Rules to Live By: Nutrition For Athletes
WRITTEN BY HANNAH BAKOWSKI
With the coming of a new year and the resolutions that come along with it, it’s now more important than ever to approach exercise regiments with a healthy framework. Exercising well starts with how an athlete fuels themself; the benefits of nutrition starting from the inside out. Below are some helpful tips that the most conscientious of athletes follow when choosing what to put on their plates:
Be mindful of your carbs! These include white bread, pasta, and sugar. While these taste delicious and can be found in a healthy diet in moderation, athletes should try to eat these less often. Like sugar, white bread and pasta is a simple carbohydrate and our body uses the energy from these foods quickly1. This means that if you are a runner, you’re going to burn through your energy stores fast if your only fuel was a simple carbohydrate. Instead, athletes should try to fuel up on complex carbohydrates such as whole-grain bread and whole wheat pasta.
Don’t forget about protein! Protein is an important macronutrient that everyone needs in order to be healthy and is important for athletes because it helps with muscle repair and growth2. As I mentioned in my blog about protein, adults only need around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. Athletes should stick to this general rule as well. Studies have shown that eating an excess of protein doesn’t aid the body’s muscles any more than the recommended amount. Instead, it can actually increase body weight since our bodies can store excess protein as fat, and it can also cause us to become dehydrated2,3. A good way to monitor how much protein you should be eating without doing all the calculations is to compare the size to the size of your palm. For example, if you are eating a piece of chicken, the size of the chicken should be about the size of the palm of your hand. This brings me to my next tip on protein: try to eat lean proteins whenever possible. Lean proteins such as seafood, shellfish, poultry and even plant based options typically have less fat and cholesterol than other forms of protein such as beef and pork. Eating lean protein will help fuel your body with the nutrients it needs, without adding unhealthy fats and cholesterol that can harm you in the long run if you eat them too often.
Fat is important too! Many people relate fat to weight gain and being unhealthy for us. While there are foods containing unhealthy fats, fat is necessary in our diets, especially unsaturated fats (I discussed the different kinds of fats in my blog post about healthy snacks!) So, how does fat influence the performance of an athlete? Well, if you eat foods high in saturated fats (butter, processed food, fried food, etc.) right before a workout, you risk the chance of slowing yourself down because the greasy food is sitting in your stomach, possibly making you feel tired4. But that doesn’t mean you should avoid fat. Foods high in monounsaturated fats such as avocados or olive oil provide a lot of energy that your body will need if you are exercising for a long time3. My recommendation is to choose fats that are healthier, and to be mindful of how much you are eating.
Hydration. You might not think of hydration as a part of nutrition, but staying hydrated is an important part of our health, and it’s especially important for athletes. When we exercise, we increase our body temperature. Our bodies sweat to help us cool down, which means we lose some of the water that our body has been storing5. When we lose this water and don’t restore it, or work to keep our bodies hydrated throughout the day, we risk the chance of becoming dehydrated. This is not only harmful to our bodies, but it can decrease athletic performance5. So, to prevent this, you should try to drink half your body weight in ounces a day6. For example, if you weigh 200 lbs, then you should try to drink around 100 ounces of water a day. Another important part of hydration is what you are drinking. Today, there are so many sports drinks that seem like a good idea, but in reality, these drinks are high in sugar, or artificial sweeteners. Brands state that they are necessary to replenish nutrients and energy lost during exercise, but this is only the case for individuals partaking in high intensity exercises that last at least an hour7. Instead, I recommend sticking to water, and if you want to change the flavor, try adding some fruit! Some of my favorite combinations are lemon with cucumber, or even strawberry and mint!
My last tip for not only athletes, but for everyone: do what works best for your body and your lifestyle. What works for the person next to you might not work for you at all. So keep with it, and figure out what combination of nutrients and hydration your body needs in order for you to feel your best and perform your best! I’ve included a Korean-Inspired Ground Turkey meal prep recipe8 to help inspire you to try new things and find what makes you feel happy and healthy! We’d love to hear about your favorite go-to meals that make you feel your absolute best!
Korean-Inspired Turkey Meal Prep Bowls
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
¾ cup uncooked brown rice (2 cups cooked)
1 head broccoli (chopped into florets)
For the turkey mixture:
¾ lb lean ground turkey
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon ginger (finley chopped)
For the sauce:
1-3 tablespoons honey (use 1 tablespoon if you don’t want it too sweet!)
3 tablespoons low sodium soy-sauce
1 ½ teaspoon sesame oil
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅛ teaspoon pepper
Garnish
Green onions (optional)
Directions:
Cook rice according to package directions.
Shake up all sauce ingredients and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and cook for 5 or so minutes, until slightly softened. Remove from heat.
Add turkey to the pan. Cook, breaking it up with a spatula, for 5-8 minutes, until completely cooked through and no longer pink.
Make a space in the middle of the pan. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring up a bit.
Give the sauce a shake and pour over the ground turkey and garlic/ginger. Stir unti everything is mixed through, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Divide turkey/sauce mixture between the meal prep containers. Sprinkle with green onions if desired.
Enjoy as a family meal, or portion out into 4 containers and use as a meal prep. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days
References
1. Good-for-you Carbohydrates. Accessed December 19, 2021. https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/good-for-you-carbohydrates.html
2. Nutrition and athletic performance: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Accessed December 19, 2021. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002458.htm
3. Nutrition for the Athlete - 9.362. Extension. Accessed December 19, 2021. https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/nutrition-food-safety-health/nutrition-for-the-athlete-9-362/
4. Game Day Nutrition Tips for Young Athletes. Accessed December 19, 2021. https://www.eatright.org/fitness/sports-and-performance/tips-for-athletes/gameday-nutrition-tips-for-young-athletes
5. Perishable. Fluids and Hydration | U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). Accessed December 19, 2021. https://www.usada.org/athletes/substances/nutrition/fluids-and-hydration/
6. infrontadmin. How Much Water Do Youth Athletes Need? Accessed December 19, 2021. https://truesport.org/hydration/how-much-water-should-youth-athletes-drink/
7. Boston 677 Huntington Avenue, Ma 02115 +1495‑1000. Sports Drinks. The Nutrition Source. Published September 23, 2019. Accessed December 19, 2021. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/sports-drinks/
8. Korean Inspired Ground Turkey Meal Prep. Sweet Peas and Saffron. Published April 1, 2021. Accessed December 19, 2021. https://sweetpeasandsaffron.com/korean-turkey-meal-prep/