Creating A Championship Meal Strategy
 

• Eat smaller portions more often, spread evenly across the day.

• Your carbohydrate intake should be relative to your activity level each day.

• Select a lean protein with each meal, along with some "good fats".

• Choose carbs that are rich in fiber.

• Add a multivitamin to your daily routine.

• Stay hydrated.

• Eat breakfast every day.

• Eat a rainbow of foods often.

• Mix foods for variety, nutrient density, and glycemic response.

* This information was taken from the book CORE PERFORMANCE by Mark

Verstegen
 

Omega-3 fatty acids are found primarily in fish.

They are considered essential fatty acids because they can't be produced in our body and must be obtained from a food source. Studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids can lower the amount of fat circulating in your bloodstream (preventing the formation of blood clots and lowering the risk of heart disease). Salmon, tuna and lake trout are 3 fish high in omega-3's. Fish that live in cold water generally contain more omega-3 fatty acids. As a part of a heart-healthy and protein-rich diet, athletes should aim to eat at least 8 ounces of fish per week. If you don't eat fish, you can get omega-3 fatty acids from flaxseed, soybean and canola oils.
 

* information taken from "The Complete Book of Running" by Claire

Kowalchik and "Chris Charmichael's Food for Fitness" written by Chris

Charmichael.

Lipids (fats) are essential parts of cell membranes.

They are an important part of an athlete's diet because they transport the vitamins A, D, E and K, supply fatty acids that are used for building and maintaining cell membranes, and produce energy for working muscles. As well as being very good sources of protein for athletes, animal foods can also be good sources of fat. Fat can be beneficial, as in the case of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids from fish. Fats can also be harmful, as in the case of saturated fat in bacon. Red meat has it's place in an athlete's nutrition program. It's a great source of zinc, iron (which plays a critical role in binding oxygen to red blood cells), and B vitamins (which are important for energy production). Be sure to choose cuts of meat that are naturally low in fat, like those with the words "round" or "loin" (eye of round, top round, tenderloin and sirloin). When choosing meats with higher fat levels (filet mignon and prime rib for example) be sure to cook it in a manner that allows the melting fat to drip away or be drained from the meat.

Antioxidants are critically important to athletes, not necessarilybecause they improve performance, but because they counteract apotentially harmful side effect of high activity levels.  While regular exercise produces many positive health benefits, an athlete's high activity level puts them at greater risk of producing higher levels of cell-damaging chemicals called free radicals. Antioxidants are nutrients that deactivate free radicals and help repair the cellular damage they do. The most important vitamins and minerals that function as antioxidants in the body are vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, Vitamin A, selenium and zinc. Relying on a well balanced diet with a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables will ensure that you are getting a good balance of these antioxidants each day. Some good sources of antioxidants are ... dry roasted almonds or peanuts, broccoli, spinach, yellow or red peppers, strawberries, oranges, kiwi fruit and cantaloupe.

* This information taken from the book "Chris Charmichael's Food for

Fitness".

Water is absolutely essential for life and for optimum performance insports. Water is the medium through which you transport oxygen and nutrients to your cells and waste products away from them. It also plays a central role in maintaining your body temperature, which is critical for athletes. An athlete should start drinking before they even begin exercising (this means consuming fluids regularly throughout the day)

Consuming even a little extra fluid in the hour before starting to exercise will usually improve an athletes performance. Studies have shown that being better hydrated prior to exercise improves performance more than consuming fluids only during exercise. Regardless, it is important to start drinking as soon as you begin exercising and to continue to drink at frequent intervals throughout the workout.

* This information taken from the book "Chris Charmichael's Food for Fitness".

The glycemic Index is used by many athletes as a means of determiningthe best foods for quick energy, long training sessions, and/orreplenishing glycogen stores.  A high gylcemic-index food (eg - sports drinks, potatoes, waffles, bagel, 100% whole grain bread, cheerios) quickly raises blood sugar to high levels, while low glycemic-index foods (eg - skim milk, ice cream, peanuts/cashews, low fat yogurt, Kellogg's All Bran) raise blood sugar levels to a lesser extent.

If you need a quick snack 30 mins prior to a one hour long work out,

try to choose from foods with a medium glycemic index (eg - Powerbar, raisin bran cereal, rice, instant oatmeal, bran muffin or trail mix with nuts and dried fruit).

If you are eating prior to a longer workout, your meal should include lower glycemic-index carbs, like pasta and beans.

During a long workout, a combination of moderate and high glycemic-index foods works well to supply your muscles and brain with the carbs they need.

The best foods for pre-exercise meals are easily digestible and notheavy on fat. Simple sugars are absorbed fastest, followed by low-fiber complex carbs, then high-fiber complex carbs. The goal is to time your meal so that most of the food is out of the stomach, broken down and absorbed by the small intestine by the time exercise starts. Ideally, you should try to eat your last FULL MEAL about 2 - 3 hours before exercise.

Good foods for pre-exercise meals include ...pasta, rice, potatoes, sandwiches (roast beef, turkey, peanut butter and jelly), oatmeal, breakfast burrito with eggs and potatoes, pizza (reduced cheese) and fruit.

The exercises we do in both conditioning and ice practice burn up glycogen (stored carbs) in the kids muscles. The longer and harder the kids work, the more spent their muscles will be afterward.

The fastest way to replenish the muscles glycogen is to begin drinkingand eating high-carb foods as soon as possible after the workout.  Studies have shown that athletes recover fastest from exercise if theybegin to eat and drink within 15 mins after a workout.