All of your coaches say it, but what does it really mean?
The importance of nutrition for sport performance.
The infamous convention center tournament chicken finger. The smell wafts through the entire facility no matter what time of day and you want them. Pretty much everyone likes chicken fingers, but why are the convention center ones SO GOOD?. You want them, you need them. So you decide to get them during your off game. After your game ends, your coach brings in the team to talk and says the regular: “Stick around, stay warm, eat food, we play when the next game is over.” You and your teammates put your hands in the middle and break it down. As you start to walk away your coach exclaims, “Oh yeah, and don’t eat the chicken fingers!!” The worst sentence you could ever hear.
Why are the coaches so concerned about their players eating some ‘harmless’ chicken fingers? Unfortunately, they are right. This delicious fried food is not a good choice to eat before a volleyball game, or any type of sports activity. Here are some great nutrition tips for eating healthy to perform your best!
Eating too little or too much could make you feel slow and sluggish. Choosing the wrong types of foods can make you feel this way too. Dr. Kristine Clark, is Penn State’s director of sports nutrition and works with the volleyball team. She says,
“Athletes need fuel all day. It’s a good idea for players to eat every two to three hours. Every time we eat, we’re bringing nutrients and energy into the bloodstream. That influences our ability to think because our brain uses glucose, and it’s also the primary fuel for any muscle group.”
Never skip a meal and be sure to bring enough snacks for throughout the day. Make the right snack choices!
Healthy snacks that you can easily pack with you:
*Pack a few from each category!*
Smart Meal Choices:
* Make sure you are choosing a few of the options listed for breakfast. For example, you can’t only choose to eat eggs. Eat eggs, cereal, and a fruit as your meal. If you hate eggs or struggle eating in the morning, choose the others like have a bagel, fruit, and yogurt.*
Miscellaneous tips:
Substitute French fries with vegetables, salad, a baked potato, or rice.
Products containing caffeine can be problematic for your body. --- Some of us have to start our morning with coffee which is ok! Just limit the amount that you drink.
Substitute French fries with vegetables, salad, a baked potato, or rice
Hot dogs, hamburgers, cream or cheese sauces, margarine/butter, salad dressing, and chocolate contain a substantial amount of dietary fat and may cause discomfort during exercise.
Eat Pickles! They help prevent muscle cramps.
Try to eat right away after a game and especially after your tournament day. If you wait too long, the nutrients you eat won’t work as effectively.
Try not to order dishes that are fried/stir-fried, “crispy”, creamed, or buttered.
Get fancy with your pasta, wraps, or sandwiches! Load them up with meat and veggies!
You burn a lot more calories than you realize during your game, so refueling your body is very important. Be sure to make smart choices, your body will feel better, and you will perform better.
Happy eating!
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