Nutrition
Fluids, carbohydrates, protein, and fats in the diet provide essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids to ensure normal growth and development as well as strength, power, and endurance on the field and in the classroom.
Fluids:
Inadequate fluid intake and dehydration can contribute to decreased concentration, fatigue, and increased risk of injuries. A female athlete’s baseline fluid requirements vary depending on age, height, and weight. The outdoor temperature will also affect fluid needs. Some guidelines on fluid consumption:
Pre-Practice: 8-16 ounces water
During practice: 6-8 ounces water every 20 minutes
After practice: 16-24 ounces water
Carbohydrates:
Carbs give muscles the power to move when exercising. It is important to eat carbs every day for normal muscle and brain function. If the body does not have enough carbs, muscles slow down and create a feeling of tiredness and a feeling of not being mentally alert.
Protein:
Protein is needed to maintain and strengthen muscles after workouts and practice. Eat quality proteins like lean red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, and eggs daily. Muscle recovery and replenishment is dependent on a quality protein after exercise.
Fat:
It is important to include a small amount of fat in the daily diet. They give us Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Healthy fats are added in cooking like canola or olive oil. Healthy fats can also be added to salads by including avocado, sunflower seeds, or almonds.
Performance Eating Checklist:
- Do not skip meals.
- Drink 1 glass of water with breakfast, lunch and dinner and snack every day.
- Stay away from soft drinks, coffee and tea.
- Limit your consumption of meats high in saturated fat: hamburgers/cheeseburgers, fried meats and dark meat.
- Avoid fast food.
- Consume more lean meats such as: baked/grilled chicken without skin, baked/roasted turkey without skin, baked/broiled fish, broiled fish, broiled shrimp, and tuna in water.
- Eat whole grain wheat breads instead of traditional white. It has more fiber and will convert to sugar at a slower rate than white bread. This includes other starches such as brown rice instead of white rice, wheat pasta instead of white pasta.
- Don’t overindulge in carbs at night because their purpose is to replenish energy stores. It only takes a small amount of carbs to restore your needs. Any excess is stored as fat. Proteins however, can help to rebuild muscles tissue that has been broken down during activity.
- Include protein at meals
- Eat one to two healthy grains at every meal and snack.
- Plan ahead. Pack meals and snacks to bring with you.
- Eat two to three fresh fruits a day.
- Include two to three milk and dairy products every day.
- Eat a variety of foods to provide a rainbow of nutrients
- Eat three to five vegetable servings a day.
Examples of Healthy Food/Snacks
Fruit – bananas, apples, oranges, bananas, pears
Carrots & Peanut Butter
Yogurt
Fruit smoothies – in blender, yogurt, ice, juice, fruit
Pretzels
Cheese
Soup – chicken, tomato, chili
Salads - (dark green lettuce, carrots, peppers, cucumbers, snap peas, broccoli)
Bagels
English Muffins
Low sugar cereal
Milk
Pasta
Juice – no fructose CS
Cottage Cheese
Lean meats – turkey, burger, chicken, steak, pork
Fish – tuna, salmon, haddock
Shellfish – shrimp, scallops, crab
Whole grain bread
Hummus and pita bread
Baked potato
Rice
Vegetables
Fig newtons
Goldfish crackers
Crackers – wheat thins, triscuits
Beans – black, kidney, chick peas
Eggs – hard boiled, scrambled
Raisins, dried cranberries
Fruit popsicles
Power bars, Clif bars, etc.
Nuts – almonds, walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios, cashews
Applesauce cups
Nutella on whole grain bread
Examples of Bad Snacks/Foods
Everything in moderation!!
Soda –high calories, carbonated soft drink intake is linked with lower bone mineral density in adolescent girls
Ice cream – high in fat and calories
Chips/Doritos/Fritos/Cheetos
Cookies
Candy
Sugar Cereals – Fruit Loops, Honey Smacks, Cocoa Krispies, Captain Crunch, Trix, Count Chocula, Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Processed Food – slim jims, salami, baloney, hot dogs
Fried Foods – chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, French Fries, Onion Rings, Tater tots, calamari, egg rolls, Crab Rangoon, fried chicken, fried fish, fried mushrooms
Fast Food – McDonalds, Burger King, Wendys, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Dairy Queen, Dominos, KFC
Chinese Food
Donuts
Pastries
Muffins
Sample Performance Menu (approximately 2400 calories) for a female athlete:
Breakfast:
- 2 whole grain wheat waffles with 2 tablespoons of syrup
- 2 hard boiled eggs
- 1 orange
- 8 ounces of low fat chocolate milk
- 8 ounces of water
Lunch:
- turkey & swiss on whole wheat bagel
- 1 apple
- 1 ounces of pretzels
- 8 ounces of water
Dinner
- 5 ounces of rotisserie chicken (no skin)
- 1 cup of brown rice
- 1 cup of steamed broccoli
- 1 cup of peaches in light syrup
- 8 ounces of skim milk
- 8 ounces of water
Snack
- 1.5 cup honey oat cereal
- 1 banana
- 12 ounces skim milk
- 8 ounces of water