A few weeks back, I blogged about tiny nutrition tricks for big weight loss (check it out here). But what if you don't want to lose weight? What if you are just looking to improve your workouts to see better results overall? Here are few more "tiny tricks", but this time for big workout gains....
1. Stay hydrated
Hydration is the number one nutrition-related reason for poor performance. Being hydrated means the entire day, not just right before and during the workout. During the day, drink to stay ahead of thirst (thirst = already a 1% dehydration; performance deficits occur at 2%). Also check your hydration status by assessing pee color (lemonade color is best). Not sure you hydrate enough during workouts? Weigh yourself before and after a workout. If your weight decreases, you didn't drink enough; an increase indicates too much fluid intake; a nearly same number means you hydrated well.
2. Eat to your workout type
Not all types of athletes are the same, so nutrition needs are also not the same.
I work with a growing number of athletes who do not eat gluten. Many struggle with getting in enough carbohydrate for their level of training. They don't know how to be more creative than eating rice and sweet potatoes with every meal. So for all you gluten-free eaters out there, here are 2 days of gluten-free eating.
Day 1
Breakfast: Low-fat cottage cheese topped with fresh berries and almonds; drizzle with honey
Lunch: Wrap made with Rudi's brand spinach tortilla, Boar's Head brand deli turkey, pesto, mozzarella cheese, fresh mushrooms and spinach. Serve with fresh cantaloupe.
Dinner: Lean turkey burger an Udi's brand hamburger bun with slice of watermelon and steamed broccoli
Snack: Low-fat string cheese with mini box of raisins
Snack: Homemade hummus with baby carrots
Nuts are a great way for athletes to add energy to their training diet that's packed with fiber, protein, and healthy fat. Because these are a very energy-dense food option, it is a great way for busy athletes to meet their caloric needs quickly and nutritiously. Did you know that eating 1.5 ounces of the nuts listed below reduces your risk of heart disease? One study also found that women aged 20-45 years old who ate nuts at least 2 times per week had a lower risk of weight gain and obesity over an 8-year follow-up period than those women who ate nuts less frequently.
Are you aware of the huge variety of nuts? It's not just about peanuts, almonds and walnuts anymore. Read on to learn about the variety of nutritious nuts out there.
Note: 1 oz varies from ~160-200 Calories. A good rule of thumb is to substitute nuts for food sources of saturated fat in the diet (i.e. fried foods, full butter, commercial baked goods, etc.).
Cashews (1 oz serving = ~18)
Source of: copper and magnesium
Flavor: slightly sweet
Use: as a snack - raw or roasted - or added to Asian dishes
I have written blog entries on muscle cramping, but it suddenly occurred to me that I have never touched on side stitches. This likely crossed my mind because I was dealing with one that came on in the middle of a workout one day. But is there any correlation between side stitches and performance nutrition techniques?.....well, lets find out....
What is a side stitch?
Some athletes call it a stitch - some call it a cramp. It's that pesky, cramp-like pain that is localized usually on the side, just below the ribs. Sometimes it is accompanied by stabbing shoulder joint pain. The level of pain varies from mild to severe. Sometimes athletes can exercise through the pain, while at other times this is simply impossible and pace must be slowed down or stopped completely.
Due to the pressure to be the best, meet a certain weight or achieve a certain level of body fat, athletes are at an increased risk of developing eating disorders. Whether or not an eating disorder develops is dependent on many things. However, a coach often plays a leading role in this process: in a way that can either encourage or discourage an eating disorder. Are you a coach concerned about creating a culture of restrictive eating and unsafe dieting practices? Being aware of this potential is an important first step. Here are some tips to prevent eating disorders in the athletes you work with every day.
1. First it is important to recognize that eating disorder behaviors are serious. The leading causes of death for people with eating disorders are cardiac arrest and suicide, so observing unsafe behaviors is not something to be ignored.
