Each athlete is different, but generally “women athletes should consume 55 to 70 percent of their calories from carbohydrates,” says sports nutritionist Tara Gidus, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. An endurance athlete, who needs plenty of carbs to burn, should be at the higher end of the range, whereas an athlete whose focus is on weight training should eat toward the lower amount. If your diet is 2,000 or so calories, aim for about 275 to 350 grams per day of carbs depending on your level of cardiovascular activity. For 2,600 calories, your carb intake might span 355 to 455 grams.
If you’re not sure if you’re eating the right amount, registered dietitian Nancy Clark, author of Nancy Clark’s Food Guide for Marathoners: Tips for Everyday Champions, suggests eyeballing your plate. Two-thirds should be covered with healthy carbs, she says. Or go further and log your daily food choices into an online journal—fitday.com or calorieking.com—that calculates your intake of carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and more.
Fruits and vegetables What really bugged nutritionists during the low-carb years was that people were eating less of the healthiest foods of all—fruits and veggies. Bad idea. A recent report issued jointly by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research suggests that diets with five to ten servings of fruits and vegetables daily could prevent at least 20 percent of all cancers. Other research indicates that every one serving increase per day of fruits and veggies is associated with a four percent lower risk of coronary heart disease. Higher intakes of fruits and veggies are also linked to greater bone density.
Whole grains The bread-bashers back then rarely distinguished between the good, made of whole grain, and the not-so-good, made of refined grains. Whole grains contain all three parts of the kernel: The bran is the outer shell that holds B vitamins, fiber and at least half of the grain’s minerals. The germ, the seed’s nourishment, stores more B vitamins as well as vitamin E, healthy fats, minerals and phytochemicals. Finally, the endosperm, the largest part, contains carbohydrates, protein and smaller amounts of Bs. The milling process removes the germ and bran, leaving only the endosperm. This leaves a refined and much less nutritious grain, such as white flour or white rice.
