9 worst foods for athletic performance

Every successful athlete will tell you that winning a race has much to do with staying off the worst foods for athletic performance.

Nutrition is as good as training is; that is why the crème de la crème athletes stay off foods likely to hurdle their performance.

Athletes’ diets focus more on what fuels the body more. Therefore, choosing the correct nutrients will enhance your energy levels, encourage muscle growth, and aid in muscle repair and regeneration.

The wrong ones might set you back a long way. Thus, it is wise to know the worst foods for athletic performance.

Processed/Canned Soup

While canned soup is convenient, it is not necessarily healthy for you – worst foods for athletic performance.

The fact that it has a long shelf life should give you a hint. Dietician Jim White says some soups are so heavily processed and rich in sodium that they outweigh any health benefits.

He adds the best soup has low-sodium or homemade alternatives instead. Too much sodium results in high blood pressure.

CEREALS WITH ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS

Breakfast cereal. Photo/Healthline

In addition to artificial sugar being prohibited, overindulging in natural sugar is also prohibited.

And there are some cereals with lots of artificial sugars making them the worst foods for athletic performance.

No athlete achieves and maintains peak performance by consuming a large bowl of oat cereal with marshmallows first thing in the morning.

Too much sugar causes a surge in insulin which makes the body retain too much fat.

DIET SODA

Purdue University researchers discovered that consuming artificially sweetened items, such as a can of diet Coke each day, dramatically increases your chance of developing health problems and gaining weight.

Artificial sweeteners deceive the body into believing you are ingesting real food. And because they are almost 100 times sweeter than the genuine thing, your body responds by releasing insulin to compensate for the mistake.

A can of diet soda is undoubtedly among the worst foods for athletic performance.

WHITE PASTA

Nutritionist Jim White advises that white pasta – rice, and bread – are not good for athletes because they lack fibre and nutrients.

When ingested, they raise insulin levels, resulting in a decrease in energy and a rise in body weight.

Stick to whole-grain goods whenever possible.

ALCOHOL

The key to maintaining a high level of health is to consume everything in moderation, especially alcoholic beverages.

It is also good to exercise regularly. Alcohol has a negative impact on your physical fitness in a variety of ways.

When you drink too much, your muscles recover slower, your motor abilities are impaired, and you lose strength and sprinting ability.

It also has diuretic properties, which means it dehydrates you. According to research published in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, alcohol depresses the immune system and reduces the body’s ability to heal, increasing the likelihood of disease and injury.

So, take note that alcohol is among the worst foods for athletic performance.

NO PROTEIN MEAL

A meal without protein ranks top among the worst foods for athletic performance.

Athletes require protein to perform well. In order to repair and strengthen muscle tissue, protein is essential.

In order to preserve sufficiency, balance, and diversity, include protein in every meal. This will also assist to lower blood sugar levels and increase fullness.

SPORTS DRINK

Unless you are undertaking a particularly long and strenuous workout, guzzling down a sports drink is not recommended.

Drinking electrolyte-enhanced beverages typically contains up to 34 grams of sugar. Athletes would be better served by simply drinking water and refueling with other foods and beverages instead.

SWEETENED YOGHURT

Yoghurt. Photo/Medical News Today

Flavored yogurt cups are convenient and delicious, but they contain a significant amount of sugar.

Particularly those that include fruit in the bottom or granola toppings. They are the worst foods for athletic performance.

The result will be a lack of progress toward a slim, shredded physique, as well as an increase in blood sugar levels, increasing your chances of overindulging and experiencing an energy crash.

A Greek yogurt breakfast is a considerably superior choice for serious fitness and health enthusiasts because it is high in protein.

Plain yoghurt is a good choice because it contains a comparatively low amount of sugar.

FRUIT JUICE

Fruit juice is deceptive in its nutritional value. It contains fruit, but it also contains a significant amount of artificial sugar.

Furthermore, it lacks the nutritionally dense components of fruit, such as the peel and fibrous flesh, which contain the majority of the nutrients.

In addition, the sugar is transported to the liver very fast, where it might become lodged and stored in the form of fat.