink plenty of fluid after training to refuel your body’s glycogen reserves. This will enable you to train optimally in the next 24-48 hrs.

There 2 gyms in the London area that provide services for people affected by HIV. Please contact the HIV/GU Medicine Directorate of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. For more information please call 020 8746 8178.