Whether it’s practice before the big game, a rehearsal for tomorrow’s spirit competition, or an all-day track meet, good nutrition is key for optimal athletic performance.
However, research shows that athletes don’t need a diet different from what is recommended by the Dietary Guidelines and MyPlate. Eating a variety of foods from all Five Food Groups will help you get adequate fuel, in addition to essential vitamins and minerals.
Build a healthy plate at every meal with these tips:
- Make half of your plate colorful fruits and vegetables.
- Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products. They have the same essential nutrients as whole-milk varieties, but less fat and fewer calories.
- Make at least half of your grains whole by choosing 100-percent whole-grain bread, cereal, pasta and crackers, and opt for brown rice.
- Enjoy a wider variety of protein-rich foods by including seafood, beans, eggs and nuts in addition to lean meats and poultry.
Young athletes must concentrate on both fueling athletic performance and ensuring they are getting adequate energy and key nutrients such as protein, calcium and vitamin D for healthy growth of muscles and bones. For more information, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.
While balance is key for all athletes, here are a few additional things to think about before, during and after activity:
1. Eating before exercise is necessary to prevent hunger. The meal that you eat before exercise helps you stay physically comfortable and mentally alert during the event. The timing of this meal will depend on the duration, intensity and type of event you will be participating in.
A good rule of thumb is to have your last meal one to three hours before exercise. Food choices at a pre-exercise meal should include carbohydrates which supply fuel to working muscles and fluids to hydrate the body. Avoid meals high in fat and protein; these meals will likely slow down digestion.
2. Water is the most important part of any athlete’s diet. During activity you lose fluid in the form of sweat; the harder you exercise, the more fluid you lose. For most activities, water is the best choice. However, for training camps and all-day events or any strenuous activity lasting longer than one hour, sports drinks provide a beneficial energy boost. They are designed to replace fluid and provide needed energy. Many also contain electrolytes such as sodium and potassium which are lost in sweat.
3. Tournaments where an athlete is competing in several events or heats over the course of one or more days can present nutritional challenges. Some athletes may be short on time or not feel like eating between events; however, maintaining energy stores and staying hydrated is critical to performance.
If you have:
- One hour or less between events or heats, choose fluids or high-carbohydrate foods:
- Sports drinks
- Fruit
- Whole-grain toast or bagel
- Graham crackers
- Granola bar
- Yogurt
- One- to three-hour breaks, try high carbohydrate foods with lean protein:
- Bowl of cereal with low-fat milk
- Fresh berries on top of vanilla- or fruit-flavored yogurt
- Peanut butter and crackers
- String cheese and a banana
- Three or more hours, a meal is the way to go:
- Pancakes topped with yogurt and berries, scrambled eggs and 100-percent fruit juice
- Turkey and cheese sandwich, baby carrots and low-fat milk
- Peanut butter and banana wrapped in a whole-grain tortilla, and low-fat chocolate milk
4. Eating for peak athletic performance includes recovery from workouts and competitions. Milk, both white and chocolate, is an excellent choice after exercise as it provides carbohydrates which help refuel muscles, high-quality protein to reduce muscle breakdown, and fluids and electrolytes to rehydrate the body.
Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit this site to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance.