Healthy Snacking In a Nutshell For Adult Athletes

Healthy Snacking. In a Nutshell. For Adult Athletes

Whether a beginner athlete or a highly competitive one, getting enough of the right nutrients at the right time is crucial. Athletes need a nutrientrich, not calorie-dense, diet.

How Will Snacks Improve My Performance? Healthy snacks can help meet the increased calorie and nutrient needs of maintaining/gaining lean body mass. Healthy snacks can boost stamina and endurance and help with training adaptation. Calories from snacks should be from quality nutrients, not from a lot of sugar and unhealthy fats.

Consequences of Poor Eating Habits Fatigue/suboptimal performance Poor muscle growth Loss of muscle mass/ bone density Increased risk of illness, inflammation, and injury Longer healing time

What Do Athletes Need More Of? Whole grains Vegetables Fruits Lean Meats Low-Fat Diary Plant-Based Proteins

The Benefits of Nuts as Plant-Based Proteins Nuts are high in heart-healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, phytonutrients, and protein. 49 Pistachio kernels = 1 oz serving = 6 g protein 3 g fiber 6

Fuel Up with Healthy Snacks Edamame Fruit and Greek yogurt smoothie Raw veggies or fruit yogurt based dip Brown rice bowl with black beans and veggies with

More Snack Ideas for Athletes Rice cakes with banana and nut butter Garbanzo or black bean purees with veggies Apple, spinach, and pistachio salad 100% whole wheat bagel with egg whites and low-fat cheese

More Snack Ideas for Athletes Salmon spread with whole wheat crackers Baked potato with salsa and cottage cheese Oatmeal topped with fruit and nuts Turkey and lettuce roll ups Trail mix with whole grain cereal, dried fruit and nuts 9

Small amounts of chocolate or dessert can fit into an athlete’s diet. Moderation and timing are key Avoid them just prior or posttraining/competition

Timing your snacks: pretraining Within 1 -2 hours before practice/game have a snack that is: High in carbohydrate (not sugar) Low in fat and fiber High in fluid content Moderate protein, as tolerated Salty (if hot/humid weather) It will be better tolerated and help you last longer during practice

Timing your snacks: posttraining After practice/game, have a snack that is: High in carbohydrate (not sugar) Moderate to high in protein Moderate in fat High in fluid Salty (if you sweat a lot) Recent evidence suggests that adding protein at all meals and snacks for 24 hours posttraining is beneficial for muscle repair and growth.

Timing Your Snacks Between-meal snacks that are not associated with exercise should be less frequent and less energy dense. They should include more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, in addition to lean meats, low-fat dairy, and whole grain carbohydrates

Meals that are timed immediately before or after training can replace snacks and serve as fuel or recovery This is especially important if you need to limit snacks because you are watching your weight

Tips for Snacking Pack a snack bag each night to take to work or school. Keep a “snack attack” area, drawer at work, locker, or car for times when you can’t plan ahead. Freezing items until just before you leave for work or school will help keep them cool and fresh.

Choose Food First In special cases, supplements may be helpful to provide extra vitamins and minerals, but they do not compensate for poor food choices. Whole foods and proteins have digestive advantages over single supplements and amino acids. Use snack time as your all supplement time – with food!

Snack Recipe Ideas 17

Trail Mix Fix Pick 1 -2 of your favorite types of the three ingredients listed below. Mix together and separate into individual snack sized bags Whole nuts Dried fruit Whole grain cereal NOTE: if you are watching your weight, reduce your portion to 1/4 cup and choose a light-weight nut, such as pistachios

Power Smoothie 1 container plain or flavored low-fat yogurt or low-fat Greek yogurt 1 bag frozen berries or fruit of choice, partially thawed preferred 1 Tbsp honey, agave nectar, etc. (optional) Mix all ingredients in a blender, hand blender, or food processor until desired consistency

Wrap it Up! Whole wheat or garden tortilla Hummus and/or black beans Vegetables of choice, sliced Low-fat cheese, shredded Low-fat dressing or Greek yogurt Lean sliced meat or egg Chopped nuts Wrap some or all ingredients into a tortilla!

Activity Build a Better Snack: Pre-Game and Post-Game 21

Build a Better Snack PREGAME SNACK POSTGAME SNACK Why? 22

Summary To achieve your best performance, make sure your snacks are: • High quality • The right quantity • Timed appropriately for your workout 23

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