Weekly Topic #5: Nutrition

ATHLETE NUTRITION 101

Have you ever had that growling about mid morning?  Why is this going on? You ate breakfast, but that was 3 hours ago and lunch isn’t for another 2 hours. What do you do?

YOU SNACK!

This is one of the most important parts of your nutritional format.  Your body needs to refuel every 2-4 hours. When you’re working or on the go, the normal tendency is to turn to something quick and convenient and it usually is not that good for you.  Typically, you grab something that is high in fat, sugar, and calories but low in nutrients.

The secret to curbing your appetite and staying satisfied is to eat a snack that has both protein and carbohydrate. Carbohydrates fuel your brain and your body, but may be digested within 1-1.5 hours. Adding protein, good fats, or high fiber foods to your snack helps keep your energy level constant by lengthening the time of digestion.

Nutrition Habits!

Lesson 1: An athlete's performance doesn't depend on some magic elixir swallowed just before the game. It depends upon his or her everyday nutritional intake and sensible eating practices just before exercise.

Lesson 2: The purpose of the pre-game meal is to add to the body's energy reserves and prevent hunger pangs—without causing an upset stomach. To supplement energy reserves, the meal should be high in carbohydrates and low in fat and protein.

Protein is a poor source of immediate energy, and it contributes to dehydration. It should be a very small part of the pre-game meal. Fatty foods take longer to digest than other foods and can cause stomachaches during an event.

Lesson 3: The timing of the meal is as important as the menu. You should eat a small meal about two or three hours before strenuous exercise. If you are hungry pre-event, eat a snack. Try whole wheat breads, crackers, fruit, or a dry bagel.

After the event, you should continue to eat plenty of high-carbohydrate foods to replace depleted energy sources. Liquid carbohydrate sources, such as juices, are handy and tasty right after the race. They also help avoid dehydration.

Lesson 4: What you drink immediately before, during, and after an event is as important as what you eat. You need to drink fluids even when you aren't thirsty.

Young athletes should drink a glass or two of water five to 10 minutes before exercise and at least one glass every 20 minutes during exercise. Organizers of all-day meets should schedule regular water breaks.

After exercise, athletes should drink at least two cups of fluids for each pound of weight lost during the activity. You might even want to weigh before and after events to figure out how much you have lost.

WHAT TO EAT

Here are three good meals two to three hours before the event:

• A cup of soup; a slice of lean turkey or chicken breast on a bagel or whole-grain bread; a piece of fruit; juice, water.
• One to two slices of thick-crust pizza, with little or no meat; a low-fat cookie; juice, water.
• Spaghetti with tomato sauce, little or no meat, and a roll
•  Whole-wheat  bagel with thin layer peanut butter or preserves; juice, fruit, water

WHEN TO EAT

Try to schedule your pre-event meals so that the food is fully digested by race time. Here are some guidelines to follow, when possible:

• Allow three to four hours for a large meal to be digested.
• Allow two to three hours for a small meal (fewer than 500 calories).
• Allow one to two hours for a blended or liquid meal.
• Allow less than one hour for a light snack (a piece of fruit or small bowl of cereal).

 A little more nutrition info and why…

Whole-wheat breads, crackers, bagels, pita breads, pretzels, and graham crackers.

Whole-wheat foods usually have more vitamins and minerals than white flour products and provide a better source of fiber. (Be sure to look for the words “whole wheat” not just “wheat.”) Foods high in fiber take longer to digest, thus helping you to feel fuller longer. 

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruit provides a good source of fiber--a whole apple with the skin provides about 3.6 grams of fiber. Eating whole fruit instead of drinking fruit juice will provide you with more fiber and leave you feeling fuller. Both fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that your body needs on a regular basis. Choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables will provide you with plenty of flavor and will also make snacking fun.

Dairy and Soy products.

These products provide both protein and carbohydrate in every serving. Dairy products and fortified soy products provide calcium, which is necessary for building and maintaining strong bones. The calcium requirement for adults aged 19-50 is 1,000 milligrams, and for adults over 50, 1200 milligrams. There are many low fat choices of milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt and frozen yogurts. Fat free cream cheese packs a good serving of protein!

Beans. Beans are low in fat and provide an excellent source of protein, fiber, iron, and folic acid. They can be added to salads, soups, and rice, put in tortillas, or eaten as a side dish. Beans can be blended to make a dip or spread for crackers or vegetables. Hummus is a good example.

 Snack Ideas on the Go

We have put together some good “on the go” snacks that with just a little preparation, will help you move into a whole new training environment.

Fruits with tougher skin such as oranges and apples might pack in your purse or backpack better than grapes or bananas. Add some protein to the snack by dipping the fruit in yogurt or peanut butter or including a slice of string cheese or a few seeds.

  More quick ideas:

• ·        Turkey/ham sandwich on whole wheat bread (light mayo or mustard)
• ·        1-cup whole-wheat pasta with low-sugar marinara sauce/parmesan cheese      
• ·        Banana dipped in melted peanut butter     
• ·        Sweet potato topped with cinnamon and honey/agave nectar
• ·        Small bowl of oatmeal with chopped nuts and cinnamon
• ·        Low-fat microwave popcorn; Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese or mix in some peanuts
• ·        English muffin pizzas (whole grain muffin, pizza sauce, and low-fat cheese)
• ·        ½ all natural peanut butter and sugar-free jelly sandwich (whole grain bread)
• ·        “chex mix”- chex cereal, peanuts, cheerios (raisins or other dried fruit optional)
• ·        Apple with low-fat cheese or melt peanut butter for a dip
• ·        Quick Quesadillas (whole-wheat tortilla with low-fat Mexican cheese)



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