Hydration

Never underestimate the importance of drinking enough water! While exercising, re-hydration is an important fuel to keep you body achieving its best. Here are some goals for the road:

• Begin activity well hydrated by drinking fluids during the day and within the hour before the activity.
• Replace sweat losses by drinking fluids regularly during activity.
• Rehydrate after performing to replace weight lost as fluid during activity.

Follow a personalized fluid replacement plan to prevent the consequences of excessive (>2% body weight loss) dehydration such as early fatigue, cardiovascular stress, increased risk of heat illness, and decreased performance.

But how much to drink for what activities? Aim for the following:

• For short duration (<60 minutes), low to moderate intensity activity, water is a good choice to drink before, during, and after the activity.
• Sport drinks (6-8% carbohydrate) are good options for moderate to high intensity activity lasting longer than 60 minutes, especially when the goal includes replacing carbohydrate and electrolytes.
• For those who experience high sodium losses while performing, eat salty foods in a pre-activity meal.
• Good sources of fluid include water, sports drinks, juices, soups, smoothies, fruits and vegetables.

Ref: Hydration. http://www.scandpg.org/local/resources/files/2010/SD-USA-Fact-Sheet_May-2010_Exercise-Hydration_aa.pdf. Feb 2012. 

Food is Fuel, Part II

Eating for recovery is very important! After exercise, it is crucial to nourish you body for the following reasons:

• To restore fluid and electrolytes that are lost in sweat (sodium and potassium). You can actually weigh yourself before and after exercise to see how much was lost!
• To replace muscle fuel that were used during the activity (by eating carbohydrates).
• To repair damaged muscle tissue and to help the growth of new tissue (by eating protein).

Begin nutrition recovery with a snack or meal within 15-60 minutes following exercise or physical activity. You should drink plenty of water or (for intense activity) a carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drink to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost in sweat. If you aren't hungry after a training session, drink your recovery with liquid foods. The most important aspects of a recovery meal/snack are fluids, protein, carbohydrates and electrolytes. 


Here are some recovery meal/snack ideas to get you going on the road to recovery!

• Smoothie made with yogurt/milk, protein powder, and fruit
• Banana, PB & crackers and chocolate milk
• Whole wheat pita sandwich with turkey and veggies served with pretzels and low-fat milk
• Rice bowl with beans, cheese, salsa, avocado + whole grain tortilla chips or whole wheat tortilla
• Stir fry with lean steak (or chicken!), broccoli, bell peppers, carrots + brown rice

Ref: Eating for Recovery. April 2009. http://www.scandpg.org/sports-nutrition/sports-nutrition-fact-sheets/. 17 Feb 2012.

Food is Fuel!

Good nutrition is the first step in ensuring great performance on the field or in the gym. But what do you eat before you start competing? 
There are some thing that you should keep in mind before you work out:

•  Consume a carbohydrate-rich snack or meal before exercise to top off muscle stores. 
• Include small amounts of protein in your pre-exercise meal/snack. Protein helps build and repair muscle tissue and it may help reduce muscle soreness afterwards. 
• The meal/snack should be low in fat and fiber so it is easily digestible. 

Need some ideas to get you started? 

3–4 Hours Before Exercise

• Peanut butter & honey on toast 
• Fruit and yogurt smoothie with low-fat granola
• Oatmeal with skim milk and a banana
• Turkey sandwich on whole wheat

30–60 Minutes Before Exercise

• Sports drink or water - sports drinks are a good source of sodium if you are losing a lot of water through sweat. Be careful with these though; they are not needed for most people and provide a lot of sugar. Water is best for low-to-moderate activity. 
• Piece of fruit

Experiment with different food combinations at different times to see what works best for your body. The key to sports nutrition is a plan that fits your lifestyle.

Ref:

Eating Before Exercise. April 2009. http://www.scandpg.org/local/resources/files/2009/SD-USA_Fact_Sheet_Eating_Before_Exercise_Apr09.pdf. 3 Feb 2012.