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Reprinted
from” Training Agenda", a USS Sports Medicine
and Science Series
Everything you do
influences your performance, but your food choices have the most effect due to
the long term and short term benefits. A proper diet, including proper selection
of foods, will help your training and performance while also achieving a
healthy lifestyle once you stop competing.
To help ensure a
balanced diet, remember that there are no magical nutrition remedies. So forget
the fads and eat a variety of wholesome foods from the four food groups--milk,
meat, fruits & vegetables, and grains. Foods in these groups provide
protein, fat carbohydrate, fiber and all the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Your ideal diet should include the following percentage of calories:
Carbohydrate 50-60%
Fat 20-30%
Protein 14-18%
This nutrition
series is designed to help you better understand good nutrition and to provide
guidelines for ideal food choices. Within sports, there
are four major periods that nutrition will impact:
1.
During Training:
Training represents the period in which athletes spend most of their
time. Therefore, this category represents the most critical period. During this
time, a diet high in carbohydrates is important. This is important since it is
not uncommon for athletes training 4-6 hours a day to burn 2500 to 4000
calories a day. The best way to replenish these calories is with a high
carbohydrate diet. By being conscious of this and by taking high carbohydrate
foods or drink in the first 30 minutes
following a workout, you can minimize depletion of energy stores.
2.
Pre-event Nutrition: The major purpose of the pre-event
diet is to ensure sufficient energy and fluid for the athlete. Two to three
days before competition, a high carbohydrate diet with plenty of fluids should
be emphasized. The pre-event meal should include a light, high carbohydrate
meal three to four hours before the event.
3.
Nutrition During Competition: Provided that
good nutrition practices were followed during training, middle distance and
sprint events will not be limited by nutrition-related factors. During a three
to four day competition, make sure you consume plenty of fluids and each meal
should include high carbohydrate, low fat selections.
4.
Nutrition After Competition: High intensity
work will deplete the muscle's energy supplies. Therefore, carbohydrates play
an important role after competition to make sure energy stores are maintained.
Food Choices
The best food
choices include a well balanced, mixed diet with choices from each of the four
food groups. You can get all the nutrients you need by selecting a variety of
foods in the recommended serving size from each of the following food groups:
FOOD
GROUP
|
SELECTIONS
|
SERVINGS
|
MILK
|
Milk, Cheese, Yogurt, Cottage Cheese, Ice Cream
(Vitamins & Protein) |
4 or More |
MEAT
|
Meat, Fish, Poultry, Eggs, Beans, Peas, Nuts (minerals & Protein) |
2 or More |
FRUIT
&
VEGETABLES
|
Fresh, Frozen, Canned, Dried and Juiced Fruits and Vegetables (Vitamins and Carbohydrates) |
8 or More |
GRAIN
|
Cereals, Breads, Rolls, Pasta, Muffins, Pancakes (Carbohydrates and Minerals) |
8 or More |
OTHERS
|
Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Candy Soft Drinks, Chips (Carbohydrates and Fat) |
Only if you need
additional calories After selections
from above |
Fast Food Nutrition (???)
Yes! "Fast Food" restaurants play an important role in the
diets of athletes on the go. Today, these restaurants can provide a viable
source of good nutrition--but the choice is yours and selection is critical.
Here are some guidelines to make wiser choices:
Menu Adjectives |
Fat
content must be watched when selecting menu items. If you see one of the
following words, try to make another selection: Fried,
Crispy, Breaded, Scampi Style, Creamed, Buttery, Au Gratin, Gravy. Selection adjectives that are good include: Marinara,
Steamed, Boiled, Broiled, Tomato Sauce, In Its Own Juice, Poached,
Charbroiled. |
Restaurant Choices |
Depending on the restaurant you go to, here are some
tips when selecting foods: |
|
Mexican – Choose pot
beans instead of refried beans and chicken or bean burritos and tostados. Ask
for baked, soft corn tortillas instead of deep fried shells. SaSPUR is fine,
but watch your chip intake. |
|
Italian – Pasta with
marinara sauce is good but watch alfredo sauces.
Pizza, plain or with vegetables, is a good choice. Bread is good (watch the
butter). Low-fat italian ices are better than rich dessert choices. |
|
Chinese – Stir fried
and steamed dishes, like chicken & vegetables and rice, are good
choices. Minimize fried egg roll intake or avoid all together. |
|
Burger Places – Salad bars
are great but watch the dressing. Look for grilled burgers, hold the
mayonnaise and go light on the cheese. Watch your french fry intake (select a
baked potato with a little butter if you can) and go easy on the milk shakes. |
|
Breakfast Cafes – Always ask
for butter on the side of pancakes, toast, muffins, etc. Select fresh fruit, juices and whole-grain
breads and muffins. |
Fast Food Choices |
Listed on this
page are a partial list of fast foods and their calorie & fat content.
