How Healthy Eating Can Help Your Tennis Training

October 22nd, 2012 by Do It Tennis

If you are a tennis player you should note that healthy eating can help improve your tennis training. Your body requires plenty of carbohydrates before and after playing tennis to stimulate your activities as well as recover after the match. Your body goes through many hurdles while you play tennis. Therefore before you play a match your diet should contain plenty of carbohydrates. A tennis match may last for several hours and players regularly should eat as well as drink during the competition. It is therefore important that a player eats healthy food to play or train properly.

Carbohydrates
A tennis players healthy diet should be rich in carbohydrates, low in fats and moderate proteins. You should eat foods that you're familiar with and those that you can digest easily. For instance never try food that you haven't eaten before as they may have a negative impact on your training. High fibre foods and foods rich in fats generally take longer to digest and should be avoided. Eating plenty of carbohydrates helps the player to not only energize their body but also eliminate early fatigue. Your diet should be rich in complex carbohydrates such as breads, rice, pasta, potatoes and cereals, simple carbohydrates such as confectionery, preserves and sugar should be limited.

Fats
Limit the consumption of fats, however if consumed moderately, fats are a good source of energy. Avoid saturated fats from meats and develop the habit of eating lean meat. Instead of saturated fats your body requires the unsaturated fats found in vegetable products. Eating fried foods or greasy foods deprives you the much needed energy leading to early fatigue. Breakfast should consist of low fat dairy products mixed with carbohydrates. You should eat whole grain cereals, yogurt, waffles, pancakes, muffins, bananas and drink skim milk. During your lunch hour it is healthy to eat salads as they are rich in carbohydrates. Avoid starches which provides quick energy during training. Make sure that your meal contains vegetables and green, whole grain, pita bread or serve baked croutons with your salad. It is healthy to eat baked potatoes without butter, bacon, cream or cheeses instead add fat free cream, salsa or guacamole. If you are training in the evening you should have a snack in the afternoon and an early dinner.

Hydration
Tennis is a strong sport which requires power, speed as well as endurance, to ensure optimum performance you need to eat healthy. This sport requires that your energy level is as high as possible before the training. Your body should remain hydrated throughout the training session. Dehydration may lead to several health problems such as convulsions, fatigue and abnormal mental state. Your body requires sport beverages, vegetable juice, fruit juices, fitness water, normal water, low fat milk, mineral water, vegetables and fruits.

Fruits and vegetables
Fresh vegetables and fruits are a good source of energy which is vital during training. Fruits and vegetables contain essential minerals and vitamins, it is recommended that to get optimal nutritional benefits consume vegetables and fruits of different colours. Alcohol should be avoided completely as its digestion is slow and it may cause liver problems and other severe health conditions.