Food is Fuel

Feed your body with the proper fuel during and post workouts. You'll notice improvements in performance. Make healthy choices throughout the day. It's more than just choosing a healthy snack right before a workout.

Make Breakfast A Priority. The Meal of Champions… Breakfast is key to enhanced performance. Whether you wake up early to eat a balanced meal or grab something on your way out the door, breakfast is a must! Aim for 3 or more food groups at breakfast. Example: 8oz glass skim milk, English muffin, peanut butter, and banana

Carbohydrates Are An Essential Part To A Healthy Diet. The food guide pyramid recommends that at least half of your daily intake of carbohydrates come from unrefined carbohydrates that are rich in fiber and contain whole grain/wheat ingredients. Fiber aids in appetite control and prolonged energy levels for the training athlete. Aim for 3 - 5 grams of fiber per serving when choosing cereals and bread products.

Muscles Store Carbohydrates As Glycogen. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of carbohydrates because they are high in important nutrients for athletes including Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium, Fiber and Phytochemicals. The food guide pyramid recommends filling HALF YOUR PLATE with fruits and vegetables. Aim for a variety of colors in your fruit and vegetable choices. Fruits to incorporate include citrus, bananas, berries, melons and kiwi. Vegetables to incorporate include broccoli, spinach, green & red peppers, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potato, and winter squash.

Protein Is An Essential Part To A Balanced Diet. Protein plays an important role in building and repairing muscle tissue, producing hormones, boosting the immune system and replacing red blood cells.Make sure to vary your daily protein choices. Lean meats and eggs are good sources of protein, but don't forget about other protein-rich foods that are loaded with healthful nutrients. Incorporate fish (a couple times a week), soy products (soymilk, tofu and edemame), seeds, peanut butter, nuts, and beans (kidney, black, pinto, garbanzo etc) into your daily routine.

Incorporate Iron Rich Foods. Iron is necessary to prevent anemia. Make sure to choose lean beef, dark meat chicken (thigh or leg), legumes (kidney, black, pinto etc), iron-fortified breakfast cereals/bread products etc

Proper Hydration is Essential

Losing as little as two percent of body weight (in body fluids) can impair athletic performance. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends weighing yourself before and after a workout to get a sense of how much fluid you typically lose. For every pound lost during a workout you should replace it with 20-24 ounces of fluid. Your goal is to weigh the same weight after a workout as you did before the workout.

Over-Hydration can be dangerous, too. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you drink NO more than 1 cup of water every 20 minutes.

Post Workout, consume a 4:1 ratio of Carbohydrates to Protein within two hours after exercise to replenish glycogen stores (sugar stored in the muscle). Low Fat or Fat Free Chocolate Milk makes an excellent post workout beverage! Sports drinks may be helpful to athletes who are exercising at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more.

Rest is Just as Important as Training

Inadequate sleep will negatively impact your training routine. Aim for 9-10 hours of sleep per night. Consistency with your sleep routine will aid in feeling rested. Going to bed around the same time every night, and wake up around the same time every morning.Allow for adequate rest in between your trainings for proper muscle recovery.