When selecting, always go with the low fat choice. |
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Cals Fat
(gm) Breakfast Juice
80 0 English Muffin/Butter 186
5 Scrambled Eggs 180 13 Ham, Chs., Mushrm Omelet 290 20 Egg McMuffin 340 20 French Toast (2 slices) 400 20 Sausage with Biscuit 467 35 Burgers Hamburger 262 15 Cheeseburger 318 20 Quarter Pound Burger 427 25 Qtr. Pound Ch-Burger 525 35 Big Mac 570 40 Whopper with Cheese 760 50 Chicken Drumstick 117 5 Chicken Chicken nuggets, 6 300 23 Chicken Salad Sandwich 386 20 Chicken Club Sandwich 620 35 Desserts Soft Serve Cone 185 5 Strawberry Sundae 320 10 Frosty (12 oz) 400 15 Cherry Pie 260 15 |
Cals
Fat (gm) Fish Fish Seafood Platter 471 35 Pizza (3 slices of 12 inch pizza) Cheese 510 8 Pepperoni 430 17 Potatoes Plain, baked 215 0 Regular Fries 220 15 Baked, Cheese & Broccoli 541 25 Baked with Cheese 590 40 Mexican Taco 179 6 Beefy Tostado 291 15 Bean Burrito 343 15 Taco Salad 390 20 Milk and Milk Shakes 2% Milk 120 5 Whole Milk 150 10 Milk shake 350 10 |
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Nutrition Do's & Don'ts |
Carbohydrate
intake is important during every stage of nutrition. For each meal and snack,
follow these Do's and Don'ts listed on this and the next page for wise food
choices during training. |
Do
-
Eat hot cereals like oatmeal or oat bran. -
Select whole-grain or high fiber cold cereals. -
Eat breads, including muffins, biscuits and bagels. -
Try milk, skim or lowfat is best. -
Choose fruit, including fresh, canned and fruit
juices. -
Drink hot beverages such as hot chocolate and hot
apple cider. -
Eat pancakes, waffles and french
toast. -
Choose eggs up to two or three times weekly. -
Choose fat-free toppings like syrups and jams as an
alternative to butter. |
Don't
-
Eat sausage, ham or bacon more than once or twice
weekly -
Opt for eggs every day -
Choose sugary children's cereals -
Choose fast food breakfast sandwiches and fat-laden
croissants every day. -
Use too much margarine or butter. -
Eat doughnuts or pastries daily. -
Skip breakfast. |
Do
-
Pack a lunch when possible. -
Choose whole-grain breads. -
Choose lean meats like turkey over salami or bologna. -
Use mustard and ketchup as condiments. -
Choose a hamburger over hot dogs. -
Choose a baked potato over french
fries. -
Eat pasta as much as you like, but choose tomato
sauces rather than cream sauces. -
Try pizza without fatty meat toppings. -
Eat hearty soups and stews. |
Don't
-
Eat fast-food meals too frequently. -
Eat fried foods like fish'n'chips too frequently. -
Overuse condiments like mayonnaise or salad dressings. -
Eat fatty and salty luncheon meats too often. -
Skip lunch. -
Choose prepared salads containing excessive mayonnaise
or salad dressing. |
Dinner
Do
-
Eat pasta dishes. -
Choose pizza with vegetable and lean meat toppings. -
Try Chinese food with rice and fresh vegetables. -
Select fish often. Broiled or poached is best. -
Trim visible fat from meats and remove skin from
poultry. -
Have soups, salads and plenty of vegetables. -
Eat as much bread as you like. -
Include potatoes, rice or beans when available. -
Choose fresh fruit, yogurt or jello for dessert. |
Don't
-
Choose deep-fried meals more than twice a week. -
Eat high-fat meals like hot dogs or sausages in
excess. -
Choose meals with heavy cream sauces or gravies. -
Ruin a baked potato or bread with too much butter. -
Have cakes, ice cream and pies every night. |
Do
-
Pack nutritious snacks like fruit, raisins and nuts. -
Have rolls, muffins and breads when you get a break. -
Snack on popcorn, pretzels and breadsticks. -
Drink eight to ten glasses of fluids every day. -
Drink nonfat or lowfat milk. -
Drink fruit juices, sparkling waters and plain water. -
Drink hot ciders, soups and hot chocolate. |
Don't
-
Count on potato chips or tortilla chips as good
snacks. -
Eat cupcakes or cream-filled pastries to satisfy
hunger. -
Eat ice cream, cakes or candies in excess. -
Drink too many soft drinks. |
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