|
|
 |
|
| Food For Sports |
|
You've prepared for the game in almost every way possible: you have
trained hard with your teammates, heard inspirational speeches from
your coach, washed your uniform, and gotten psyched up . . . but now
what should you eat?! If this is something you have not given it a lot
of thought of, you are not alone. Many athletes do not really know how
to combine food and fitness to reach their potential. Plus with all
the different products available that supposedly make an athlete
perform even better, things can get pretty confusing.
|
|
The Funky Healthy Diet Pyramid
|
Fortunately, eating for sports is not that complicated or difficult.
It actually does not even require that you change your diet or buy any
special foods or supplements! One of the best ways to ensure you are
in top form is to follow the Healthy Diet
Pyramid. Sound simple? It is. By eating the recommended groups of
foods in the suggested amounts, you are giving your body the nutrients
it needs to succeed. When following the Healthy Diet Pyramid, remember
that some athletes may need more than the suggested daily servings of
certain foods. Eating regular meals and
healthy snacks will keep you in top form.
The Healthy Diet Pyramid is a crucial part of eating for sports
because it includes a huge variety of nutrients. You will need the
combination of vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates ("carbs"),
and other nutrients from different foods to be at the top of your
game. That is why it is not a good idea to eat only one type of food
when you are training for an event or game. You may have heard about
some athletes who swear by eating only pasta before a big event, but
this is not the way to go and this is especially true if you are a
growing teen. A younger body needs different types of foods to do well
in sports; eating from only one part of the Pyramid will only let you
down.
|
|
Eat Extra Calories for Excellence
|
|
And while you are picking foods from the Pyramid, it is very important
that you are eating enough. Most athletes need all the calories they
normally consume to give them power and strength, and cutting back on
calories will not only hinder performance, it can even be dangerous.
For teenagers undergoing growth spurts in particular, you require
extra calories & nutrients which translates to eating a
well-balanced diet packed with calories. If anyone - a coach, a gym
teacher, or another teammate - says that you should go (or have to go)
on a diet, talk to your doctor or health professional first. If your
doctor determines that a diet is necessary, he or she can work with
you to come up with a program that meets your needs. Sometimes your
doctor will have you work with a dietitian to get your program going.
|
|
Supplements, Sports Drinks, & You
|
WE have been given a lot of hype about taking sports supplements in
order to perform well. It is very confusing to sort out the hundreds
of sports bars, gels, supplements, protein powders, amino acid
powders, and other products out there. Their commercials and packages
make many promises about building athletes up, increasing their power
and strength, and making them healthy, but the real deal is that these
products just are not necessary.
When an athlete drinks a mixture made with a protein product, your
body has no idea that it is a sports supplement - it treats it like
plain, regular protein from food. In fact, most protein supplements
offer the body no more protein than a cup of milk or one serving of
meat *, which is usually more tasty, anyway! In other words, these
products do not provide you with any more energy that you would get
from eating normal food from the Pyramid. And normal food is a lot
cheaper, too - sports bars and other supplements can deplete your
pocket money & savings, since they tend to be very expensive.
|
|
* 250 ml of low-fat milk gives you 8 grams of protein, and 3
ounces of meat (eg. one chicken leg) provides approximately 20
grams.
|
|
Ditch Dehydration
|
|
Speaking of dehydration, do not forget that food is not the sole key
to unlocking your power. Water is just as important. When you are
perspiring heavily during exercise, your body loses large amounts of
water. It is easy to become overheated and not be able to perform to
your full potential. In hot or humid weather, heat exhaustion can
become a real hazard if you do not keep properly hydrated while
exercising. The best way to stay hydrated is to drink before, during,
and after exercise (or a game or event). The amounts you should drink
are as follows:
|
-
1 to 2 hours before exercising: 10 to 12 ounces of cool water
(about 1¼ to 1½ cups)
-
10 to 15 minutes before exercising: 10 ounces of cool water
(about 1¼ cups)
-
While exercising: 3 to 4 ounces of water every 15 minutes (about
a ½ cup)
-
After exercising: 2 cups of water for every pound of weight loss
through sweat (this means at least two for most teens; if it is
particularly hot, you may need more).
|
|
The main thing to remember about staying hydrated is to drink
regardless of whether you feel thirsty or not. Thirst is not a good
indicator for what your body needs. When deciding what to grab to
quench your thirst, the best drink is plain water - it is easy to
find, and it's free! If you like sports drinks, they are also OK
especially if you like the taste and will drink more than you would of
regular water. You can add some taste to plain water by mixing a
splash of juice or a sports drink with the water. Be sure to avoid
straight juice or soda, as these contain a lot of carbohydrates that
could give you a stomach ache while you are competing. Also, the
caffeine in cola drinks can actually dehydrate you more, which defeats
the purpose of drinking in the first place.
|
|
Edible Energy
|
When game day finally rolls around, most of your body's energy will
come from the foods you have eaten in the last week, but you can
enhance your performance even more by paying attention to the food you
eat that day. Foods that are ideal for top performance contain
carbohydrates for energy, a small to medium amount of protein, and
very little fat.
|
|
|
Foods to eat 1 to 2 hours before the game or event: fruit or
vegetable juice or fruit (such as papaya, melons, banana, or
apple)
Foods to eat 2 to 3 hours before the event: same as foods
above, with bread bun, pau, or a sandwich (keep the fat low
so that you will digest your food before the
competition.)
Foods to eat 3 or more hours before the game or event: you
can have a meal of rice/noodles with lean meat, fish, poultry
or tofu.
|
|
| It is a good practice to avoid eating anything for the hour before you compete, since you do not want food to slosh around in your stomach, which can end up leaving you feeling sick and nauseated. It is also best to avoid candy bars or sodas before your event; these types of foods will give you quick energy, but it will not last leaving you with an energy low just when you may need it.
|
|
