Athletes have greater demands placed on their bodies and as a result they must taken greater measures to ensure they meet those demands. Student athletes are at even greater risk for deficiencies due to the growth and hormonal changes also taking place. This is a top ten look at ways you can tackle nutrition head on!
1. Take a daily multi-vitamin and mineral supplement. Ensure adequate amounts of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, B Complex, and Folic Acid. Consider Vitamin C that is esterized, Vitamin E with mixed tocopherols and a vitamin and mineral supplement that has been chelated.
Look for minerals as amino acid chelates. Important minerals to consider would be Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Manganese, Chromium and Selenium.
2. Remember, a meal is eating two or more nutritious foods at one sitting. At a minimum, it should consist of a complex carb and a protein. Aim for two different colored fruits or veggies at each sitting. Eat upon waking up, after exercise and take in health nutrition (100-300 calories) every three to four hours.
3. Drink water all day long. Hydrate more on hot days or when sweating a great deal. Avoid caffeine in the evening, and use it wisely prior to workouts, games or practices.
4. Practice your KISS: “Keep It Simple Stupid.” Having multiple food options is not necessary to constitute a meal. People tend to eat more, the more options they have, so keep it simple, basic and as natural as possible.
5. Add more nutritional value to common foods. Consider products such as whey protein powder, flaxseed meal and wheat germ as non-flavor health additives to your recipes, cereal, yogurt and smoothies. Pureed fruits or veggies can also be snuck into regular recipes. Gear your mind toward adding more nutrition to each eating episode. Think of healthful additions to round out meals.
6. Look to add more fiber through complex carbs and fruits and vegetables. Fiber acts like little brooms, sweeping out the digestive tract. Carefully evaluate the first five ingredients listed to ensure the actual “whole grain” content.
7. Think more brown and less white. Try whole grain options in your bread, crackers, pasta, and flour. Choose brown rice over white and dense carbs over light and airy. Food = Fuel, what do you want to fuel your body with?
8. For a mental boost, try a baked potato with the skin before bed (3 hours after last meal). It helps the body raise your serotonin level. It creates an insulin response, which has an effect on the movement of the amino acid tryptophan from your blood into the brain. Choose any non-protein toppings and eat the skin.
9. Plan grocery shopping with a protein to balance principle in mind. For every 15 grams of carbs you eat, try to eat 7 grams of protein (P2B Ratio). Create easy to grab snack and take along meals for easy access. Make several servings ahead of time and freeze in individual serving sizes. This saves time when in a crunch. Often those easy to grab – shelf stable foods will clog up your digestion, reduce your performance and decrease your fitness status.
10. Make it easier on yourself, by planning ahead when you have time. Have your go-to nutritious snack combinations either written down or thought up, for always ready snack ideas. As always, plan ahead. Prior preparation prevents poor performance!
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