Good Nutrition is essential to support an athlete’s growth, strength, and stamina.

25/02/2014

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Coaches, parents, and athletes often look for a “miracle food” to enhance performance. The truth is, there are no special foods or supplements that can help athletes train harder or compete better. What does make a difference is the athlete’s overall diet and the timing of meals.

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Eating hea l thy is fo od fo r you!

Be appropriate to provide the calories and carbohydrates that young athletes need to fuel their bodies, the fluid to maintain hydration, and the vitamins and minerals to support metabolism and tissue growth and repair will result in good performance and an reduced risk for injure.

Calories. Physically active children and adolescents have calorie requirements that are 12-15 percent greater than those of their sedentary peers. Carbohydrates provide the primary fuel for exercising muscles. It is essential that young athletes consume lots of complex carbohydrates (i.e., whole grains, fruits and vegetables) on a daily

basis. The precise calorie and carbohydrate requirements will vary depending on the type, intensity, frequency and duration of exercise in which they engage.

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Food Choice and Timing

Foods eaten before and after practices and games can make a difference in an athlete’s performance. The types of foods that are chosen and the timing of the meals are important. Game Day

• Include enough fluid to keep your body well-hydrated.

• A small snack can be eaten within one hour before activity if an athlete feels hungry.

• Eat meals at least two hours before events. • Choose foods that are familiar and well

tolerated before competitive events. New foods can be tried before practice sessions to see what works best.

• Choose foods that are higher in carbohydrates, such as pasta, bread, cereal, rice, fruits, vegetables and low-fat yogurt or milk. Carbohydrate loading is not necessary.

• Avoid eating high-fat foods such as hot dogs, hamburgers, French fries, potato chips, donuts and cheese before activity. Higher fat foods take longer to digest and may cause discomfort if eaten too close to the start of a practice or competition.

• Avoid sugary foods, such as pop and chocolate bars, right before the game. They provide a little energy boost but it doesn’t last long and leaves athletes drained.

After the Game An athlete’s body will be rebuilding muscle tissue and restoring carbohydrates and fluids for up to 24 hours. Fuelling up on high carbohydrate foods and beverages soon after an activity replenishes the body and helps it recover. Poor choices after games result in a sluggish performance in future competitions.

Tournaments Make sure you eat and drink enough before your game: • When events are separated by 3 hours or more, a high carbohydrate, low-fat meal can be eaten. See Winning Meals at Home for ideas. • When events are a couple of hours apart, easily digestible high-carbohydrate snacks such as bagels, low-fat yogurt, fruit and fluids are best. • If there is less than an hour between competitions, a sports drink is appropriate.

Meal and Snack Suggestions A good breakfast for young athletes might include low-fat yogurt with some granola and a banana, or whole-grain cereal and low-fat milk with sliced strawberries. Try bean burritos with low-fat cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes or a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread and fruit for lunch. For dinner, serve grilled chicken breasts with steamed rice and vegetables, or pasta with red sauce and lean ground beef, along with a salad. Good snacks include pretzels, raisins, crackers, string cheese, vegetables, or fruit.

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Pre- and Post-Exercise Snacks for Young Athletes

2-4 hours before exercise • Sandwich with lean meat, piece of fruit. • Pasta with tomato sauce. • Cereal with milk. • A bagel with peanut butter and honey, and a piece of fruit. • English muffin with honey and low-fat yogurt. 30 minutes before exercise snacks • Honey-Energy Bars. • Honey Applesauce Swirl: To make, stir 2

tsp. honey, or more to taste, into a single serving unsweetened applesauce snack pack.

• Honey Pretzel Dipping Sauce: Whisk 1 tbs. of your favorite spicy mustard together with 1 cup honey. Makes enough dip for 8 servings of 20 small pretzel twists.

Post-exercise meals • Sandwich with 3 ounces lean meat,

piece of fruit, pretzels, juice or milk. • Pasta with tomato sauce, whole grain

bread, skim milk. • Cereal with milk, piece of fruit, toast

with honey. • Bagel with peanut butter and honey,

piece of fruit, skim milk. • 3 ounces lean meat, potatoes, cooked

Exercise Days Before Exercise Make sure your young athletes arrive to practice well-fed. They should eat a well-balanced meal that contains 75-200 grams of carbohydrates, 2-4 hours before the practice session or competition. A snack 30 minutes prior to exercise may also be beneficial, particularly if an athlete was unable to consume an appropriate meal 2-4 hours prior. The snack should contain approximately 20-50 grams of easily digested carbohydrates. During Exercise Consuming carbohydrates during exercise may be beneficial if:

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The exercise session is more than one hour.

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After Exercise Replacing carbohydrates that were used during exercise within 2 hours of completing the exercise session is essential for speeding recovery and preparing for the next athletic training period. The post-exercise meal should contain approximately 150 -200 grams of carbohydrates.

The exercise session is very intense.

The athlete did not eat anything before exercise.

Packable Snacks Snacks in vending machines and snack booths are often high in fat and sugar. Encourage athletes to make healthier choices. Here are some healthy snacks that are easy to carry in a gym bag:

• banana or oatmeal muffins • whole-grain crackers, half a bagel or

pita bread • plain cookies such as animal crackers,

fig newtons or graham crackers • fresh fruit such as apples, pears or • bananas, dried fruit, or a fruit cup • individual boxes of whole-grain cereal • healthier choice granola bars • pretzels • trail mix • juice boxes • milk-based puddings • cold foods such as cheese, yogurt, and milk

Fast Food Choices

Traveling athletes may need to choose foods from restaurant menus. Athletes should follow the same guidelines regarding the timing, amount, and composition of meals. Many fast food and family-style restaurants offer lower fat, higher carbohydrate options.

Choose... Instead of...

Bagels or low-fat muffins Donuts or croissants

Grilled chicken sandwich Burger, deep-fried chicken or fish sandwich

Milk or juice Pop

Salad (with a little dressing) or baked potato French fries or onion rings

Pasta with tomato sauce Pasta with cream sauce

Turkey, grilled chicken, or veggie sub Meatball or salami sub

Frozen yogurt with fruit Pies or cake

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