Daily Nutritional Needs

Exceptional motocross racers require a high-carbohydrate (CHO) diet to maintain stamina. Stored carbohydrates (i.e. muscle and liver glycogen) are the primary fuel for energy. When stores are low, focus and timing begin to suffer. The further aim is to do this while maintaining a high strength-to-weight ratio. With all of those dollars spent designing a light machine, it does not make any sense to place a fat driver in the seat!

For athletes, the American and Canadian Dietetics Associations recommend 55 to 58 percent of calories be CHO, 12 to15 percent protein and 25 to 30 percent fat (1). These are the same requirements for sedentary individuals. However, there has been a growing body of evidence that protein and fat requirements may need to be altered for active individuals, especially when15% of the diet is protein (2,9,10). In order to avoid muscle loss, the protein and fat requirements have been slightly altered here for the recommended training diet as described below.

The Training Diet – your daily nutritional plan.

The recommendations of the training diet suggest that a meal should be comprised of 55 to 60 percent CHO, 20 to 25 percent protein and 20 percent fat. The goal of the training diet is to provide adequate energy for recovery and tissue repair quickly and efficiently, without adding body fat. For simplicity, if you ate 2,000 calories a day, 55 percent of that is 1,100 calories from CHO, which is equal to 275 grams of carbohydrates (there are four calories of CHO per gram; thus, 1100/4 = 275 g of CHO per day. For protein, there are four calories of protein per gram also). For some it is easier to keep track of grams than calories.

Protein

Some research suggests that protein should be 1.6-1.8 g/kg bodyweight (bodyweight in kg = bodyweight in pounds / 2.2 kg) per day (9) or as high as 2g/kg bodyweight per day in athletes (10). The Recommended Daily Allowance of 0.8g/kg bodyweight per day protein is based on what is healthy for the average sedentary individual, which is not necessarily enough for athletes.

The additional protein is crucial not only for muscle repair, but also as an additional energy source. During time of intense training, the body may start using its own muscle as an energy source. Because muscle mass is difficult to build and maintain, athletes should be careful not to lose it.

Fat

Keep fat intake to about 20 percent of your total calories, consisting primarily of essential and monounsaturated fats. Essential fatty acids are a type of fat that the body cannot create from fish and walnuts. Monounsaturated fats, which are fats with one binding site, can come from olive or canola oils, seeds and/or avocados.

For someone consuming 2,000 calories a day, the fat intake should be about 400 calories. This is equal to about 44 to 67 grams (each fat gram contains nine calories).

You may be tempted to ingest as little fat as possible, however, this is also unhealthy. Keeping your fat intake to less than 15 percent may have a harmful effect by inhibiting absorption of those vitamins that dissolve in fat, and it has no effect on improving your body fat percentage.

Pre-Moto/Exercise Meal

The primary purpose of the pre-moto meal is to offset fatigue during the race

There is no one-size-fits-all prescription because different people react differently to the same foods. Athletes should try to find food that won’t cause GI distress and will help to maintain focus and endurance. A few guidelines:

Eat low-glycemic foods, such as whole grain cereals, certain fruits, sandwiches made with whole wheat bread, etc., approximately two to three hours before a competition. The closer to your match, the smaller the meal. This will help sustain blood-sugar levels.
Keep protein and fat intakes low because they slow digestion.
Avoid bulky foods, like raw fruits and vegetables, dry beans, peas and popcorn, which can stimulate bowel movements.
Avoid gas-forming foods such as vegetables from the cabbage family and cooked dry beans.
Drink 400 to 600 mL (14 to 22 oz) of fluid two to three hours before exercise depending on tolerance (1).
Do not try new foods just before a match. Eat foods familiar with your digestive system.
Some athletes prefer to use their favorite foods, which may give them a psychological edge.

Post- Game Meal

DO NOT FORGET the post-game meal!

Consume 1.5 g/kg bodyweight of CHO-rich, low fiber foods and beverages within 30 minutes or as soon as possible after a game and again every two hours for four to six hours to replace glycogen stores (1). This may be difficult when traveling, but failing to do so will encourage under-recovery and potential muscle wasting.

After physical activity lasting longer than an hour, the body best restores lost glycogen when carbohydrates and protein are consumed together in a ratio of 4:1 or 3:1, rather than simply consuming carbohydrates alone (6,7,8). Furthermore, the combination of CHO and protein has the added benefit of stimulating amino acid transport, protein synthesis and muscle tissue repair, all of which will further speed recovery and re-energize you for your next competition.

Products such as Endurox R4 by Endurox and Recoverite by Hammer Gel will provide both nutrients. When in a bind another option is drinking 20 oz. of low-fat chocolate milk post-exercise.

It is better to consume the “meal” as a liquid in order to facilitate recovery faster, and follow with a variety of whole-foods between two and four hours later.

Return to the normal Training Diet at the next meal.

Alcohol

The temptation of binge drinking may come after a race for a celebration of victory or a gathering to ease the pain of defeat. A sensible amount will not hinder performance or health, but alcohol intake can interfere with post-exercise recovery. You need to know what “a sensible amount” is for your own tolerance. In general, this means one drink for women and two for men.

But alcohol intake can interfere with the game and post-exercise recovery (3-5).

Get a post-exercise meal and fluids in first before drinking any alcohol. This way, less alcohol will have a tendency to be absorbed into the bloodstream and pass into the small intestine with the rest of the food.

Avoid any alcohol 24 hours post-exercise if you have any soft tissue injuries or bruises.

Alcohol and injuries are a bad combination, and it may actually increase swelling, bleeding and delay recovery (3-5).