By Dawn Weatherwax-Fall, RD,CSSD,LD,ATL,CSCS, Owner of Sports Nutrition 2Go
Many coaches, parents and athletes do not realize how great an impact the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right time, have on sports performance. It can actually affect performance up to 15 percent! Below are the top five common mistakes athletes make that influence sports performance, along with simple tips on how to resolve them.
Mistake #1: Skipping Breakfast
If you go 12 hours without eating, the body will start to break down precious muscle as an energy source. That is the last thing an athlete wants to happen. After working hard to build muscle, you don't want to lose it.
Not eating breakfast usually means an athlete will not eat for well more than 12 hours. That is why breakfast is so important for athletes.
The number one reason why many people skip breakfast is because they "don't have time." Here are some ideas to counter that excuse:
• Understand that eating breakfast does not have to mean eating traditional breakfast foods. Grabbing a piece of fruit and a milk/soy/rice beverage is quick and easy. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a great breakfast food, as is yogurt or even a turkey sandwich made the night before.
• As you run out the door, grab a meal replacement bar. Look for those that have 16-30g of protein and at least 250-450 calories.
• Egg sandwiches can be quick and easy. Combine 1 egg and two egg whites and cook them in the microwave for two minutes. Place the cooked eggs on a sliced whole wheat bagel, put a slice of cheese on top, and you've got a very wholesome breakfast in no time. You can even make this sandwich the night before—or make several of them—and put one in the microwave in the morning to heat it up.
• Adding a healthy drink to any of the above options will get both needed calories and fluids. An easy way to do this is to put milk (or soy/rice milk) in recycled fluid bottles. Then, all the athlete has to do in the morning is take it with them and drink on the way.
• That leads us to one final suggestion, which is to combine your fluids and carbohydrates/protein in one: smoothies! Smoothies that are made from yogurt and or milk/soy/rice based products are wonderful. Again, you can make a big batch, recycle old fluid bottles, and put the smoothie mixture in the bottles. Here's a recipe for one that is a favorite among athletes:
Berry Banana Blitz
1 banana
8 oz yogurt (plain or flavored)
40-60 g of vanilla protein powder/or tofu
1pkg 10 oz frozen strawberries, unsweetened
¼ cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon honey (optional)
Cut banana into chunks. Place into blender with all other ingredients. Cover and blend until smooth. Makes three servings. (Source: The Official Snack Guide for Beleaguered Sports Parents)
Mistake #2: Eating Infrequently
In order to have consistent energy levels and maximize performance, athletes must spread their calories and fluids evenly throughout the day. That means eating something every three to four hours. When athletes fail to do so, performance suffers. Not being fueled leads to quicker fatigue, mental mistakes, and more soreness from the previous day, all of which prevents athletes from performing at high levels.
Many athletes make the mistake of eating the majority of their energy needs after their practices and competitions. But it's much better if athletes eat the majority of calories before afternoon practices and less in the evening. If the athlete states "I'm starving!" after practice or competition they did not come close to meeting their nutritional needs earlier in the day. Which translates they did not maximize their potential in training or competition!
The best ways to meet steady energy demands are to start packing. Along with eating breakfast and lunch, a mid morning and mid afternoon snack is essential. Quick and easy ideas include:
• Trail mixes without the candy. Fast, easy, non-messy and nutrient dense.
• Peanut/Almond butter and jelly preserve sandwiches. Works well in hot and cold weather.
• 2 oz high protein cereal (9g of protein per ounce). Many types are delicious even without milk.
• Premade smoothies or shakes. Some favorites: Gatorade® Nutrition Shakes,
Muscle Milk®Collegiate, Odawalla®/Naked® (Prefer the ones with protein)
• Energy/protein bars (aim for 14-24g of protein)
• Vitalicious®Muffin Tops
• Low fat string cheese with whole wheat crackers/Triscuits
• Need Ideas for snacks—New web app! http://webapp.sportsnutrition2go.com/
Mistake #3: Not drinking enough
Recent studies have found that many athletes arrive at their sport practice dehydrated, even before they break a sweat. And if an athlete is as little as one percent dehydrated, performance can decline up to 10 percent!
