When it comes to building muscle mass, breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, which is why people who play sports and those who lead very active lives require a meal that boosts energy, while keeping their health in mind.
Besides post-workout, breakfast is really the only other time our body craves fuel. In the morning, we especially need a good fuel to get our body out of a catabolic state and one of muscle development.
Get your day off to a good start by fueling your muscles so you can have enough energy for the day and hard workouts.
Best breakfast for athletes
Each exercise or sport has a certain physical demand that demands specific qualities, something that is basic in us is undoubtedly having a good diet and rest to keep our body healthy and give it the recovery it needs after any wear and tear, but all this will vary depending on the sport or exercise that we practice, including the schedule in which we do it.
In a balanced diet consisting of 5 meals a day, breakfast represents 20 – 25% of energy intake for the entire day. This article shares ideas for preparing breakfasts to perform at your best in your training and competitions.
Oat flakes
Oatmeal is a very easy to digest cereal, so it is indicated if you exercise afterwards. Oatmeal flakes slightly heated in water, milk or vegetable drink for a few minutes (to aid digestion) and mixed with dried fruits and seeds constitute an energetic breakfast for people who stay active.
In addition, they stand out for their vitamin B1 concentrate, which serves the nutrition and functional balance of the nervous system. The requirements of this vitamin increase if a diet rich in carbohydrates is followed, as is recommended in sports.
Oatmeal can also be used in the athlete’s diet to make energy bars or cookies, prepare soups or thicken purees to replace potatoes (oats are more nutritious). It is important not to confuse oat flakes with oat bran, the fibrous part of the cereal.
Greek yogurt with nuts and red berries
A breakfast loaded with protein and healthy fats. But yes: not all Greek yogurts are worth it. Discard those that are sweetened or with chocolate chips, as you will be taking more sugar than you should. Make sure it is natural and without added sugars. The red fruits will add a delicious flavor to natural yogurt, you can even sweeten it with honey to obtain a sweeter flavor.
Breakfast with tahini for athletes
The tahini is becoming very common in the diet for athletes. Tahini is a food composed of sesame paste, whose nutrients are high doses of vitamins, essential fatty acids for our metabolism and rich in minerals. The tahini is spread with toasted bread and must be accompanied with a glass of water.
Considerations about breakfast for the athlete
In those athletes who want to increase or maintain muscle mass. If you train on an empty stomach, the body is in a catabolic state, that is, muscle mass is consumed to obtain the necessary energy due to the deficit of nutrients, and therefore it is very difficult to maintain or increase muscle mass. It should be noted that consuming enough carbohydrates to cover training improves performance and delays fatigue.