There are several pieces that need to come together to develop a well performing athlete.
- Physical training and fitness
- Mental training and focus
- Skills and technique
- Equipment and proper setup
- Nutrition
Unfortunately, nutrition usually falls by the wayside and is not always considered important for performance. Why? Some people don't associate what they put in their body with their performance. Others don't prioritize healthy nutrition because they feel they are "too busy" or it's "too expensive". Then, there are others that are on the "see food" diet, meaning they eat everything they see. To these people, only calories are important and they may not consider the type of calories they are actually using for fuel.
Let's consider our bodies as machines and calories as fuel to run our machines. Our machines need fuel in order to exercise, think clearly and maintain focus, have quick reaction time, build muscle, and to perform well. Does the type of fuel we use effect how our machines perform? ABSOLUTELY, YES!!
Many young athletes fall into the "see food" diet category. They are constantly fueling up but they may not always make the best food choices. Sugared drinks and processed snacks are easy to find and cheap to buy, but they aren't the best for maintaining a clean and efficient running machine. The best way to learn to fuel better is to 1) Eat a variety of foods and 2) Read nutrition labels to make sensible choices.
As an athlete, the main source of your energy should come from carbohydrates. There are a few different types of carbohydrates that we will discuss now:
Simple sugars: These are sources of quick energy but they are also quickly used up. This is not the type of fuel that will sustain you. Eating or drinking too much added sugar can cause dental cavities and keep you from eating more nutritious foods. When reading nutrition labels, you should pay attention to the amount of added sugar by looking for the following words on the ingredient list: fructose, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, sucrose, brown sugar, corn syrup, syrup, molasses, chocolate, honey, glucose, and maltose. Try to limit these types of food in your everyday diet. A better time to "treat" yourself to a sugared drink or snack would be during or after a workout, but it should never be your main source of energy.
Complex carbohydrates: These are also known as starches and they take longer to digest and give you energy for a longer period of time. Some examples of complex carbs are potatoes, pasta, whole grains, breads, cereals, and beans.
Milk, fruits, and vegetables also contain carbohydrates. So, as you make carbohydrates the main source of energy in your daily diet, make sure you include a variety of: grains (breads, cereals, pasta), beans, milk (yogurt, cheese, milk), fruits, and vegetables.
Tip: When you are reading nutrition labels, look for "whole wheat" or "whole grain" on your breads, cereals, and pasta. Choose lowfat milks and yogurts (2% or lower in fat).
Vitamins and minerals are also important to keep your hard working machine running efficiently. While vitamins and minerals don't have calories, these nutrients help you get more energy out of what you eat...that is a big deal when you are racing and training hard! Here are some tips to help you get enough vitamins and minerals:
Vitamin C and B vitamins are water soluble, which means they dissolve in water and we don't store them in our body. Once your body gets enough of them, it excretes them in your urine. So, make sure you are getting enough of these energy-boosting vitamins, but you don't need to overdo it!
B vitamins are found in milk, meat/poultry/fish, and enriched grains. Vitamin C is found in fruits and vegetables.
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble vitamins, which means they need a little bit of fat to absorb them and our body can store up a supply of them.
These vitamins are found in orange and dark green vegetables, milk, , nuts, oils and seeds.
Calcium is important to help your bones grow and stay healthy. Your bones are still growing and forming until you are 30 years old so now is the time to make sure they are built strong!
You can get enough calcium by eating 3 servings of milk (milk, yogurt, cheese) every day.
Iron is also important because it helps carry oxygen to your cells.
Iron is mostly found in meats but you can also get iron from fortified grains and cereals.
Enriched and fortified grains (breads and cereals), milk, fruits, vegetables, and meats all have essential vitamins and minerals so make sure you are getting a variety of foods every day. Try not to eat the same fruits and vegetables every day, the more colors you eat, the more nutrients you will get.
What about supplements? Ask your doctor before taking a supplement. If you are eating a well balanced diet, you may not need any vitamin or mineral supplements. Be careful when you see supplements that provide more than 100% of the RDI of vitamins and minerals because too much of a nutrient can be harmful or even poisonous.
It is hard to eat healthy all the time, but eating healthy most of the time is better than not at all! Here are some tips that can help you make better choices to fuel your machine for performance:
1. Never skip breakfast! Even if you have to eat on the run, try a Ziploc bag of cereal and nuts and a small bottle of orange juice. You can also pack a bagel with lowfat cream cheese and a banana and a yogurt or smoothie is an easy on-the-run food, as well.
2. Snack often. You don't want to go longer than 3 to 4 hours without eating. This means you might have to keep snacks on-hand. Granola bars, bananas, apples, and crackers are good to have around in case of a snack emergency. If you are at home, some good snack ideas are: cookies and milk, yogurt, fruit smoothie, popcorn, mini carrots, and peanut butter and crackers.
3. Choose grilled instead of fried: This goes for the school lunches, fast food, and post-ride meals. Grilled chicken and fish are much healthier than their fried counterparts.
4. Don't supersize it. This goes for soft drinks, fries, or pretty much anything at the fast food joint.
As you experiment with your diet, pay attention to how you feel during your workouts and races. It might take a little "getting used to" but listen to your body and feed it when it's hungry. With a little focus on making healthier food and drink choices you will be able to unleash more power, endurance, and speed. Try it for yourself and see the difference!
Namrita O'Dea is co-owner of 55nine Performance based in Atlanta, GA. She has a bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and is finishing up her Masters degree in Sports Nutrition at Georgia State University. She is also an elite ultra-endurance mountain bike racer and helps athletes of all types and levels to reach their nutrition and performance goals. 55nine Performance offers help with meal planning, nutrition and hydration strategy for training and competition, and more. Visit them at http://55nineperformance.com.
