Proper nutrition and eating habits are keys for student-athletes to stay healthy and perform at the highest levels.
Check out the links at left for more information about how to stay hydrated and eat smart, whether it's in the residence halls, on the road, or on the run.
Eating Smart (
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1.)
Drink fluids and water throughout the entire day
Why? Dehydration pulls water from a lot of different places in your body to compensate for not having enough elsewhere – your cells and blood are the 2 main areas, with the end result being increased stress upon the heart as it attempts to pump now-thickened blood. Dehydration also reduces the body’s ability to break down fat as a source of energy. Both areas affect performance so make sure to consume fluids throughout the day, avoiding sodas and carbonated beverages.
2.)
Eat something for breakfast
Why? Starts your body off with new sources of energy
3.)
Eat throughout the day
Why? Consistent caloric intake is provided for the body. This allows for better control over body weight, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol levels
4.)
Eat fruits and vegetables every day
Why? Eating a wide range of foods from the plant kingdom is considered better than relying on supplements. Fruits and vegetables contain a synergistic mix of micronutrients that haven’t yet been duplicated in pills or capsules.
5.)
Eat protein at all meals
Why? It assists you in decreasing cravings and hunger pangs. Eating low carbohydrate or low fat foods will not necessarily give your body this protein it desires.
6.)
Consume 200-300 calories of carbohydrate after workouts
Why? This assist with post workout muscle recovery; carbohydrates can be obtained through fruit juice or smoothies, Gatorade, Granola or Nutrigrain bars.
7.)
Avoid extra supplements
Why? They can be a waste of extra money – some can cost upwards of $30-40 per month. Others can be quite dangerous – many supplements claim a variety of benefits, which are usually unproven. Note these claims are followed by “This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease."
Eating in the Residence Halls (back to top)
1.) It is not uncommon to gain weight with freshman year in dorm due to:
- Unlimited quantity of food
- Increased social eating (hanging out in the dining hall with friends)
- Eventual boredom: start eating just to taste something different
- Different type of meal preparation: maybe more fat, sugar in foods?
- Keeping foods in your room (which are more commonly "snack" foods because they are not perishable)
- Regulated meal times which may increase eating at meal times beyond fullness to prevent later hunger, increase eating with late night studying (fast food, ordered-in, vending), increase snacking on more processed foods
- Activity level may change (despite training for sport)
- More sitting in classrooms and studying vs. summer freedom and work schedule
- Change in training programs
- Fall may not be your training season (so even less activity)
Other impacts
- Increased stress with academic and athletic expectations
- Change in sleep patterns
- Possible alcohol consumption
- Being rushed (little time)for breakfast and lunch (so these are smaller meals)
2.)
Fundamentals
- Know serving sizes
- Try to eat a balance of calories over whole day vs. largest meal in the evening (Eat more for breakfast to help afternoon workouts) Eating too little in the AM sets you up for more eating in the PM.
- Ask for what you want (different prep style, different brands, etc... asking is voting)
- Drink lots of water, but not necessarily too much with meals
- Increase intake of whole fruits and vegetables and whole grains (great sources of fiber)
- Eat until you are satisfied vs. stuffed
- Avoid a lot of caffeine, especially in diet products
3.)
Strategy for Prevention
- Take responsibility for your overall health (weight, training, performance, attitude)
- Pay attention to how you feel after different foods, activities, social events
- Take a multi-vitamin several times per week (general, not mega-dose)
- Watch out for excessive: fat, soda pop (diet and reg.), refined carbos.
4.)
A few important nutrients
- Calcium: dairy foods, broccoli, sesame seeds, canned fish (salmon, sardines, tofu, chard, legumes
- Iron: red meats, iron fortified/enriched grain products, legumes, chicken
- Zinc: meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, whole grains
- Vitamin C: fruits and vegetables, some 100% fruit juices
- B-complex: variety of whole foods, enriched grain products, meats, legumes
These nutrients are best supplied and absorbed by eating a wide variety of foods at each meal.
Healthy Eating On The Road (back to top)
Today’s culture is one of eating on the run, fast food lunches, and socializing over take-out dinner. Part of the challenge we all face is making sound choices without losing the enjoyment of eating. Here are some tips how to eat out and stay on track with healthy eating habits.
1.) Get to know the restaurants in your area. Find restaurants that will work with you. For example, restaurants that provide menu selections that are heart healthy, that will cook with low fat cheese, non fat milk, etc.
2.) Cut back on how much you order. Although you may think you are famished, you are not. Split a meal with a friend, or save half for lunch the next day.
3.) Order a low fat version of your usual order. Have it broiled instead of fried. Have your dressing and sauces served on the side. Be sure the food server understands what you want. Get them involved in the process. Ask how a dish is prepared, or ask for the chef’s recommendation for a low fat dish. Be a low fat advocate. Restaurants listen to their customers. Praise the availability of low fat options, or request them if they are not offered.
