Pregnancy Nutritional Requirements for Athletes
Special guest article from Nancy Baker, Co-Founder of Childmode. Most serious soccer players understand the value and the power of nutrition but being pregnant makes what you eat even more important. Here are a few valuable tips!
Good nutrition is one of our most important tools. Soccer players need energy for performance and pregnant athletes need even more energy! Paying attention to what you eat is not only smart but really important.
It is hard enough for the average woman to get in enough physical activity daily once they become pregnant. But, for women that are athletic and compete in professional sports therapy be getting more than enough of the daily activity that is recommended by trained medical professionals.
That is why it is especially important for women that are athletes to know and understand the pregnancy nutritional requirements so that they remain healthy throughout their pregnancy. Especially since professional athletes often continue to compete after becoming pregnant.
Editor’s Note: Did you know that U.S. Women’s national team forward Alex Morgan announced she and husband LA Galaxy midfielder Servando Carrasco are expecting their first child? Morgan is expecting a baby girl due in April.
While to the average woman, it may cause some worry to think about a woman competing in a strenuous athletic tournament while pregnant, for many professional athletes, including soccer professionals, it’s their everyday life. As long as their doctors give them the go-ahead, then it’s full steam ahead.
Here are some tips that will help you stay on top of the nutritional requirements that you need to make it successfully through a healthy pregnancy.
The first thing we advise you to do before beginning an exercise session is to consume a pre-workout snack of some sort. It will help to provide you with the necessary fuel that your body needs to get through your workout.
This is crucial because with all of the hormones flowing through your bloodstream your body will need extra help maintaining your energy levels throughout any workout.
The next thing to remember is that if you intend to train more than thirty minutes you will need to bring some food with you to the session. Your body loses energy faster because so much of it is being used to nourish your developing fetus.
Ensure that you find time to take a break if you intend to workout for a long period of time. This will allow you to refuel and consume some much-needed carbohydrates and water.
Stay Hydrated: Make certain that throughout the day you are consuming enough water.
The recommended amount of water for the average person is the eight glasses a day, however, for an expecting mother, try to double that number.
The more water you consume the better you’ll feel.
After you’ve finished training eat a recovery meal that consists of lean proteins, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and more.
This will help to replenish what was lost during your workout. During pregnancy, if you are not active it is not helpful to eat just to eat. But, if you are an athlete now is not the time to count your macros and try to go on a diet.
Your body needs more fuel now than ever, just think about all the things your body is doing right now.
A pregnant soccer player’s body is:
- Providing nutrients for your baby
- Providing nutrients for yourself
- Repairing your muscles
- Building muscles
- Changing your body in preparation for delivery
- Giving you energy
If you ask me, that’s a lot for the body to do on top of keeping itself performing at a high level. Eating properly allows you to continue to compete and enjoy your passion for the beautiful game.
And while at a certain point you will have to put your athletic career on pause in order to deliver your child and we want to get you successfully through your pregnancy without any huge incidents.
Your body is prepared to compete in perhaps the biggest event you’ve ever entered, and that is bringing life into this world.
Welcome to motherhood and make sure that you give your child a head start in this world by providing them with the proper nourishment that they need in order to develop and grow properly.
These first two years of their lives are important and the journey starts when they are still in the womb.
Important note: If you have any concerns or questions about your health, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, have a medical condition, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. Pregnant or lactating women should consult a doctor or personal nutritionist before changing diet. Do not ever disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health-related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have read on this site.
And for all of your other questions about pregnancy and babies head over to Childmode.
For more information, Email guest writer: nancy@childmode.com
