Trying to start your day without breakfast is like starting your car on empty. Without breakfast, you cannot expect to be able to perform at your best in school or on the field. Furthermore, people that skip breakfast are four and a half times more likely to be overweight or obese! Eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism, brain and body. 
A balanced breakfast should contain 3 food groups, one of which is a fruit or vegetable. A good start is to include a whole grain choice, dairy choice or lean protein and a cup of fruit. You want adequate carbohydrate to “break” the night time “fast” to supply your body with some glucose. You also want some fiber and a source of protein so that you are not starving 1-2 hours after eating. Your portion size will vary depending on your size, gender, nutrition goals and your sport. Here’s some examples:
1 cup each: Cereal with at least 4-5 grams per serving + milk or yogurt + strawberries
1 cup oatmeal + 2-4 Tablespoons chopped walnuts + 1 cup blueberries + 1 Tablespoon blackstrap molasses + glass of milk
2 slices whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana slices
A whole wheat English muffin topped with cottage cheese and side dish of fruit salad
1 cup yogurt (with at least 25% calcium) 1 cup fruit and ½ cup granola
Veggie and cheese omelet with 1-2 slices toast
By: Erica Mumford, RD, LD, CDE
A pregame meal should be low in fat, moderate in fiber and high in carbohydrate, about 2-3 hours before you exercise. You want a balance of carbohydrate foods for energy and protein foods for satiety (fullness). Try to include grains, lean proteins, fruit and vegetables. Because fat takes a long time to digest, you want to avoid high fat foods such as deep fried foods, burgers, fries, chips, pizza at least 4 hours before exercise. If you choose to eat high fat foods right before exercise, it may give you an upset stomach and may likely take energy away from your muscles. Practice a food routine before game day and find what works for you. Here’s some examples of pregame meals that might work for you:
Turkey sandwich with tomato, lettuce and light mayo, glass of milk, baby carrots and a pear
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, red pepper slices, yogurt and sliced peaches
Ham and low fat cheese pita with mustard, baked chips, green beans and an orange
Chicken stir-fry over rice and fruit and yogurt as dessert
Pasta with marinara sauce, grilled chicken and spinach, glass of milk, 1-2 plums for dessert
Baked potato topped with low fat cottage cheese, pork tenderloin, summer squash and watermelon for dessert
Breakfast for lunch: Veggie and low fat cheese omelet with 1-2 slices toast and 1 cup berries
A number of factors place young athletes at an increased risk for dehydration and various heat illnesses. First, the higher energy expenditure of young athletes means that they produce more metabolic heat. In addition, young athletes don’t sweat as efficiently as older athletes and thus cannot cool their bodies as effectively. Finally, young athletes are not as diligent about drinking fluids and their body core temperature during dehydration tends to increase faster. For these reasons it is essential that young athletes be encouraged to drink frequently even when they are not thirsty.
Research studies have shown that providing a cooled and flavored beverage produces greater fluid consumption among children and helps prevent dehydration. Parents should make sure that athletes arrive at practice sessions, games or competitions fully hydrated. Coaches should enforce drink “pauses” every 15-20 minutes even when athletes do not feel thirsty. Parents, coaches and the athletes themselves should watch for the “warning signs of dehydration:”
Thirst
Irritability
Headache
Weakness
Dizziness
Cramps
Nausea
Decreased performance
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) provides the following guidelines for the maintenance of optimal hydration:
Before Exercise: 16 - 20 full ounces within the 2 hour period prior to exercise
During Exercise: 4 - 6 full ounces
Post Exercise: replace 24 full ounces for every one pound of body weight lost during exercise.
NOTE : While Sports Energy Drinks taste good, the best source of hydration is still good old fashioned water. Sports drinks are designed for strenuous activity which lasts longer than 2 hours. A regulation soccer match lasts only 90 minutes (at U19 and above). As a compromise a 50/50 mix of a sports drink and water can be used.
2-4 hours before exerciseSandwich with lean meat, piece of fruit.
Pasta with tomato sauce.
Cereal with milk.
A bagel with peanut butter and honey, and a piece of fruit.
English muffin with honey and low-fat yogurt.
30 minutes before exercise snacks
Honey Energy Bars
Honey Applesauce Swirl: To make, stir 2 tsp. honey, or more to taste, into a single serving unsweetened applesauce snack pack.
Honey Pretzel Dipping Sauce: Whisk 1 tbs. of your favorite spicy mustard together with 1 cup honey. Makes enough dip for 8 servings of 20 small pretzel twists.
Post-exercise meals
Sandwich with 3 ounces lean meat, piece of fruit, pretzels, juice or milk.
Pasta with tomato sauce, whole grain bread, skim milk.
Cereal with milk, piece of fruit, toast with honey.
Bagel with peanut butter and honey, piece of fruit, skim milk.
3 ounces lean meat, potatoes, cooked veggies, skim milk.
Food & Drink Ideas for the Team Cooler
Bagels.
Honey-Energy Bars.
Breakfast bars.
Crackers and peanut butter.
Pretzels.
Chex mix.
Fresh fruit (e.g., bananas, grapes, apples) or dried fruit.
Yogurt.
By Chris Lavallee
What do foods like pizza, macaroni and cheese, and tacos have in common? They are all Combination foods. There are lots of Combination foods. Combination foods are very nutritious because they’re made up of foods from more than one food group.
Spaghetti and meatballs topped with cheese is a great example of a combination food.
Here’s the breakdown:
Spaghetti from the Grain Group
Tomato sauce from the Vegetable Group
Meatballs from the Meat Group
Cheese from the Milk Group
June 29th, 2009 in
Nutrition |
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By: Erica Mumford, RD, LD, CDE
Even slight dehydration can adversely affect your athletic performance. Fluid in the body has many, many functions including transporting nutrients to cells and carrying waste away, cooling the body and maintaining blood volume. By the time you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated! It can take 6 hours or more to fully re-hydrate after exercise! At least ½ of your fluid should be water. Many sports drinks are high in sugar. After an hour of exercise, you do need some sugar, but you can also get this from fruit and granola bars.
If you choose to drink sports drinks, do so in moderation and make sure to drink water too. To maximize your athletic performance with fluids, try these tips:
* Drink 2 beverages with meals (one of which should be water)
* Drink 16 ounces fluid two hours before exercise
* Drink regularly during exercise
* After exercise, keep drinking until your urine is clear!
March 28th, 2009 in
Nutrition |
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