Nutrition & Water

Track & field is a grueling sport.  Athletes are expected to run hard five days a week. If athletes don't have proper food and water intake this sport can be intolerable.  This is not like any other sport, you will get what you put in.  Here are some basic rules of thumb to help this to be a positive experience.

WATER

GOAL: Drink 48oz of water daily or a water bottle full in the morning and in the afternoon.  

*Poor hydration is the cause of the majority of issues we'll have.  It affects everything from your muscles to your head. Take hydration seriously. Plain old water is best! Don't add sugar to it or drink Gatorade.  It's not the same (too full of sugar).

NUTRITION

• Anything pure: fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy are all good!

• Grains/ Starches: breads, cereal, rice, pasta, cereal & granola bars, potatoes, bagels, tortillas, crackers, corn

• Fruits/ Juices: orange, grape, apple, cherry, or cranberry juices; bananas, grapes, apples, melon, berries,  or canned fruit.  

• Dairy Products: milk, chocolate milk, yogurt, smoothies, cheese, cottage cheese

• Other: Sports drinks, honey

• NOTE: Granola bars are marketed to be healthy but are often times are full of sugar or some form of it (like high fructose corn syrup).  Be sure you eat granola bars to take a look at the sugar in it.

           HERE ARE SOME SNACK IDEAS TO BRING TO TRACK MEETS:

• Honey Sticks

  • • Link 

• Peanut Butter Energy Balls- lots of recipes out there but I added one below:

  • • Recipe 

• Salami

• Cheese

• Hummus

• Pickles  (pickle juice is good for cramping!)

• Pitas

• Hawaiian Roll Bag- cut rolls in half and make pull-apart sandwiches

• String Cheese

• Cut up fruit- grapes, bananas, apples, peeled oranges, clementines

  • • Peanut Butter for dipping

• Cut up veggies-broccoli, cauliflower, celery, peppers, baby carrots, pea pods, etc.

  • • Peanut Butter or Ranch for dipping

• Go Go Squeeze

• Crackers

• Protein Bars

• Granola Bars (watch the sugar content)

• Trail Mix

• Nuts

• Pasta Salad

• Jerky

• Chicken Salad & crackers

• Apples or celery sticks and dip in peanut butter

• Pretzels

• Gatorades

• Mini Cucumbers

• Wraps with turkey or chicken

• Pepperonis

• Protein Shakes

• Turkey/ Cheese Pinwheels

• Protein Cookie

  • • Link 

• Uncrustables

• Goldfish

• Lunchables

• Dried Fruit- Mangos, bananas, apricots, etc.

• Jar of Olives

• Smash Chia Seeds with some berries, and let sit for a while until it's kind of a jelly then eat.  Chia helps with hydration.

• Fruit Cups

• Kind Bars

• Clif Bars

• Justin's Peanut Butter Packs

  • • Link 

• Suggested many times- Electrolytes to add to Water, here are suggested brands:

  • • Liquid IV 

    • Emergen-C Electrolyte Replenishment 

    • Propel 

    • Key Nutrients 

WHAT TO AVOID DURING TRACK SEASON

*Pop & caffiene (yes, even Bubbl'r)

* Too much sugar- limit your sugar consumption