Orca Synchro -- eating well as an athelete

Eating Well as an Athlete

By Kari Donahue, Registered Dietitian, for Orca Synchro

What do athletes need from the foods they eat?

A balanced diet for an athlete provides:
•  adequate protein to repair and maintain muscles
•  energy for performance
•  fluid for hydration
•  variety of foods to give all the vitamins and minerals you need!

An athlete's diet is not necessarily a 'special diet'. It is the foods they eat every day that affects how their body works in the pool. A balanced diet should contain the right amount of foods from each of the four food groups according to Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. The four food groups are:
•  Grain products -- such as cereals, breads, bagels, pasta, rice, muffins, and pancakes
•  Vegetables & Fruit -- can be any fresh/frozen/canned/dried/juiced fruits and vegetables
•  Milk Products -- milk (or milk alternatives such as soy beverages), cheese, yogurt, and cottage cheese
•  Meat & Alternatives -- includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, as well as meat alternatives such as dry beans & peas, nuts

Each food group provides a different nutrient for your athlete. The grain products are responsible for providing energy, fiber, B vitamins and iron for the athlete. Vegetables and Fruit provide a variety of vitamins and minerals, energy and fiber. The milk products provide calcium and vitamin D for growing strong bones as well as protein for muscle development and fat for energy and fat soluble vitamins. And finally, the meat and alternatives group provides more protein for muscle development and maintenance plus other essential vitamins.

How many foods from each food group should an athlete have?

The size and age of the athlete will determine how much of each food group they should have. It is important that each athlete get the minimum number of foods in each food group every day!
•  Grain Products: choose at least 5 servings per day
•  Vegetables and Fruit: choose at least 5 servings per day
•  Milk Products: children ages 4-9 years should have 2-3 servings per day, youth ages 10-16 years should have choose 3-4 servings per day and children older than 16 years should have in the range of 2-4 servings per day.
•  Meats & Alternatives: choose 2 servings per day
*For help with serving sizes, check Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index_e.html

Did you know? The average Canadian eats less than 3 vegetable or fruit choices per day! That's a lot of nutrition to miss!

What about foods that don't fit in a food group?

There are many food choices available in grocery stores, at school, and at the pool that don't fit into Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating. Canada's Food Guide has a category for that -- it is called "Other Foods". Foods in this category would include:
•  foods that are mostly fats and oils -- like butter/margarine, oils and dressings;
•  foods that are mostly sugar -- like jams/jellies, candy, marshmallows, popsicles;
•  beverages -- such as water, tea, coffee, soft drinks and fruit-flavoured drinks;
•  High-Fat and/or High-Salt Snack Foods -- includes potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, cheese-flavoured puffs;
•  herbs, spices and condiments -- like ketchup, mustard, salt, and pickles

No one food, either from the Other Foods category or a food group, should be positioned as bad or harmful to health. Healthy eating habits are not created or destroyed by any one food, meal or even a day's meals. It is the average of what people eat over time or the pattern of eating that is important to health.

Athletes must choose foods that will give them energy, protein, fluids as well as nutrition. Snack foods give athletes energy, but very little nutrition like vitamins and fluids. Soft drinks give athletes energy and fluids, but don't provide fiber, protein or vitamins. It is important that the athletes get a variety of the minimum amounts per food group first, so that their "other food" choices don't interfere with their basic nutrition.

What about before practice?

The pre-practice meal should improve your athlete's endurance (how

long they can last in the pool), provide the energy you need during their practice, prevent them from being hungry and keep them well-hydrated! The pre-practice meal should take place 2-4 hours before their practice. Size and amount at this meal can vary, but it is important to plan for it!

The pre-practice snack is a mini-version of the pre-practice meal. The size of the snack can vary with each person. It should be small, digested quickly and give you plenty of fluids. Use a snack when they are at the pool for more than 1-2 hours.

Most importantly: At all times, don't forget to drink lots of fluids!

Pre-practice meal ideas:
1 1/2 cups cold cereal
1 cup skim milk
1 banana
1-2 cups cool water
2 applesauce muffins
3/4 cup low-fat yogurt
1/2 cup canned fruit
1-2 cups cool water

Snack ideas:
•  fresh or canned fruit -- banana, peach, apple, pear, orange
•  bagels, low fat muffins, 'breakfast' bars, low fat crackers
•  low-fat/low-sugar dry cereal mix (can add dried fruit too)
•  low-fat yogurt, cheese or pudding
•   'Fruit flip': Combine 1 banana (or 1 cup assorted fruit) + 1 cup milk + 1 teaspoon honey and a few drops of vanilla
•   'Vanilla Flip': Add 1 cup skim (or 1% milk) + 1 teaspoon sugar + 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/3 cup ice cream/sherbet or frozen yogurt

A SHORT NOTE ON HYDRATIONÉ

Why do athletes need water?

Water is the nutrient athletes most often neglect. Athletes need water to replace:
•  the sweat they lose when muscles are active
•  the fluid in their blood that brings oxygen and nutrients to their muscles
•  the fluid lost in urine that carries away waste products
•  the fluid that surrounds their joints that acts as a shock absorber and protects joints from damage
•  the fluid in their digestive system that helps the body absorb nutrients

Dehydration is the major cause of tiredness and fatigue, which leads to poor performance in the pool, at school and all around!

How much water do athletes need?

A non-athlete needs to drink 8-10 cups of fluid each day. Athletes need this PLUS fluid that replaces what they lose while exercising! The body is not a good indicator of thirst -- the thirst reaction is lowered by exercise.

Several hours before practice or competition = 2-3 cups (500-750 mL) water or fluid
15 minutes before practice = 1-1 1/2 cups (250-375 mL) water or fluid
After exercise = 2 cups (500 mL) water or fluid
*Keep a water bottle handy and use it!

Do athletes need special "sport" drinks?

For most people who exercise for one hour or less, water is what the body needs. Longer, more intense exercise that is greater than one hour may call for a "sport" beverage. The sport drink provides an energy source for muscles that prevents blood sugar levels from getting low and the body from feeling tired. Many athletes drink homemade versions such as weak tea with honey or diluted orange juice. A great low cost "sport" drink recipe is:
•  1 cup (250 mL) water
•  2 tablespoons (30 mL) orange juice
•  A few grains of salt
•   (Optional -- for longer practices) 1 tablespoon (30 mL) sugar

Updated October 19, 2006.
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