Being thirsty is not a great indicator of dehydration. In fact, if athletes are thirsty they are already 2-4 percent dehydrated.
The goal is to aim for drinking at least one half your weight in fluid ounces a day, NOT including what you drink during activity. Milk, unsweetened tea, sports drinks, and flavored waters all count towards this number.
Some quick ideas:
• Carry around a fluid bottle throughout the day.
• Drink 12-20oz of fluid at breakfast, lunch, afterschool, and at dinner.
• Need flavor? Have Crystal Lite and Propel packets available in backpacks to add at anytime. If at home, add fresh orange slices to spruce it up. Green tea or flavored unsweetened teas are another alternative.
Mistake #4: Too many Freebies!
Athletes who are fit and trim often think that because they burn a lot of calories every day they can eat whatever they want.
What they don't realize is that their bodies are recovering at a slower rate when unhealthy foods make up a lot of their calories. Athletes' bodies need a large amount of nutrients to recover from training and perform at their peak.
To help athletes understand this concept, I call junk food "freebies." These are foods that are high in sugar and/or unhealthy fat (saturated/trans), such as candy, soda, fried foods, and sweets. Things like donuts, nachos, and Buffalo wings are just a few of many low nutrient dense examples.
The rule I suggest is to keep consumption to one freebie a day, or seven a week! Trying to eliminate these foods completely is unrealistic, but putting a limit on them is something athletes can work with.
Helpful hints:
• Keep a cooler or food bag in the trunk of your car/bus with healthy foods. Fill with yogurts, premade smoothies, low fat crackers and low fat cheese, whole fruits, baby carrots, and protein bars.
• Clean out the house/apartment. There's no reason to keep tons of freebies in the house. Replace them with great tasting healthy items, such as baked chips, healthy cereals, sandwich foods, and fruit. Eat leftovers from the night before. You will be surprised what you will eat when the freebies are eliminated from the cupboard.
• If you eat out, keep orders simple and well rounded. Grilled/blackened chicken, broccoli and wild rice are good choices. If fast food is the only option, Subway's low fat menu option and Wendy's chili, plain baked potato, mandarin oranges and skim milk are what to choose.
• Only select food establishments that provide healthy options. That way if the whole team is eating out at one time this sets up the correct environment.
• As coaches please have the parents provide healthy options in the locker room and on the road. The average athlete gets in 5-10 freebies a day. They need more help making healthier choices. If the athlete still chooses an unhealthy option then that is their choice.
Mistake #5: Making Excuses
I have heard them all from the coach, parent and the athlete. Changing their nutrition is too hard. I can't control what they eat. They're just picky eaters.
However, excuses don't meet the end result. If sports performance ranks a seven or higher on a scale of one to 10 (with 10 being the highest), then the excuses do not match up with the goal. Work with the athlete to gradually fix these top five mistakes, and watch them have more energy—and better sports performance–as a result!
Dawn Weatherwax-Fall is a Registered/Licensed Dietitian with a specialty in Sports Nutrition and Founder of Sports Nutrition 2Go. She is also a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, which is the premier professional sports nutrition credential in the United States. In addition, she is an Athletic Trainer with a Certification in Strength and Conditioning from The National Strength and Conditioning Association. Therefore, she brings a comprehensive and unique understanding of the athlete's body, and its nutritional needs, to those interested in achieving specific performance goals and optimal health. Weatherwax-Fall is also the author of The Official Snack Guide for Beleaguered Sports Parents, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Sports Nutrition and a chapter for The Unique Considerations of the Female Athlete. She is an Official Speaker for the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and on the approval speaker list for the NCAA. She has also been featured on television shows including: Good Morning America, MSNBC, Geraldo Rivera, and Fox News.
Dawn is an active member in the American Dietetic Association (ADA), Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutritionists Dietetic Practice Group (SCAN), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), National Athletic Training Association (NATA), & Greater Cincinnati Athletic Training Association (GCATA).