Fueling For Success Credit to Kelly Hiltz, Registered Dietician

 Proper nutrition and hydration play a huge role in you ability to exercise, compete, and recover.  It can give you “the edge”  Timing of when you eat or drink also plays an important role.

GOALS:  Eat enough of the right kinds of calories  Drink enough of the right kinds of fluids  To be able to perform at your best for the entire session/practice/competition whil eat the same time decrease you risk of energy and decrease recovery time

 A great resource.

 Are very individual  Based upon:  Age (consider growth)  Height  Weight  Activity level  Metabolism Adequate energy is not only important for athletic performance but also for growth and develpoment.

 For growing athletes meals should include:  2-4 servings of grain products  2-4 servings of vegetables and fruit  ½ to 1 serving of milk  ½ to 1 serving of meat and alternates  Oil or fat  Fluid

 100 g of lean beef  1-2 cups of rice  ½ -1 cup of carrots  1-2 cups of salad  ½ - 1 cup of milk  Salad dressing  Yogurt for dessert

 Eating three meals and 2 snacks daily is the best way to ensure you are eating enough calories (eat every 3-4 hours).  Skipping breakfast is one of the most common and harmful nutrition errors.  Athletes can burn up to 5000 calories in one practice or game ( an hour or so!)

 Carbohydrates provide the best fuel for exercise.  If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates, you won’t have enough energy to perform at your best.

 Come from plant foods,  There are three major sources of carbohydrate:  Sugar  Starch  Fiber  Good sources of carbohydrates include whole grain bread and cereals, fruits and vegetables, whole wheat pastas, and rice.

 Best sources of protein are from animal foods but you can get protein from plants.  One of the most important jobs for protein is to build muscle, cartilage, and bone so it is very important for growth and development.  Good sources of protein include meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese, low-fat milk, cereal, nuts and seeds, and legumes (like kidney beans, chick peas)

 Fat can be used for energy but usually strores energy.  The type of fat you eat is important for your overall health. 9heart disease, cancer, obesity)  Types of Fat  Saturated (“bad” fat)  Trans (“bad” fat)  Unsaturated (“good” fat) Sources of fat include, meat, fish, eggs, chicken, and added fats (like butter, mayo, dressing)

 Arguably, water has a GREATER effect on athletic performance than ANY OTHER nutrient.  During exercise, the body can produce 20 times the heat that is produced at rest which can result in dehydration from sweat losses if the fluid is not replaced.  Dehydration decreases exercise performance and can result in heat stroke or even more serious effects.

 Athletes can lose 3-10 pounds of fluid through sweating!  For each pound lost through sweat, you must drink ml of fluid to replace it.  You should replace fluids while you are exercising to help prevent fatigue and reduce your risk of injury.

 Thirst is often a good indicator of hydration.  Practice drinking water on a set schedule.  If you are practicing a sport, you should stop regularly for hydration.

 2 hours before exercise: ml of water  During exercise: ml of water every 15 minutes  After exercise: ml of water for every 1 pound of fluid loss during exercise.

 Plan fluid intake throughout the day and replacement during activity.  Carry a water bottle.  You can monitor your hydration status:  You should urinate every 2 hours or so during the day.  You urine should be light yellow in colour.

 Sports drinks have been shown to be useful for intense exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes.  The drink should contain 6-8 g of carbohydrate per 100 ml (Gatorade=6 g, Powerade=7 g)  Caution: may cause stomach cramps.

 Claim to  Enhance performance  Increase concentration  Increase reaction time  Increase vigilance  Increase emotional status  Stimulate metabolism

 Ingredients:  Caffeine (stimulant)  B vitamins (brain function)  Sucrose, glucose (energy)  Taurine (helps regulate body temperature) CONTAIN LARGE AMOUNTS OF CAFFEINE, SUGAR, AND OTHER ‘STIMULANTS’ WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!

 A balance daily diet is best.  There is no magic pre-game meal but generally:  About 300 to 1000 calories  High in carbohydrates  Contain some protein  Contain fluids  Made of easily digested, familiar foods (protein and fats slow digestion so they should be limited pre exercice)

 Athlete who have not eaten within 4 hours of competition are at risk for low energy levels.  Large meal3-4 hours before  Mid-sized meal2-3 hours before  Blenderized meal1-2 hours before  Snack 1-2 hours before  Timing is individual so it is best to try in practice situations rather than in games.

 Large meal: spaghetti and meat sauce, garlic bread, low fat milk  Snack: cereal, bananas, low fat milk, peanut butter and jelly sand-which on white bread  Avoid raw vegetables and whole grains as they take longer to digest and may cause stomach cramps.

 If a player will be training or playing within the next 24 hours, recovery nutrition is vital  Recovery food should be eaten within 15 minutes to 2 hours of completion of the game or practice.

 Chocolate milk and a bagel  Water, orange juice, and a yogurt  Bread, tomato juice and a boiled egg  A balanced larger meal containing the four food groups

 Replacing fluid loss is the first concern  Eating carbohydrate rich snacks and meals is next.  If you include a little bit of low fat protein (like boneless, skinless chicken breast) it helps with recovery.

 Use caution when considering the use of supplements since they are not well standardized and many have no proven effectiveness.  NATURAL doe NOT equal SAFE!

 Goal is nutrition and hydration to allow for optimal performance, recovery, and reduce risk of injury.  Energy needs vary based on a number of things  Carbohydrates are the best energy source  Hydration is vital to athletic performance  Timing of fluids and food is important  REAL FOOD is always best!