Nutrition

INTRODUCTION

“The best route to faster times, faster recovery and life-long health”

As a young athlete, you will need to “fuel the furnace” and keep your body both fueled and refueled at all times for workouts and races.  The importance of proper nutrition consistently is paramount to personal progress and health throughout the season as well as year-round.  Also, learning healthy nutritional habits will be an essential ingredient for lifelong success and well-being.

Overall, the nutritional composition proportions for an endurance athlete should be in the range of 20-25 percent fats, 20-25 percent proteins and 50-60 percent carbohydrates.  Total calories should not be restricted in any way—you will need to eat consistently well.  The amount of total daily calories will be according to your size, level of training and individual metabolic differences.

 Nutrition habits will greatly affect daily training, race performances and, more importantly, overall health. A solid place to start is with the carbohydrates rule.   Because endurance athletes must constantly "keep the furnace stoked" (you burn about 100 calories per mile run), shoot for a diet that is about 60 percent carbohydrates.

 CARBOHYDRATES

 ‘Carbos’ as endurance athletes like to call them, are the body's primary source of energy. A typical distance athlete’s engine runs hot enough to burn fats and protein as well, but the working body prefers to stoke with carbos. 

All carbos are not alike- 

-Simple carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are found in soft drinks, candy bars, and pastries.

Simple carbohydrates typically contain a lot of refined sugar. If a food has large amounts of sugar calories, then that particular source is unlikely to hold any significant amount of vitamins, minerals, or fiber. Nutritionists say that these kinds of foods hold "empty calories."

However, some simple carb foods have plenty to offer in the way of minerals or vitamins. Certain fruits — such as bananas, oranges, apples, and raisins — are better snack choices than empty calorie foods such as most "sweets."

-Complex carbohydrates

Good sources of complex carbohydrates include grains, breads, vegetables, and beans. These foods take longer to convert to glucose (sugars) and are then stored as glycogen (stored dietary sugars) in the muscles or liver, to be used for energy when called upon during physical activity.

To keep up with the calories burned, an endurance athlete who weighs 150 pounds needs to take in somewhere between 2,500 and 5,000 calories per day. Keeping in mind that a runner burns about 100 calories per mile, obviously a professional runner 100 miles per week has bigger needs than a young runner logging 25-50 miles per week.

Protein

Protein is indeed an essential ingredient in runners' diets. Though your working muscles use mostly carbohydrates and fats for fuel--which is why runners shouldn't slash either of these nutrients--protein becomes a more important energy source when your runs exceed an hour. That's when your carbohydrate stores will begin to run low and your body needs an alternative fuel source. Your body also relies on protein to recover quickly from tough workouts and to repair muscle damage.  Research has proven that energy restoration and protein rebuilding in the muscles is accelerated if both carbohydrate and protein are eaten within about 30 to 60 minutes following of intense exercise.

Pre-workout Food and Hydration Guidelines

Foods

Food preferences for pre-workout snacks will vary depending on the individual, type of exercise and level of intensity. For example, endurance athletes can often eat more during a long slow cycle when their heart rate is lower, than while running or training at a higher heart rate.

Experiment with the following guidelines to help determine an appropriate snack for you. Choose a snack that:

 

 

The more time you allow between eating and exercise, the larger the quantity of food you will be able to eat.

 

Allow more digestion time before intense exercise than before low-level activity. Your muscles require more blood during intense exercise, and therefore less blood will be available to your stomach to help with digestion.

 

If you have a finicky stomach, try a liquid snack prior to your workout. Liquid snacks such as smoothies or sports drinks tend to leave the stomach faster than solid foods do and will be easier to digest.

 

Choosing the appropriate snacks will be dependent on the individual. Some people have a tough time digesting anything solid prior to a workout while and others can munch on an energy bar during intense activity such as running.

 

Hydration

The fact is, by the time you actually feel thirsty your body has reached a water deficit that is significantly impairing your strength, speed, and endurance. The water gauge in your brain triggers the thirst sensation after its too late to do much about it. This is a rare occasion when the athlete cannot depend on "feeling" to tell them how to respond to the body's needs. Unfortunately, proper hydration is extremely important for both short and long term success due to the body's total dependency on water in all of its functions.

The normal non-athlete's body composition includes 60% water However, the competitive Cross Country athlete is hardly normal! Runners are typically 70% water--increased fitness results in a higher percentage of body mass as water (runners on average have more muscle and blood, less fat). 

 

Because the body loses water faster than it can be replaced during workouts and racing, it is a good idea to start out "hyper-hydrated". Take in fluids on a regular basis throughout the day. Don't wait until you feel thirsty. Instead, drink a glass or two every hour.

PANTHER CC NUTRITION “Fridge Page”   ** PRINT AND KEEp on or near your refrigerator for a reminder**

SNACKS

Some suggested snacks to keep on hand for before workouts (1 - 2 hours)

 Apples

Applesauce

Apricots

Bagels

Bananas

Bread

Crackers (low-fat)

Dates

Oranges

Fig Bars

Figs

Dried Fruit/Roll-Ups

Gingersnaps

Graham Crackers

Grapes

Melon Slices

Cereal bars

Peaches

Pears

Pretzels

Raisins

Tangerines

Yogurt

Energy Bars

MAIN MEALS

Breakfast

Before a regular school day or after a morning workout or race--never skip this meal! You should be consuming at least 600 calories and up to 1000 calories at breakfast (depending on your size and training level).

Some Breakfast Suggestions:

Hot or Cold Whole Grain cereals

Dairy/Soy/Almond Milk

Eggs

Smoothies

Yogurt

Whl Gr Waffles

Whole Fruits

Fruit Juices

Whl Gr Pancakes

Whl Gr Breads

Lunch

Suggestions for dealing with limited school cafeteria options for athletes-

Bring your own lunch* (suggestions below)

Avoid fried foods (any type of non-baked chips included)

Avoid all candy

Avoid all sodas/carbonated beverages

 ”Bag” lunch suggestions

Just to note, the toughest part of bag lunching it is that you will be limited to the choices you have at home so--- go out and buy what you need for the week over the weekend and “stock up” on what you need for the week for lunches.

 Sandwiches—include a lean meats/meat cuts and cheese of your choice or nut butter and preserves, whole grain bread or tortillas/wraps, veggies and light oil condiments/dressings

Sides— salads, rice, potatoes, breads, other carbohydrate choices of fruits and veggies

Drinks—Water, milk/soymilk, 100% fruit juices

Dessert—see all choices in snack list

Dinner

Have a fulfilling dinner, enjoy a full meal with a variety of meats, grains and vegetables. It is essential to emphasize complex carbohydrates (whole grains and whole vegetables and proteins (lean red meats or fish and fowl) at least four times weekly for iron content purposes).  Take the time to sit down and take the time to enjoy your evening meal with your family- as much for your emotional and social health as physical health.