Athletes Vs Non Athletes

Eating on the road whether you’re an athlete or a non-athlete is hard to do. Places like Taco Bell, McDonalds, or Burger King make it easy to go through the drive-thru and be on your way, I mean that is why they call it fast food. Fast food franchises are easy to go to but very unhealthy for you especially if you are an athlete. Though you may not be able to bring your entire kitchen with you while you’re away you can still be on the lookout for the hidden fats when your team and you stop and eat. “Creamy soups, bread-type flaky pastries, mayonnaise-based salad dressings, and sauces in sandwiches and unnecessary fat to the food” (Benardot, 203). Another on the road tip is to bring snacks that you can eat on the road without them being too …show more content…
As an athlete it’s proven that you sweat more than a non-athlete. As a result to athletes sweating a lot they become dehydrated which the results for that are not good; “an athlete’s body relies on water for cooling, nutrient transport, joint lubrication, metabolic waste removal, digestion, and absorption…” (Benardot, 74). Exercising and exerting yourself may be the main factor for dehydration but stress also plays into it. “Higher levels of mental stress and anxiety are associated with a reduced gastric emptying that can have a serious impact on the athlete’s ability to adequately rehydrate during competition” (Benardot, 84). As an athlete you have many late nights and early mornings, which may cause you to drink energy drinks to help wake yourself up. There are studies that prove that in small amounts caffeine can help your athletic ability, “however, it must be critically examined” (“Effects of Too Much Caffeine on Athletic Performance” 1). Though there are studies proving that caffeine is not exactly harmful to an athlete we cannot ne 100% sure as “most of the research supporting caffeine’s ergogenic effects is performed in lab based settings, making it hard to extrapolate to the competitive arena” (“Effects of Too Much Caffeine on Athletic Performance”1). While caffeine may help improve your athletic performance, one thing that won’t help an athlete is alcohol. “Alcohol has a diuretic property …show more content…
Dramatic weight loss for anyone is unhealthy and it is something that is definitely not recommended for young athletes. Weight loss is thought to help improve athletic performance but it does the exact opposite. “Over-exercising to quickly lose weight uses up stored muscle fuel and may leave athletes depleted when it comes time to compete” (Castle, 1). Fasting or not eating for a while may lead to dehydration and deprivation of nutrients you need. “Other ways to hasten weight loss such as wearing a rubber suit, “sweating it out” in a sauna, or taking diuretics may lead to diuretics” (Castle, 1). There are ways you can lose weight without cutting it off all at once, just incorporate these three things into your everyday life. Try and eat all your meals at about the same time every day and have snacks in between meals. “Never skip meals, as this may promote hunger and lead to poor food choices and over-eating” (Castle, 2). Watch your food portions “… by checking the serving size on the food packages” (Castle, 2). “Eating appropriate portions will help you stay on track with your overall calorie intake”(Castle, 2). Snacks are important because it’s usually something really light and won’t make you feel bloated and like you need to go get rid of that “excess” weight. Although they help increase your energy