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One of the most commonly asked questions we get asked is what to eat before and after practices/games. Eating the right foods at the right time can be the difference between performing to the best of your ability and falling short when it matters most. It's also a way to the edge of your competition and make sure you'll be ready to perform when it counts!
To recover from the high demands of strenuous exercise/training, you should refuel your muscles with high carbohydrate foods within 15-30 minutes of exercise. Remember, carbohydrates are the gasoline for your body. They keep your body’s fuel tank FULL. You will recover faster and minimize fatigue. Plan ahead to have the right foods available.
Common refueling mistakes:
· Greasy, fatty foods ~ donuts, burgers, pastries, nachos, fries, chips, and other high fat choices WILL NOT refuel your body and can inhibit performance. Many also lack nutrition.
· Too much PROTEIN ~ by filling up on steak, chicken, rather than adding potato, pasta, rice, and whole wheat bread at dinner time. Remember, protein can help with recovery, but will not help restore glycogen (your gas tank) if quality carbohydrate foods are not available.
· TOO FEW Calories ~ this is very common amongst weight conscious athletes. They may mistakenly believe carbohydrates are “fattening” and may refuel with protein rich cottage cheese, tuna, turkey and fish. The rest of the diet (salads and vegetables) offers too few carbohydrates to replace depleted glycogen stores. Performance will suffer.
An optimal recovery diet is especially important if you train or compete more than once a day. The following tips can help you design an effective recovery diet into both your daily training program and after game/event meals.
For HIGH PERFORMANCE RECOVERY:
Eat a high carb snack within 15-30 minutes of training
Follow up with a high carbohydrate meal within 1 hour of training
High Performance combination recovery meals/snacks
o Bowl of cereal, low fat milk, and fruit (breakfast)
o 2 slices of wheat bread and fruit
o Pasta, rice, potato, or bread with protein at dinner
o Yogurt and Fruit or Pretzels (small bag)
o Energy Bar
o Smoothie
Nutrition provides the fuel your body needs to be perform. Put high fat junk foods into your body and it simply won't have the nutrients it needs to keep you at the top of your game. Making sure you're eating the right kinds of foods at the right times after practices and games is an easy to get ahead of your competition and stay one step ahead. For more information about nutrition and recovery, contact us today!
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