4.) If you are offered a choice of side orders, choose a lower fat alternative such as a green salad, a plain baked potato, or a steamed vegetable dish instead of cole slaw, french fries, or fried vegetables.
5.) You do not have to eliminate desserts. Just moderate them. Have just one scoop of ice cream, sorbet or non fat frozen yogurt. Order fresh fruit. Split dessert with someone or the whole table.
6.) Go ethnic and low fat. Try steamed or stir fried (even meatless) ethnic dishes, BUT watch out for deep fried foods and rich sauces.
7.) The bread basket! Choose breadsticks, a small roll or slice of bread and pass up the butter, margarine and oil. Be careful how much bread you are consuming. The wait for dinner can sometimes be long. Don’t fill up before your meal comes.
8.) Appetizers always sound and look great and are fun to share. When ordering an appetizer, choose something that requires lots of chewing, and share!
9.) When choosing an entree, pick something with less fat, cholesterol and calories like fish, poultry or lean cuts of red meat. Remember to ask how it is prepared, if not indicated on the menu.
10.) Vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber, but be sure and ask about the cooking procedure. You do not want to ruin the benefits of vegetables by loading them with unnecessary calories and fat.
11.) When looking at a menu, the following descriptions will clue you into the high fat dishes:
- Buttery or Buttered
- Basted
- Fried, French Fried, Crispy
- Creamed, In gravy
- Hollandaise
- Au gratin or "in cheese sauce"
- Scalloped
- Rich
12.) If you are looking for the low fat choices, the following descriptions would include:
- Broiled, Grilled, Roasted (without added fat)
- Steamed
- Stir Fried
- Au Jus (prepared in its own juices)
- Poached
- Raw
- Garden fresh
13.) When eating on the run, you are short on time and stop off for a quick bite at a drive through:
- Choose grilled or sliced meat sandwiches rather than fried or breaded and deep fried sandwiches.
- Have your hamburger without cheese.
- Hold the sauce. Just use the ketchup or mustard instead of mayonnaise based sauces on fish, hamburgers, and other sandwiches.
- Try the salad bar. Watch out for high fat dressings, marinated vegetable salads, and salads mixed with mayonnaise and salad dressing.
14.) What to do when not given a choice: When eating at a banquet, convention, wedding, etc., the choice you do have is in what you choose to eat. If fatty food or food laden with sauce, remove the skin and scrape off the sauce. You do not have to finish every thing on your plate.
Hydration (back to top)
Hydration: The #1 Variable in Sports Performance
Train Hard, Drink Smart
- Do you drink at least the equivalent of 2 or preferably 3 liters of water or non-carbonated fluid each day?
- Do you always drink at least 2 cups of fluid (non-carbonated, non-caffeine) before practice (and competition) each day?
- Do you drink water/Gatorade regularly during practice approx. every 15 minutes?
- Do you weigh yourself pre and post practice to determine fluid losses?
- Do you drink some carbohydrate-containing beverage within 1 hour post workout?
- Do you bring your full water bottle to practice each day and drink at least one full bottle throughout practice?
- To be well hydrated you need to do most, if not all, of the above because ... it only takes a 1% change in your body weight (2-3 pounds off a 200 pound individual) to see a decrease in performance.
Optimal Hydration
- Best if it happens over time.... trickle it in
- Best if you are consistent... a habit
- Avoid alcohol, the effects can last for 48 hours post ingestion
- Avoid caffeine = diuretic
Water Facts
- 65% of our body weight is water
- Every thing you do uses water - every thought, every movement, every muscle
- Being dehydrated will quickly decrease your performance by at least 10-15%
- You cannot fully rehydrate 1-2 hours before an event. It is best to begin hydrated and maintain hydration by drinking fluids FREQUENTLY
- You need to drink water throughout the day vs. chugging a large quantity.
- Drinking water during competition will help keep your body cool and your energy levels high
- Caffeine and alcohol make you LOSE lots of water.
- Water lubricates joints and cushions organs and tissues
Optimal Hydration
- Drink water or non-caffeinated fluids throughout the day and everyday.
