Cooler
weather, new school schedules, and back-to-school shopping. Aside
from buying the coolest new clothes and shoes, have you thought about what you’ll buy to nourish your children’s bodies every day? Proper nutrition is essential for all
students, especially athletes. Pop quiz! What are the 5 food groups that everyone
should include in their diets? If you answered protein, fruit, vegetable, dairy, and grains- you are right! Over the
years I have learned how to change my diet so that I can perform at my absolute
best in the gym. Here are a few tips on how you can help your kids do the same
this year.
They
say it’s the “most important meal of the day.” As it turns out, there is some
truth behind this old saying and here are a few reasons why.
·
After a full night of rest and no eating, it’s important to refuel
your empty tank to kick-start your day.
·
The brain uses 20% of the body’s total energy (or glucose, if we
are getting technical). Just like an empty stomach early in the morning, the
brain needs to be fed and recharged in order to prepare for the day ahead. If I
miss breakfast, I feel foggy and find it hard to concentrate.
Snacks:
Pre-workout
or pre-game snacks should focus mainly on carbohydrates. That’s because they
can be easily turned into energy (glucose) during exercise. Adding in some
protein is also a good idea. Some of my favorite snacks are:
- Banana and a PB&J;
- Yogurt with granola;
- Apple with peanut (or any nut) butter.
Lunch and Dinner:
Lunch
time is when energy (or, you guessed it, glucose) is put into storage to be
used later. Dinner is the time to re-fuel after a hard practice or game. Eating
right after exercising is the perfect way to help rebuild and recover muscles.
For strong and lean muscles try these recipes:
- Turkey pinwheels (on whole wheat wraps) for a great game-day lunch;
- Tuna wraps to spice up your lunch and keep you full and focused;
- Mediterranean Orzo for a quick and satisfying post-game dinner.
The
human body’s thirst reflex is 2 cups behind. This means that when someone feels
thirsty, they are already dehydrated. It is important to drink water all day long. Follow these
hydration tips on the day of a big game or practice:
·
Drink at least 1-2
cups of water every hour, 2-3 hours leading up to an event;
·
Drink 1 of water cup
15 minutes before the start of the event;
·
Drink ½ cup of water
every 15 minutes during the event.
TRUE OR FALSE: The number one reason athletes underperform is because they
don’t drink
enough
water….TRUE! Our bodies can’t absorb more than 4 cups of water per hour but
during intense exercise we can sweat out 4 or more cups per hour! Have your
kids stay ahead of the game by keeping them hydrated all day long.
You
know, those brightly colored drinks full of carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes,
and sugar? They are all
the rage recently. You can find them in school vending machines, in coolers at sporting
events, and in our refrigerators at home. But are sports drinks really needed?
Probably not, except when exercising hard for over an hour. If this is
the case, choose a sports drink with no more than 80 calories, minimal added
sugar, and drink it in combination with water.
Most importantly:
Have
fun! Staying involved in sports is a great way for kids to stay active and
build valuable life skills like leadership, confidence, and teamwork. Staying
properly nourished and hydrated will make getting through practices and games
all the more
enjoyable.
Emily
Hutchins
Wellness
Workdays Dietetic Intern
Division
of Health Planning & Promotion
