Fueling The Athlete:

A Close Look at Proper Nutrition

The goal of proper nutrition in sports is to provide the strength and endurance for the game or practice and enhance performance throughout the season.  A healthy diet consists of a balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats that provide vitamins and minerals for extended play.  An athlete’s diet consists of 60-65% Carbohydrates, 12-15% Proteins and 20-25% healthy Fats.  Timing of what you eat is as important as what you eat. 

The goals of fueling before activity are:

• 4+ hours before (afternoon or evening games): Complex Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat.  Example: Turkey and cheese sandwich on whole grain with a cup of soup or small salad.
• 2-3 hours before (late morning/noontime game): Complex Carbohydrate, protein and low fat. Example: Yogurt and granola, fruit and a protein bar, or ½ a PBJ
• Up to 1 hour before (early game or race): Simple carbohydrate.  Example: ½ plain bagel, crackers, fruit, sports drinks and pretzels.

During activity the goal is to maintain your strength by drinking sports drinks or eating a small snack like dried fruits, crackers or bites of a bagel as long as it can be tolerated.  Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly. Examples include fruits, fruit juice, sports drinks, and crackers. Complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and are usually packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Examples are vegetables, whole grain breads, cereals, legumes and pasta.

After activities, it is important to restore the lost energy and repair muscle tissue damage from sport.  Within 30-60 minutes after stopping activity it is important to eat a combination of protein and carbohydrates like trail mix, protein bars or smoothies as well as replenish lost fluids.  Then around 2-4 hours afterwards athletes should try to eat a full meal to prepare for the next day of play.  It takes time and effort to plan ahead for your days meals but if enhanced performance is your goal than the extra time is worth it in the end.

Nutrition During The Season

During the season, athletes need enough energy and calories to sustain long practices and games and combinations of food to help recover afterwards.  Some athletes need upwards of 5,000 calories a day compared to their non athletic counterparts who need 3,000 calories a day, but everyone is different depending on their age, gender, size, fitness level and sport.  A consultation with one of our Nutritionists can define you exact needs. 

To obtain those extra calories during the season, smoothies, PB&J’s, energy bars, trail mix, fruits and vegetables are a good ways to add protein, healthy carbs and calories into their diet.  Monitor hydration as well since dehydration is the most common cause for fatigue on the field/court.  Many times athletes can’t find the time to eat so preparing for your workouts the night before is imperative.  Have the kid’s pack a soft cooler in their backpack to keep foods fresh they can eat throughout the day, not just at lunch.  Athletes who eat frequently throughout the day have lower body fat percentages and increased energy throughout the day and in games.  Planning ahead is imperative to keep organized as a busy family with athletes schedules, work and school commitments.  After food shopping for your family, portion out quick snacks and start your planning on Sunday for the entire week.  Some practices and games end very late in the day but it is still important to feed them after they get home.  Just pick foods that are easily digested so it doesn’t keep them up all night. 

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and sometimes the one meal our athletes eat at home.  Make sure to make it count since it may be the only meal you can know exactly what your athletes are eating.  It is also a way to get all the foods groups in one sitting.  Pancakes, eggs, lean meats, whole grain cereals and yogurt and great ways to get them started right for the day and get their 5,000 calories off to a good start.  Breakfast eaters have better attitudes, have higher productivity, can handle memory tasks easier, and have better concentration and problem solving ability than people who skip breakfast. Pack nutritious lunches with plenty of quick and easy snacks both between classes and for afterschool and keep non perishable snacks in the family car for quick fixes as you travel to and from games and practices throughout the week.

Trying to get our picky eaters to eat healthy isn’t always that easy.  Cooking with fresh herbs for flavoring, or adding low fat cheese to vegetables to make them more palatable to kids is helpful.  Switching to whole grain pasta in one step is hard for some kids but many brands offer wheat blends to make the transition easier.  Wherever possible try to buy the whole food and not processed fatty ones.  Our bodies are designed to eat natural foods not the chemicals found in many processed fast foods.  The best thing to do is read the labels so you know exactly what is in what you eat.  It’s hard to change our lifestyles overnight but a few small changes gradually over time will make big differences in the end.  Keeping your energy levels up for peak performance on game day is not easy.  High energy levels are the result of good eating practices and proper exercise habits both on the day of competition as well as the days off. Athletes must apply the same discipline to nutrition that they apply to their training habits to be successful at their sport.

Please contact us for more information.