- Weigh pre and post practice and drink 2 cups of water for every pound lost during practice
- Drink water and/or Gatorade during workouts, even if it is not "hot" weather
- Limit caffeinated drinks of any kind (read the label) before and especially during competition
- Abstain from alcohol
Quick & Easy Meals (back to top)
Healthy, quick recipes, cooking tips and lots of recipe links
- Good Cooking:
http://www.goodcooking.com
- Low Fat Cooking:
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/mbody.htm
- Recipe Link:
http://www.recipelink.com
- Fish:
http://www.chef-recipes.com/fish.htm
- Vegetarian:
www.vegweb.com or
www.our-daily-bread.com
Nutrition Info Sites
-
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/
-
www.healthlinkusa.com
Food Guide Pyramids
-
http://www.oldwayspt.org/pyramids/pyramids.html
-
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/cic_text/food/food-pyramid/main.htm
Shopping Ideas
Print out the list below for easy healthy grocery shopping
Portable Foods, Shopping Tips and High Protein Breakfast Foods
1. Bagel and LF or NF cream cheese(regular cream cheese is just flavored butter)
2. Dry Cereal (low sugar types) mixed with yogurt
3. Jar of regular peanut butter
4. Nutrigrain bars
5. Balance, Cliff, Power Bars balance bars are not good choices for within 1 hour of game or during games as the fat and protein content may make some feel uncomfortable.
6. Fluids: Gatorade, dilluted juices (apple and grape are easy to dilute and non-acidic)
7. String Cheese
8. Roasted almonds, sunflower seeds (w/o shells)(limit to 1/3-1/2 cup per day). Best eaten several hours pre or post games.
9. Whole Fruit: Bananas, apples, grapes, oranges, dried fruit (watch the quantity eaten of dried fruit, a little goes a long way). Or V-8 vegetable juices if preferred.
10. 1% chocolate milk, low-fat/non-fat yogurts.
11. Lowfat muffins, especially those made with bran and/or corn flour.
12. Homemade trail mix: 1 cup pretzel sticks, 1/4 cup almonds (toasted), 1/2 cup raisins.
13. Baby carrots and other pre-cut vegetables (this one really needs refrigeration to be kept palatable). Also, have available low-fat ranch or other low-fat dressing as a dip if desired.
Other shopping tips:
1. Be sure to check "pull" or "expiration" dates on perishable foods especially dairy, and pre-packaged produce and cooked meats.
2. Pre-packaged meats tend to last longer than deli sliced meats. And in general, un-sliced last longer than sliced meats. 3. Any precut food has a shorter shelf life because cutting a food increases its exposure to oxygen, which is what causes food to spoil over time.
4. Store dairy foods and other highly perishable foods in the back of your refrigerator instead of in the front or on the door. Milks and cheeses will last longer.
5. Buy frozen skinless chicken breasts. Often they are frozen at the time of processing which make them fresher (when you use them) then the raw kind found in the cases. Also they are often cheaper.
6. Buy precut vegetables if "preparation time" is the big hurdle to eating more produce.
7. Add frozen vegetable to soups and let the hot soup defrost them. Or, add frozen vegetable to pasta water for the last 1-2 minutes of cooking then drain it off with the pasta and poor on the sauce.
8. Read your labels on Bagels and Muffins. Most likely the bagels you buy in the store are equal to about 4-5 slices of bread and the muffins are equal to about 5-6 slices of bread and 2-3 fat servings.
9. Become a "condiment queen". Try different seasonings and sauces to create more creative meal options without adding preparation time.
10. Think low fat vs. non-fat. The method keeps more food options available, retains more familiar flavors and appeal which will create more satisfaction with food choices.
- Thai peanut sauce
- Chicken marinades
- Pesto
- BBQ sauces
- Gravy packets (these are virtually non-fat)
- Teriyaki sauce
- Salsa (it’s a vegetable)
- Curry sauces
11. Stores are organized to keep you there for a while. Remember that most of the essentials: produce, dairy, meats, and breads are on the outer edges and the "convenience foods" are the inner aisles.
12. For better prices look high and low on the shelves. Prime shelf space (which manufacturers pay for) is at eye level.
13. Store brands and name brands are "often" processed by the same plants.
High Protein Breakfast Options
- Peanut Butter
- Cottage cheese (1 or 2%)
- String cheese
- Lean meats
- Low-fat breakfast sausages (microwave-able for quick prep)
- Smoothies made w/ yogurt & added protein powder
- Low-fat yogurt w/ low sugar
- Carnation Instant Breakfast (mixed w/ milk)
- 1/3 cup toasted nuts (almonds or peanuts)
- High Protein Power Bars
- Non-fat cream cheese (must use 2-3 TB at least to = protein source)
- Non-fat or low-fat cheeses (toasted cheese sandwich)
Sports Nutrition Links (back to top)
These links may provide additional nutrition related information of interest to the athlete. It is strongly encouraged that prior to applying any nutritional, medical, or performance related information, you should discuss the information first with the Sports Medicine staff or University Health Services.
Something Fishy: Disordered Eating (
http://www.something-fishy.org/)
SCAN: Sports, Cardiovascular, and Nutrition specialists (
http://www.nutrifit.org/index.html)
American College of Sports Medicine (
http://www.acsm.org/)
ANRED: Disordered Eating Resources (
http://www.anred.com/)
NCAA REC: dietary supplement resources (
http://www.drugfreesport.com/REC/default.html)
