Nutrition

• Determine your resting metabolic rate or (RMR), the number of calories you need simply to breathe, pump blood, etc. by taking you body weight x 10.

  Example:
  120 lbs. healthy body weight (lb) x 10 Calories = 1200 Calories (RMR)

• Determine how many calories you need for your daily activity level apart from a purposeful exercise.
  

  If you are:	Add:
  * SEDENTARY	20-40% RMR
  MODERATELY ACTIVE	40-60% RMR
  VERY ACTIVE	60-80% RMR
  Example: Very Active: 70% x 1200 RMR= 840 daily activity calories today
  * Carbohydrate level will supply approximately 65% of calories

• Add the answers to steps 1 and 2 together to determine today's calorie requirement.
  1200 calorie RMR + 840 daily activity calories = 2040 calorie requirement today.

Carbohydrate Goals*

Use the chart to determine the amount of carbohydrates needed based on the calorie requirement in a day.

For many athletes, carbohydrate-rich foods serve as the basis of the meal. However, there is no magic pre-event diet. Simply choose foods and beverages that you enjoy and that don't bother your stomach. Experiment during the weeks before an event to see which foods work best for you.

When and what should I eat to compete?

Performance depends largely on the foods consumed during the days and weeks leading up to an event. If you regularly eat a varied, carbohydrate-rich diet you are in good standing and probably have ample glycogen stores to fuel activity. The purpose of the precompetition meal is to prevent hunger and to provide the water and additional energy the athlete will need during competition. Most athletes eat 2 to 4 hours before their event. However, some athletes perform their best if they eat a small amount 30 minutes before competing, while others eat nothing for 6 hours beforehand.

Pre-Game Meal Guidelines

• Eat lightly before an athletic competition.
• Eat complex carbohydrates, keep protein and fat intakes low since these digest slowly.
• Avoid bulky foods. This includes raw fruits and vegetables, dry beans and peas, and popcorn.
• Avoid vegetables from the cabbage family and cooked dry beans.
• Eat slowly and chew well.
• Drink water to be adequately hydrated. One suggestion is to drink 2 cups of cool water 1-2 hours before the event. Follow this by drinking 1-2 cups of fluid 15 minutes before the event.
• Avoid drastic changes in your normal diet routine immediately prior to competition. Some athletes prefer to use favorite foods which may give them a psychological edge.

Post-Game Meal Guidelines

• Consume carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages as soon as possible after competition. Examples: Fruits, juices, and high carbohydrate drinks.
• Replace fluids that have been lost. For every pound that is lost, drink 2 cups of fluids.
• Replace any potassium of sodium that has been lost during competition or training by using foods. Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of potassium. Replace sodium by eating salty foods. If activity has exceeded 2 hours and is vigorous, a sports beverage will be helpful.
• Return to your normal high carbohydrate diet at your next meal.

Healthy Snacks

Nutritional Tips & Helpful Hints

• Eat breakfast! Your body needs this fuel. You must break the fast.
• Eat at least 3-4 meals per day! This is the most efficient way for maximum athletic performance.
• Avoid fried foods!
• Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day! This replaces lost fluids in your body.

Body Fat Reduction Tips

• Eat Breakfast. It will actually help speed up your metabolism and gives you the energy to train hard.
• Eat 3 or 4 Meals a Day but eat low-fat foods.
• Do Not Starve Yourself. You will only lose muscle, not fat!
• Do Not Dehydrate Yourself. You will be losing muscle – it is 70% water.
• Limit Your Alcohol Intake. The body breaks down alcohol as fat.

Weight Gaining Tips

• Eat an extra snack, such as a bedtime peanut butter sandwich with a glass of milk.
• Eat larger then normal portions at mealtime.
• Eat higher calorie foods.
• Eat foods that contain high amounts of protein, such as chicken or beef.
• Eat egg whites, bran cereals, yogurt, and fruits for breakfast.

Weight Loss Tips

• Write down what and when you eat or drink in a day.
• Become aware of meal timing.
• Learn your calorie budget.
• Read food labels.
• Divide your calorie budget into three parts of the day.
• Eat slowly.
• Eat your favorite foods regularly.
• Post a list of 10 pleasurable activities that require no food.
• Each week, plan a day off from dieting.
• Exercise consistently.

Lower number of servings = 2000 calorie per day diet

Higher number of servings = 4000 calorie per day diet

Iron is one of the minerals of concern to some athletes. In blood, iron is responsible for carrying oxygen to body cells and removing carbon dioxide.

Athletes who may be at risk for iron deficiency fall into one of four classifications:

• Females - due to loss of iron through menstrual blood and, possibly, low iron intakes.
• Adolescent males - due to extra needs of the growth stage.
• Vegetarian athletes - due to lack of red meats that contribute iron and other nutrients needed for blood production.
• Endurance athletes - due to a greater than usual loss of iron through sweat.

To get adequate iron, eat a variety of iron-rich foods. Lean meats provide an excellent source of iron. Enriched breads and grain products and some dark, leafy green vegetables are other iron sources. Eating foods rich in vitamin C such as citrus fruits, juices and other fresh fruits or vegetables along with iron-rich foods also will help iron absorption. Further iron supplementation should be only at the direction of a physician.

