As a student athlete ready to take the next step in competing at the college level, you want to give yourself every advantage you can. An often overlooked aspect in gaining that competitive edge is nutrition. All the hard work put in on the field and in the training room can be wasted if you don’t have the same discipline with your nutritional habits. Also, with good habits you can ensure that, come game time, your body will be running at its peak performance level.
So Where Do You Start?
The best way to think about the right way to eat is to think of food as fuel for your body. If you eat a lot of junk, that is what your body will be running on. The better quality gas you put into your car the better it runs. The same thing is true for the food you put into your body. If your diet consists of foods that are high in processed sugar, bad fats (trans and saturated) and fast food then your body going to run poorly.
Breakfast is Key!
Breakfast is the foundation for starting your day with good eating habits. After going with no food for 7-9 hours because you have been sleeping your body is craving nutrients. Getting food into your body within the first 30-45 min of waking up will provide a base for your energy levels throughout the day. It gets your “motor” running and prepares your body for whatever activity it will be doing for the day. It should consist of protein and high quality carbohydrates. It doesn’t have to be a huge breakfast. It can simply be peanut butter and banana or some whole wheat toast and eggs. Another quick option is grabbing a nutritional bar and piece of fruit. A bowl of high sugar processed cereal may taste good but provides little nutrition value for your body and zero protein.
Eating Throughout the Day
Eating throughout the day is also a staple in any successful athlete’s nutrition plan. Instead of the standard three meals a day, you should be eating 5-6 times throughout the day. You can still have standard breakfast, lunch and dinner times. But you should fill the gaps between those meals with some snacks. Everyone loves snack time. By snacks I am not talking about chips or a candy bar. Good snack choices include nuts (almonds, peanuts, pistachios) fruit (apples, orange, and bananas) and certain nutritional bars (balance bars, zone bars, tigers milk and others that provide a balance between carbs, protein and fat). Snacking also makes it easier not to overeat or make bad food choice because you are “starving” when meal time comes around.
Plan Ahead with a Good Nutritional Game Plan
A lot of times the key to good nutrition is having a good game plan. If your day is filled with classes, practice and a workout it might be hard to be able to find the right food choices when you need it. If you plan ahead and carry the right foods with you, you’ll be less tempted to make bad food choices when your body is in need of nutrition.
Stay tuned as we will explore more nutritional topics and give you the best advice on eating for optimal performance.
