In this article, we will discuss the Nutrition for Athletes: Best Foods to Eat and When to Eat Them. Show You’ve worked hard in the gym, you’ve been eating right, and you’ve been killing it in practice all week—now it’s time to get into the game. But just because you’ve been fueling up correctly and training at your best doesn’t mean you can just eat whatever you want on game day. No matter what sport you’re playing, your body needs to have the proper athlete nutrition to power you through any competition—especially the big ones. “As an athlete—professional or amateur—nutrition is a full time gig,” says Ryan Turner, R.D., C.S.S.D., C.D.N., sports dietitian at New York University and Top Balance Nutrition in New York City. “Pre-game nutrition should be viewed as supplemental to the fueling you do throughout the rest of the day. Depending on your sport, you should be able to enter the game with enough stored energy for a full 60 minutes.” Two big points of focus when it gets close to game time? Carbs and water. “Depending on how much time you have before you step into the game, this is a great time to ‘top off’ your energy stores,” says Turner. But what’s really the best way to get your nutrients? And when exactly should you chow down before a game so you don’t get a stomach cramp? Here’s Turner’s play-by-play timeline for optimal pre-game nutrition. Don’t eat everything on the list before the game, of course—it’s intended as a guide to food choices depending on how much time you have and how hungry you are. Nutrition for Athletes Before Game Time“Eat a bigger meal with plenty of fluids, especially water,” says Turner. “An athlete’s plate should be half full of starch, a quarter protein, and a quarter non-starchy vegetables. With more than 2 hours before game time, I suggest having a more substantial meal. You have more time to digest and relax. I always suggest Mexican food or a sandwich—but without high-fat dips and spreads like guacamole, sour cream, or mayo.” Meal Options:
1-2 Hours Before Game Time/Between Events“Starch-based meals should be the focus, says Turner. “Foods like lower fiber rice, pasta, and breads are good options.” But don’t pig out—you want enough food to give you energy, but not so much that you feel that burrito bowl sloshing around in your guts during the first quarter of the game. Meal Options:
Quicker Options:
60 Minutes Before Game Time“Focus on quick-digesting snacks,” says Turner. “Foods like peanut butter, nuts, fruits, and low-fat Greek yogurt can be tolerated with closer to 60 minutes before game time. Fruits can be incredibly helpful in regards to hydration at this point, including:
Here are some of the options that Turner recommends when you’ve got one hour between practices/games/events:
30 Minutes Before Game Time“There are a number of food options recommended to top off your energy,” says Turner. “Rapidly digesting foods that leave the stomach quickly are good when you have 30 minutes or less before your event or game is going to start. You should focus on quick-digesting carbohydrates and hydration.” But be careful with what you pick, because if you eat the wrong thing, you could hinder yourself once you get out onto the field or onto the court: “Foods high in protein, fat, and fiber—including vegetables, fruits, and whole grains—will digest a lot slower than low-fiber carbohydrates, and should be avoided with less than 30 minutes before a game,” says Turner. WaterWhile this may be an obvious one for most athletes, the importance of hydrating cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to performance. If you don’t have enough water before you get on the field, you’ll put yourself at an increased risk for injury, plus you could suffer from muscle cramps and fatigue. “Water is necessary for performance, says Turner. “If an athlete loses more than 2% of their body weight from sweat, decision making and reaction time is slowed, perceived exertion is increased, and lean muscle is compromised. The average person loses 2.4 pounds from sweat per hour—it’s important to hydrate throughout the day and well before competition so you aren’t overloading your stomach.” Sports Drink – 8 oz. serving“Sports drinks and watered down juices can be helpful for energy,” says Turner. “Although they are not necessary before a game if you’ve eaten appropriate meals leading up to it. Too much at once, or a drink too concentrated in sugar can upset the stomach and cause cramping.” Quick Options:
“Low-fiber carbohydrates like pretzels, saltines, and bagels are great choices to top off energy with less than 30 minutes to go before a game,” says Turner. “It’s true that some active people still may have trouble tolerating these, so if you’re one of those people, small amounts of sports energy chew or even Swedish fish can be eaten instead.” For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! Soccer players need a breakfast rich in carbohydrates before a game. Image Credit: Comstock/Stockbyte/Getty Images Before a soccer game, you need to consume a large quantity of carbohydrates, a moderate amount of protein and a low amount of fat. This includes breakfast on game day. Without adequate, balanced nutrition, you won't have enough energy to play your best. If you're having difficulty developing a diet plan that aids your soccer performance, ask a dietitian or sports nutritionist for advice. Make it High in CarbsThree to four hours before a game, soccer players should have a breakfast based primarily on carbohydrates, such as 1 cup of oatmeal paired with low-fat milk, a glass of orange juice, a banana and a piece of whole-wheat toast. Complex carbohydrates -- such as whole grains -- will ensure that your muscles have enough glycogen to get you through the game. Glycogen is the storage form of glucose and is the compound your cells use for energy. If only a few hours remain before game time, focus on low- or nonfat dairy or carbohydrates that are low in fiber and are easily digestible, such as fruit. These choices provide quick energy and are less likely to give you an upset stomach. A fruit smoothie prepared from yogurt, milk and fresh fruit is also a good option. Go Lean on Your ProteinBreakfast before a soccer game should contain low-fat protein. High-fat meats, such as sausage or bacon and whole milk dairy products, can slow your digestion and give you an uncomfortable, heavy feeling. Instead, pair your fruit with plain, low- or nonfat yogurt, have a hard-boiled egg or vegetable omelet or spread whole-grain toast with unsweetened nut butter to meet your protein needs. A typical moderate-protein breakfast for a soccer player might be a scrambled egg, whole-grain pancakes and 1 cup of low-fat milk, which would supply approximately 18 grams of protein. As you get closer to game time, choose a liquid form of protein to reduce digestion time, such as a high-carb fruit smoothie prepared with milk and yogurt. Keep Pre-Game Fat to a MinimumSkip butter, margarine and any breakfast entrees featuring gravy, cream sauces or oil-heavy items such as chicken-fried steak or fried potatoes. Your pre-game meal should consist of no more than 5 percent fat if you're eating three to four hours before play. If you are eating closer to game time, your meal should contain less than 5 percent fat. In a typical breakfast, the fat should come from foods naturally high in mono- and polyunsaturated fats such as canola or olive oil, nuts, seeds or avocados. For example, put one-half of a sliced avocado on your omelet or mix 1 ounce of toasted nuts or seeds into your oatmeal. Fill Up on FluidDrink at least 2 to 3 cups of water with breakfast three or more hours before a game and continue to drink more as the start time nears. Drink milk, smoothies, sports drinks, and plain or diluted 100-percent fruit or vegetable juice to contribute to your morning fluid intake. Avoid sugary or carbonated beverages and heavily caffeinated products such as commercial energy drinks. |
What to eat for breakfast on game day
Postagens relacionadas
direito autoral © 2024 comojogaruno Inc.
