by Isaac Wilkins, M.Ed, CSCS, NSCA-CPT

Basic Terms

Calorie: A calorie is a unit of heat used to measure how much energy is in a given food. Fat is the most dense of the macronutrients containing nine calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates each contain four calories per gram.

Protein: Proteins are the building blocks of muscle as well as having many other applications in the body. Proteins are large organic compounds made of amino acids arranged in a linear chain. The body requires amino acids to produce new body protein (protein retention) and to replace damaged proteins (maintenance) that are lost in the urine.

Fats: Fats are long chains of Carbon atoms that can be broken apart by the body as an efficient form of energy. Fats can be saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fats are completely bound in Hydrogen atoms while unsaturated fats are not. Both types of fats have important functions in the body other than the production of energy and should not be removed from the diet.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are chemical compounds that contain oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon atoms, and no other elements. These compounds are fast sources of energy for the body and muscles. Carbohydrates can be sugars which are single carbohydrate molecules, complex carbohydrates which are more than one sugar bonded together, or fiber, which is cannot be digested by humans. Sugar stored in the muscles is called glycogen and is very important for athletic performance.

Game Day Nutrition

Make sure that your glycogen stores are full by starting to eat a high carbohydrate diet and drinking a lot of water the day before. This is when you determine how much energy you will have for the game! Consume a large carbohydrate meal before going to bed the night before a game. Excellent carbohydrate sources are pasta, rice, bread, potatoes (both sweet and white), and beans. Make sure to have some quality protein with this meal and drink at least one liter of clear water.

The day of a contest make sure you eat breakfast! Even if you get pre-game jitters try to get something light into you. Stay away from fatty foods and look more towards lean protein and light carbohydrates. Egg whites or cottage cheese and milk with toast, waffles, oatmeal, or low-sugar cereal combined with some fruit are excellent choices.

Feel free to snack leading up to the game but keep overall food intake light. You don’t want to be hungry but you don’t want to have an overfull stomach, either. Sip on water and/or a carbohydrate drink like Gatorade or Powerade throughout the day. Make sure that you drink two glasses (16 fluid ounces) of water 10-20 minutes before the game starts.

Post-Exercise Nutrition

Recent studies indicate that a properly designed post exercise meal may mitigate the catabolic effects of high intensity training while speeding recovery times. Researchers recommend that you eat a quickly assimilated, high-protein, high-carb meal within forty five minutes after (when the muscles are especially receptive to nutrients and the blood flow to the exercised muscle(s) remains high) and again two hours after training. Consume 25-35 grams of high quality protein along with 70-80 grams of complex carbohydrates and 20-30 grams of simple carbohydrates. This post-workout meal helps to begin the anabolic recovery and repair process of broken down muscle tissue. A whey protein shake with a bottle of Gatorade and a bagel is a good example. Another good example would be a can of tuna fish, a cup of cooked rice, and an apple.

The Seven Rules of Nutrition for Athletes

Rule One: Always eat breakfast. Breakfast will make you feel better; it helps you start your day with your metabolism in high gear and your appetite in control. Think of your body as a campfire that dies down during the night. If it isn’t stoked up in the morning the spark turns to ash.

Rule Two: Always eat at least 5 meals a day. Two or three meals simply aren’t enough. By eating 5 meals your energy levels will remain high, and you’ll get protein in small amounts throughout the day to support growth and recovery. Yes, it will be difficult, especially with classes/work, practice and other commitments on your schedule. However, it is NOT impossible. Bring a couple of extra sandwiches, hard-boiled eggs, potatoes or powerbars with you as you go through the day.

Rule Three: Remember the 1-2-3 rule. In each of your 5 meals, approximately 1 part of the calories should come from fats, 2 parts from protein and 3 parts from carbohydrates. Always eat a carbohydrate with a protein.

Rule Four: Another thing to remember, whether you’re trying to lose fat or add lean muscle, is to fluctuate your caloric intake. For example, if you want to lose fat, reduce your calories for two days, but then eat plenty on the third day. Follow this two days low with one day high calorie fluctuation scheme throughout the week. This will 1) readjust your basal metabolic rate (the rate at which you’re body burns calories at rest) upwards, 2) support lean tissue building, and 3) give you a psychological “lift.”

Rule Five: Drink eight to ten glasses of pure water each day. This will ensure you’re replacing fluids lost during exercise. DO NOT wait until you are thirsty. By then, you are in a depleted state. Drink these glasses of water throughout a day’s time, not all at once. This rule deserves two notes of consideration: 1) you’re an athlete and constantly active therefore you are losing more fluids than you realize; and 2) water is probably the one substance most often overlooked by athletes. Do not let dehydration limit your performance!

Rule Six: Not all proteins and carbohydrates are equal. The protein in fatty meat and whole dairy products is much more difficult to digest (if your body digests it at all) as compared to whey and soy protein, lean white meat and fat free dairy products. The highest quality proteins are found in egg whites, whey protein isolates and soy protein isolates. There are many types of carbohydrates. Simple processed sugars, found in candy bars and sodas, will send your energy levels sky-high and then they fall to lower levels quickly. Complex unprocessed carbohydrates, found in grains, fruits, and vegetables will give you a more constant supply of energy until your next meal. Eat your fruits and vegetables.

Rule Seven: Never go on a fad diet. If fat loss is needed, accomplish it through proper diet and exercise, never a fad diet.

Good Sources of Inexpensive Nutrients

Protein

Eggs (both whole and whites)
Tuna (water-packed)
Chicken (light meat)
Beef (lean ground and steak/roast)
Beans (also a good carbohydrate source)
Turkey (light meat)
Low or Non-fat cottage cheese
Protein powders (whey, milk, or egg)

Carbohydrates

Whole wheat/grain bread
Whole wheat/grain pasta
Rice
Beans
Potatoes (white or sweet)
Fruit
Oatmeal
Low-sugar Cereals
Honey

Fats

Nuts and nut butters
Olive, Safflower, or Flax oil
Fish Oil (be careful with Cod Liver Oil for its extra vitamin D)