Before you learn about nutrition and weight management, aside from a good diet, the two of the most important things for wrestlers are sleep and hygiene. Getting 8-10 hours is ideal, and as a student athlete, that can be challenging. Get as much sleep as you can. Sleep is essential for weight management, academic learning, athletic performance. The less sleep you get, the harder those things become. If you do not manage your weight properly or if you're not prepared for academics and athletic performance due to lack of sleep, you may miss your weigh-in (be disqualified), get poor grades and miss practice, and/or get injured in practice. Sleep is the easiest and best way to prepare yourself for all the challenges of a wrestling season.
The other important thing is for you to stay clean. Wash your hands frequently (and properly), sanitize your hands frequently, take a thorough shower after practice with soap, cut your nails short, do not share water bottles or towels and any other things with others, avoid touching your face and mouth, and wash your workout clothes every day. Failure to do all of this increases the risk of communicable diseases, including but not limited to influenza, skin infections, COVID, norovirus, and common cold. Not only do these sicknesses keep you out of practice and academic opportunities, these can be spread to your teammates and risk their health as well.
No matter how perfect you are with nutrition and weight management, lack of sleep and unhygienic practices can ruin all your efforts.
With that in mind and in practice, you can learn about nutrition and weight management.
The list below are the basic nutrients humans need to live:
All types of nutrients are necessary for humans to stay healthy at the right balance and amount. These nutrients play significant roles in regulating our body; needless to say they are very important in supporting physical activity performance such as wrestling. Improper or lack of consumption of any nutrient will have a detrimental affect on the body which will lead to a decrease in performance, sickness, slow recovery, and injuries.
The basic roles of these nutrients are summarized below:
Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the brain and body (basically all bodily functions). Without carbohydrates, the body could not function properly. Sources include fruits, breads and grains, starchy vegetables and sugars.
Protein is the major structural component of cells and is responsible for the building and repair of body tissues. Protein is broken down into amino acids, which are building blocks of protein.
Fat is an energy source that when consumed, increases the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins including vitamins A, D, E and K.
Minerals assist enzymes in all body functions and build bones, teeth, tissue, muscles, blood, and nerve cells. Sodium helps to maintain fluid volume outside of the cells and helps cells to function normally. Potassium maintains fluid volume inside and outside of cells and prevents the excess rise of blood pressure with increased sodium intake. Calcium helps to maintain and build strong bones and teeth. Iron is essential for the blood to carry oxygen to muscles in order for muscles to function properly.
Water helps to maintain homeostasis in the body and transports nutrients to cells. Water also assists in removing waste products from the body.
Vitamins help regulate metabolic reactions.
Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes, skin, and tissue in the retina (the back of the eye, which creates vision).
Vitamin B6 is also called pyridoxine. Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and maintain brain function. This vitamin also plays an important role in the proteins that are part of many chemical reactions in the body. The more protein you eat the more pyridoxine your body requires.
Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It also helps form red blood cells and maintain the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums. It helps the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue. It is also essential for wound healing.
Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin," since it is made by the body after being in the sun. Some experts have suggested that a few minutes of sunlight directly on the skin of your face, arms, back, and legs (without sunscreen) every day can produce the body's requirement of vitamin D. However, the amount of vitamin D produced by sunlight exposure can vary greatly from person to person. It is very hard to get enough vitamin D from food sources alone. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. You need calcium for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels of calcium and phosphorus.
Vitamin E is an antioxidant also known as tocopherol. It helps the body form red blood cells and use vitamin K.
Vitamin K is needed because without it blood would not coagulate normally. Some studies suggest that it is important for bone health.
Biotin is essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of hormones and cholesterol.
Niacin is a B vitamin that helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. It also has triglyceride-lowering effects at higher doses.
Folate works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is needed for the production of DNA, which controls tissue growth and cell function. Any woman who is pregnant should be sure to get enough folate. Low levels of folate are linked to birth defects such as spina bifida. Many foods are now fortified with folate in the form of folic acid.
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) is essential for the metabolism of food. It also plays a role in the production of hormones and cholesterol.
Riboflavin (vitamin B2) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and the production of red blood cells.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) helps the body cells change carbohydrates into energy. Getting enough carbohydrates is very important during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is also essential for heart function and healthy nerve cells.
(Courtesy of SFGATE: 6 Essential Nutrients and their Functions and Vitamins by Medline Plus)
Watch the video below for more information on the basic nutrients.