Eating for anaerobic and aerobic power: diets for power, endurance and combined sports
Power sports need protein, enough carbohydrate and creatine stores; endurance sports need the most carbohydrate and fluid; combined sports need both, timed around matches.
Eating for anaerobic vs aerobic power
| Feature | Anaerobic power (power sports) | Aerobic power (endurance sports) |
|---|---|---|
| Energy systems | ATP-PC and anaerobic glycolysis | Oxidative |
| Main fuels | Phosphocreatine, muscle glycogen | Muscle glycogen, fat, blood glucose |
| Carbohydrate | About 4-7 g/kg/day (Slater & Phillips, 2011) | 6-10 g/kg/day; 8-12 at very high loads (ACSM 2016) |
| Protein | 1.2-2.0 g/kg/day (ACSM 2016), often the upper part | 1.2-2.0 g/kg/day (ACSM 2016) |
| Key extras | Creatine stores; energy surplus for muscle gain; caffeine | Carbohydrate loading and carbohydrate during races; fluids and sodium; iron; caffeine and nitrate |
| Body composition goal | High muscle; good power-to-weight | Low body fat; light frame |
| Indian examples | Weightlifters, sprinters, javelin throwers, wrestlers | Marathon runners, cyclists, race walkers, long-distance swimmers |
Food for combined sports (team and racquet games)
| Need | How to meet it |
|---|---|
| Fuel for repeated sprints over 60-90 minutes | Carbohydrate 5-7 g/kg on moderate days, 6-10 on heavy days (ACSM 2016 load bands) |
| Recovery between matches in a tournament | Small, easy meals 1-2 h before each match; recovery snack within 30-60 minutes after |
| Skill and concentration late in the match | Carbohydrate drinks or snacks at breaks |
| Fluid in hot halls and grounds | Personal drinking plan; salted drinks for heavy sweaters |
| Repair of knocks and muscle damage | Protein about 0.3 g/kg every 3-5 hours |
| Examples | Hockey, football, kabaddi, basketball, volleyball; badminton, tennis, table tennis, squash |
Activity: planning a diet for an athlete
- 1Collect details: age, sex, weight, height, body fat, sport and position, training timetable, vegetarian or not, likes, budget.
- 2Estimate energy: basal needs × activity factor, or an activity diary with METs.
- 3★Set carbohydrate and protein in g/kg by sport and load; fat 20-35% of energy.
- 4Plan fluids from sweat rate and check iron, calcium and vitamin D.
- 5Place meals and snacks around training: main meal 3-4 h before, snack 1-2 h before, recovery within an hour.
- 6Choose Indian foods using exchange lists and the Indian Food Composition Tables (IFCT 2017); write a one-day menu.
- 7Check totals against targets; make match-day and travel versions.
- 8Review after 2-4 weeks: weight, body composition, energy levels and performance.
★ one-way, controls the pace
Sample one-day menu outlines
| Meal | Strength athlete (weightlifter) | Endurance athlete (distance runner) | Racquet or team athlete (badminton player) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before morning training | Banana and a glass of milk | Banana, 2 dates, water | Bread with peanut butter, water |
| Breakfast after training | Egg bhurji or paneer bhurji with chapatis, milk | Idli with sambar and chutney, fruit | Poha with groundnuts, curd |
| Mid-morning | Paneer sandwich | Fruit and sweet lassi | Sprouts chaat |
| Lunch | Rice, dal, chicken or soya curry, vegetables, curd | Large serving of rice, dal, vegetables, curd | Chapati and rice, dal, vegetables, curd |
| Pre-training snack | Peanut chikki and fruit | Ragi malt and banana | Banana and glucose biscuits |
| After evening training | Banana milkshake, boiled eggs or paneer | Lemon rice and salted buttermilk | Curd rice and a banana |
| Dinner | Chapatis, dal, fish or paneer, vegetables | Chapatis or rice, dal, potato and vegetables | Chapatis, dal, paneer, vegetables |
| Bedtime | Milk or curd | Milk | Milk |
In practical classes, plan one base menu, several versions: the same rice, chapati, dal, vegetables and curd, with more cereal for the runner, more protein foods for the lifter, and match-day snacks for the hockey or badminton player. This mirrors how sports hostel kitchens work.
2 marks: “What is meant by aerobic power?” The ability to keep producing energy with oxygen over long periods, shown by VO2max; it limits endurance events.
5 marks: “How do diets differ for power sports and endurance sports?” Table of energy systems, fuels, carbohydrate and protein g/kg, key extras, body-composition goals and examples.
10 marks: “Explain food for power sports, endurance sports and combined sports. Add a sample day's menu.” Anaerobic vs aerobic power, needs of combined sports, planning steps, timing of meals and snacks, and a sample menu.
Power = Protein + PCr; Endurance = carbohydrate at Every meal; Combined = Carbs by the Clock (timed around matches).