How to Prepare for Your sports season

One of the main reasons that athletes struggle at the onset of the Fall Sports is that they are not physically prepared for the physical demands of their sport. Before practices begin it is important for athletes to do all that they can to prepare their bodies for the rigors of their sport- whether that be the cardiovascular strain, flexibility, strength, or heat acclimatization, especially as temperatures rise higher and for longer amounts of time each fall. Heat illnesses are a much bigger concern in the Pacific Northwest as each year passes.

Hydration is important for not only your health, but your performance.

Dehydration can lead to slowed reaction time, incoordination, confusion, slow memory, lightheadedness, and dizziness. All of these things will lead to decreased performance. If you want to be your best on the field, you MUST hydrate and fuel your body properly!

Tips to make sure that YOU are properly hydrated, fueled, and acclimatized.

Acclimatization:

  • Acclimatization must be done for both indoor AND outdoor sports!

  • For a minimum of two weeks prior to the start of your sport get out and be active every day!

  • If you've been indoors with AC or camped out in front of your fan all summer, start with small amounts of time outside with light activity and lots of water. Gradually increase your time and the intensity of your activity one at a time. Take frequent breaks with free access to water throughout your workout, as well as access to shade.

  • The goal is to be able to workout for 2-2.5 hours in the heat without issue by the time our season starts!

  • If you have a history of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and/or heat stroke you will be more susceptible to future heat illnesses, be sure to start your acclimatization sooner, and more gradually than the average athlete. Take frequent breaks with free access to water throughout your workout, as well as access to shade. Do not be afraid to stop and rest in shade for if you are struggling with the heat.

        • Be sure to inform Kirsten of this history so that she can monitor you more closely for heat illness, due to your previous history.

Hydration:

  • Drink at least half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. For example: if you weigh 140lbs, drink a minimum of 70 ounces of water each day. Add at least 20 ounces of water for every 30 minutes of activity.

  • Drink before, during, AND after activity. Water consumption should be an all day thing!

  • Do not consume sodas, high sugar and diuretic beverages like juice, energy drinks, coffee drinks and teas. All of these can negatively impact your efforts to hydrate yourself.

  • Drink until your urine is clear! The color of your urine is a good measure of your hydration level (some medications and/or vitamins can effect urine color). If your urine looks like lemonade in the toilet- DRINK MORE!

  • If you still aren't sure if you are getting enough water, weigh yourself prior to your workout, and again after your workout. For each pound of weight you lost during your workout drink 20 ounces of water or Gatorade, half and half is a good choice!

  • If you are using any protein supplements or eating extra foods with proteins, increase your water consumption to help with the extra work your kidneys will need to do to process that protein.

Fueling Your Body:

  • You should eat three meals and 3 snacks evenly spaced throughout your day. Every three hours is usually a good plan.

  • Always eat prior to your workouts, this ensures that you have enough energy to get through your workout.

  • If you don't like to eat prior to a workout, have a meal replacement drink or two. These clear the stomach within 30-45 minutes and can lead to less stomach upset.

  • About 20% of your total Caloric intake should come from Protein, 25% from healthy fats, and 55% from Carbohydrates.

  • Eat lots of fruits and vegetable (great source of simple carbohydrates) with a variety of colors with every meal and snack! This ensures more water consumption and that you should be getting the vitamins and minerals that you need for peak recovery and performance!

  • Eat a meal or snack with a minimum of 20g of Protein within 30 minutes to 1 hour of your workout completion. This will jumpstart your body's protein synthesis process, which is how your muscles recover from working out!

  • Enjoy a Gatorade (or Protein shake for needed protein) or Chocolate milk (contains the needed sugar AND protein!) within 30 minutes to 1 hour of completing your workout to help restore the glycogen storage in your muscles for your next workout. Glycogen is your muscle energy source!

    • Follow this up with a high complex carbohydrate meal within 3 hours to complete your glycogen storage restoration.

      • Examples of complex carbohydrates would be: brown rice, pasta, potatoes, whole grain breads, oatmeal, beans (navy, black, pinto), legumes, etc.

  • Examples of healthy fat sources would be omega-3s from fish, nuts, avocados, eggs, dairy, and extra virgin olive oil.

  • If you don't know how many Calories you should be consuming each day, make an appointment with Kirsten and she can help you to figure this out!