Meals: Vital component to performance but what do you eat when?

What you eat is about as important to your success as an athlete as your physical training is. What you put in your body is what you get out of it. This can be challenging as a student, but can be done with a little bit of discipline and education. Today I will focus on pre and post work out nutrition tips.

During workout:
* water or watered down sports drink
* some people do well with a half time boost with orange slices, watermelon, or a handful of grapes for a pick me up. These are not heavy and are easily digested. *** always be cautious with trying new foods during competition- try during practice time prior*****

1 hour or less before activity
* fruit or vegetable juice such as orange, tomato, or V-8, and/or
* fresh fruit such as apples, watermelon, peaches, grapes, or oranges and/or
* Energy gels
* granola bar

2 to 3 hours before activity
* fresh fruit
* fruit or vegetable juices
* bread, bagels
* low-fat yogurt
* water
* sports drink

3 to 4 hours before activity
* fresh fruit
* fruit or vegetable juices
* bread, bagels
* pasta with tomato sauce
* baked potatoes
* energy bar
* cereal with low-fat milk
* oatmeal
* low-fat yogurt
* toast/bread with limited peanut butter, lean meat, or low-fat cheese
* 30 oz of a sports drink

What should you avoid pre workout:
* fats
* caffeine

Recovery: Within 1 hour after activity
* Carbohydrates go straight to the glycogen stores of you body to help recover from exercise. Protein helps repair damaged tissue. It is important to consume a post workout meal within 1 hour of exercise as that is when your body is most receptive to the replenishment
* Recommended ratio is 4:1 of carbohydrate to protein

Post workout meal ideas:
* Water- you need to replace all the water you lost in exercise!!
* 8 oz cranberry juice or orage juice
* 8 oz of milk or chocolate milk
* yogurt
* bean burrito
* nutrient rich energy bar such as
* 2 cheese sticks with a bagel
* fruit smoothie made with real fruit and yogurt with whey protein added
Check out these websites for more nutrition tips and resourceshttp://www.coreperformance.com/
http://www.clifbar.com/
http://www.powerbar.com/
http://www.mypyramid.gov/