5 Basic Nutrition Tips for the Athlete

Dr. MaryAnne’s

Top 5 Basic Nutrition Tips for the Athlete

1. Excessive carbohydrate loading can lead to extra fat.

Carb-loading.  Fuel.  Electrolytes. These are commonly heard terms among the athletic community, and have to do with carbohydrates.  A carbohydrate is broken down into the simplest form of sugar for energy.  The muscles of the body rely on those sugars for energy during activity.  Glycogen is the first, quicker source of energy for the muscles, followed by fat.  When the body can't use sugar immediately, glycogen stores are filled first before fat, which is more of a long-term storage option.  So, what about when you aren’t active? If not currently active, when simple sugar is ingested, it has a greater potential to be stored as fat.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?  Complex carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates that come from natural sources such as fruits, vegetables and some kinds of unrefined grains offer fiber, which slows down the breakdown of the carbs and allows the body to more efficiently use it for energy.

ADVICE:  Carb-load before, not after!   Make sure to eat some sort of complex carbohydrate about 60-90 minutes before activity to help boost that energy your muscles need.  Need quick energy right before?  Simple sugars such as those found in some fruits and naturally sweetened sports drinks. (And as soon as you find one of those, let me know!)  After? See number 3.

2.  Fats can be good for you! You just need the right kind. (Omega 3s!)

Fats have been portrayed as “bad for overall health” for a long time.  Unfortunately, there are a few fats that are essential to the proper functioning of the circulatory system and general health that have been thrown by the wayside along with the bad.  Females also need a healthy and sufficient fat intake to maintain hormonal balance.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?  Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

ADVICE:  Supplement your diet with fish oils, snack on nuts between meals, and use almond milk as a substitute for regular milk.  Remember that there is always a possibility of too much of a good thing, so moderation is important in all food groups, but particularly fats.

3.  Protein is the most important nutrient for athletes, and chances are, you aren’t getting enough!

When we strengthen a muscle, it is first broken down, and then rebuilt stronger than before.  This process requires all the building blocks necessary to make a muscle.  Mainly? Protein.  An athlete or someone that trains needs more protein than someone the same age and size who is not active on a daily basis.  That post-workout hunger that is often felt is commonly treated with a large dose of carbohydrates (pasta, grains, etc.).  That leads to the protein needs of an athlete to not be met.

WHAT DO YOU NEED?  Lean protein, and often.  This includes turkey, chicken, and fish.  Red meat is also a great source of protein, but dependent on quality and cut may carry large amounts of saturated fats.  Having a variety of protein sources is key.

ADVICE:  If there is a large amount of time between the end of a workout and your next meal, eat a protein rich snack, such as almond butter or a protein shake.

4.  Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!

Our body is mainly composed of water, and when an active body continually needs to replenish itself, adequate water intake plays a large role.  The ability of the body to function is highly dependent on water intake, and young athletes are commonly dehydrated.  Not only do they not take in enough water to function daily, but being active leads to loss of fluids in the form of perspiration, which can lead to further dehydration.

WHAT DO YOU NEED? Drink half your body weight in ounces per day, and extra for any activity.

ADVICE:  Buy a reusable water bottle (BPA free!) that carries at least 750mL of water.  Carry it with you during the day so you are reminded to hydrate and refill it often.

5.  Make sure you are getting your vitamins and minerals!

As your body develops throughout exercise, you need the proper building blocks so that your body replenishes itself properly.  Commonly deficient vitamins and minerals (especially for young female athletes) include (but aren’t limited to): calcium, B vitamins, Vitamin D, and iron.  Making sure that your diet includes ways to get those vitamins is extremely important as you develop and train.

WHAT DO YOU NEED? Balanced nutritional habits that include all vitamins and minerals.

ADVICE:  Take a multivitamin along with your meals each day.  This will help ensure that adequate nutritional building blocks are supporting your health.

           

These are just a few things to keep in mind as you work towards your body’s highest potential.  If you ever have any questions about what type of nutritional adaptations you need to make, never hesitate to ask!  You can email me, find us on Facebook, or check the blog.  Let’s improve your performance!

 

"Torch a quad, save a back"... NO.

After reading an article in the Orange County Register the other day, I was inspired to write this blog post.  Usually I have no idea what to write about... But after reading the article I could not resist.  Event though I play neutral on our Facebook page, I always have my opinion on what we post or ask questions about.  This article that was in the paper had a title called "Torch a quad, save a back". 

 As soon as I read the title I immediately thought to myself, "Oh man, lets see what this personal trainer out of a $4/month all machine workout facility has to say about low backs."  As I continued to read I found myself starting to shake my head from side to side faster and faster until I realized that I looked like a model off of a L'Oreal shampoo commercial.  So if you washed away everything the guy says about the exercise and mainly not listen to what he says the reasoning of how the exercise helps low backs, I absolutely have NO problem with having the ability to perform what the guy calls the 'campfire squat'.  Having the ability to drop down into a below parallel squat is HUGE.  And it is not too important if you are in lumbar flexion (unless you have a history of lumbar disc issues then I recommend staying away from lumbar flexion all together) because it is not a loaded squat.  I am absolutely not saying lumbar flexion is ok if it isn't loaded because we know the results of Pr. McGill's work, but Gray Cook talks about this movement in his lectures and says the most important aspect of the 'campfire squat' is that it is NOT loaded.  BUT, he (the trainer) mentions nothing on how the pattern is important... What he really wants the reader to take home is how important it is to destroy the quads and this will help your low back pain. 

Good thing we do not live in a quad dominant society (no sarcasm here I promise!)... Because everyone in America needs to build their quads to save their low backs from pain when they do their daily activities.  Don't worry about their lack of lumbar stability or their hamstrings driving hip extension due to inhibited glutes (often from quad/hip flexor tightness).  Don't worry about their poor thoracic spine, hip, and ankle mobility because that doesn't matter... Never mind the stability we need in the knee and mid-foot... And who needs that great toe extension?  We need to "Torch a Quad" to help people out.  Com'on Man!  The sad thing is the only thing people are going to get out of this article is to build the $&!* out of their quads...  Sad. 

  The amount of research that is out about low back pain and how it is related to having poor gluteal firing is overwhelming.  And every single time I find poor glutes, I find tight/dominant quads.  Just ask someone with back pain and poor glutes to drop down into half kneeling, they will hate you because their down leg quad is going to be stretching like crazy and they might not even be at 0 degrees hip extension yet.  

This was my reaction the first time I breezed through the article.  Then I read it a second time. 

After reading it in more detail a second time,  I picked out a few things that frustrated me even more... One, he is a chiropractor.  Two, the article was directed to the sedentary person who is almost always quad dominant.  As I read I can see the strides we are starting to make as a profession in the rehab/exercise field are being held back by articles like this.  I can see PT's and Strength Coaches reading this and thinking, "WOW... Not surprising, its written by a chiropractor".  And I wouldn't blame them!  The lack of current exercise knowledge in this profession is scary.  The number of DC's (and exercise professionals)  who have never heard of  Pr. Stuart McGill, Gray Cook, Mike Boyle etc. is dumbfounding.  It is time to open our eyes and minds to what Dr. Craig Liebenson is attempting to show us.  We need to pull everything together and "Bridge the Gap" between performance and rehab.  There is more to it than getting a good burn in the quads. 

Educate yourself on movement first, and then worry about sets and reps later.  And lastly, educate yourself on the real causes of symptoms and do not prescribe exercises because they will give you a sweet burn.