"Sports anemia" is a term often used to describe a low hemoglobin condition that is relatively common at the beginning of training. It is characterized by exhaustion and fatigue. After adaptation to training, sports anemia seems to subside. The severity and exact causes of this condition have not yet been determined. Possible explanation for this condition are inadequate dietary iron intakes by athletes or the use of protein for tasks other than red blood cell production during the early training stages.

Vitamins B and C:

B-vitamins have a well-established role in energy metabolism and muscle function and, because of this role, are frequently taken in supplement form by athletes. Taking supplements, in the absence of a known deficiency, does NOT improve athletic potential, and may introduce harmful side effects. Therefore, a balanced diet is the best approach to making certain you get enough of the B-vitamins. Good Food Sources: Liver, pork, lean meats, wheat germ, whole grains, enriched breads, cereals, milk and milk products, poultry, fish, peanut butter, spinach and other green leafy vegetables, legumes, orange juice, and egg yolk.

Vitamin C is also involved in the absorption of iron, resistance to infection, and metabolism (breakdown and build-up) of amino acids, the building blocks of protein. It is not clear from studies whether a marginal vitamin C status impairs athletic performance or work capacity. Therefore it does not appear that taking supplements, even when a good diet is consumed, is necessary for optimizing athletic performance. Good Food Sources of Vitamin C include fresh fruits, fruit juices, an vegetables. Bean sprouts are also good sources.

Calcium:

Low calcium intakes may put bone health at risk. Although weight bearing exercise will help to strengthen bone tissue, calcium also is required. Dairy products should be included at least two to four times daily in food plans for athletes. Low-fat dairy products can be used if fat content is a concern. In addition to dairy products, some calcium can be obtained from leafy green vegetables and fish such as salmon or sardines

After lifting:

After working out, it is essential that you consume something within 15 minutes of finishing exercise. This can be anything that contains calories, including Gatorade. It doesn't have to be an entire meal, a handful of Cheerios will be fine. This little bit of food at this time will help your body to begin to heal. Not eating within this time frame slows the recovery process down by 24 hours. After eating this snack, a meal that is high in carbohydrates is better than a meal high in protein. High protein meals are best consumed before working out and well after working out. Bottom line: Eating a high carbohydrate meal after exercise will pack on more muscle than a high protein meal.

Supplements:

A supplement is something added to a diet to make up for a nutritional deficiency. It is not intended as a substitute for eating well. Supplements include the following: vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, and other botanicals. There are no regulations that guarantee the safety or purity of something sold as a supplement.

Supplements ARE NOT:

• Required to meet similar safety requirements as over-the-counter or prescription drugs or food ingredients
• Held to any manufacturing standards
• Guaranteed to meet product potency or purity ratings
• Required to prove the effectiveness of any health claim they make
• Required to meet safety or efficacy testing prior to going to the market

Creatine claims to improve high power performance of short duration, and increases muscle mass. Research shows that it improves high power performance during a series of repetitive high power output exercises, requires high intensity training to be effective, does not increase endurance, and does not exert an anabolic effect. Athletes should be very cautious if taking creatine or any other supplements there have been report of muscle cramping, strains, and pulls with use; increased renal stress and damage; and increased risk of heat illness. Athletes should increase fluid intake with creatine and have a well balanced diet.

• What is a balanced eating plan to fuel up for fitness?
  The best eating plan for athletes does not differ much from a regular, balanced diet. It should include adequate fluids and plenty of low-fat, high carbohydrate foods that provide energy and replenish the fuel and fluids used during physical activity. Athletes should pay careful attention to their nutrition needs before, during, and after exercise.
  
  
  
• Why are carbohydrates so important for athletes?
  Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of energy for working muscles. That is why carbohydrate-containing foods should compromise at least 60 percent of the calories in an athlete's eating plan. Some foods high in carbohydrate and low in fat include breads, grains, pastas, vegetables, fruits, fruit juices, and juice drinks. Muscles replenish stored carbohydrates most efficiently within the first two hours following exercise. Therefore, athletes should eat or drink 200 to 400 carbohydrate calories as soon as tolerable after exercise, and then again two hours later.
  
  
• What is the role of fluids in sports nutrition?
  When you are physically active, your body requires water or other fluids so it can cool itself, primarily through evaporation of sweat. Athletes must make a conscious effort to drink fluids before, during, and after exercise. A 150-pound athlete can lose as much as six cups of fluid in one hour of continuous activity. If an athlete is not careful about fluid intake, he/she runs the risk of becoming dehydrated, which can dramatically hinder athletic performance by reducing endurance and increasing the risk of serious heat illness, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

  For most athletes, water is the preferred source of fluid before and during workouts. For athletes working out for 60 minutes or more, diluted fruit juices and fruit drinks help to maintain the body's energy supply while replenishing lost fluids. Full strength juices and juice drinks are not recommended immediately before and during heavy workouts because they can cause fullness and cramping. After workouts, athletes should replace fluid lost during exercise by drinking two cups of water or other fluids for each pound of body weight lost. Juices and juice drinks are good after-workout choices because they not only replenish fluids, but they also replace carbohydrates used during exercise.