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Welcome to Week Three.
Don’t miss National Nutrition Month®… a new Nutrition Foundation, a new
“Nutrition On Deck” idea, a new Recovery Tip, and a new set of Recipes each
week. Eat Smart, Stay Healthy….Swim Strong and Enjoy!
Nutrition Foundation #3: EAT EARLY AND OFTEN.
Week One’s Recovery Tip addressed the issue of timing. In that section, we
learned that insulin is the hormone that rises every time blood sugar rises
and that this happens every time a swimmer eats carbohydrate. What we didn’t
discuss is the fact that the magnitude of that rise in blood sugar (and
therefore insulin) depends on the amount of carbohydrate eaten. The
greater the amount, the more dramatic is the rise. Recalling that it is
insulin’s job to remove sugar from the bloodstream and store it as glycogen,
it makes sense that the drop in blood sugar that follows is equally as
dramatic as the rise. After workout, this is fine. But for the most part,
this “spiking and dipping” of insulin and blood sugar levels is not healthy.
One of the reasons has to do with the limits your body has on storing
carbohydrate as carbohydrate. The body can only store so much at
one time, and what can’t be stored as carbohydrate may be stored as body
fat. Another reason has to do with how we feel when we’re in the middle of a
blood sugar “dip.” Sleepy, inattentive, etc. To prevent this, and to
maximize the body’s use of the carbohydrate we eat, eat smaller amounts
of carbohydrate at a time. Does this mean you should eat fewer carbs?
Absolutely not! Carbohydrate is your primary fuel source. However, you can
approach carbohydrate intake wisely by spreading them over the course of the
day (focusing on the post-workout recovery snack) AND by combining carbs
with protein, fiber and/or fat, since each of these nutrient lessens the
spike associated with that amount of carbohydrate (and therefore lessens the
dip). Eating smaller amounts of carbohydrate but maintaining total intake
means that you will have to eat more often throughout the day. Maybe you’re
already doing this……Regardless, eating early and often helps keep blood
sugar and insulin levels closer to normal throughout the day, and this has
several benefits: (1) carbohydrate stored as carbohydrate, (2) enhanced
attention at school or work (no sugar dips!), (3) no hunger pangs, and (4)
better quality workouts! So don’t let yourself get hungry…Eat early and
often!
Nutrition On Deck: ROAD TRIPS
Eating on the road with your team is a part of the sport. Make the most of
your road trip by considering the following tips:
Tips for Eating Breakfast on the Road:
--Order pancakes, waffles, French toast, bagels, cereal, English muffins,
fruit or juice. These foods are all high in carbohydrates.
--Avoid high-fat choices such as bacon, sausage or biscuits and gravy.
--Pack containers of dry cereal, crackers, juice or dried fruit such as
raisins and apricots; or pack fresh fruits such as apples or oranges in case
the restaurant does not provide these items.
--If you eat breakfast at a fast food restaurant choose foods like cereal,
fruit juice and muffins or pancakes instead of breakfast sandwiches.
Tips for Eating Lunch and Dinner on the Road:
--Try restaurants that offer pastas, breads and salads.
--Order thick crust rather than thin crust pizza for more carbohydrates.
--Order vegetables such as mushrooms and green peppers on the pizza. Avoid
high fat toppings such as pepperoni and sausage.
--Order vegetable soups accompanied by crackers, bread, or muffins.
--Emphasize the bread in sandwiches, not the filling, mayonnaise or potato
chips.
--Avoid deep fat fried foods such as French fries, fried fish and fried
chicken.
--Choose low-fat milk or fruit juices rather than soda pop.
Recovery
Tip: RECOVERY FOODS
This week’s Recovery Tip includes specific suggestions for
post-workout/post-race snacks. Keep these points in mind:
Bring your post-workout or post-race snack to the pool. If you have a long
drive home after training, eat in the car and then have a decent meal when
you get home. If you live close to the pool, you should have it ready right
after practice to eat on the way home or as soon as you walk in the door.
If you’re at prelims, eat at least half of your post-race snack before
getting in the water for warm-down. Eat the other half, plus another snack
when you finish warming down. Solid foods are great, but liquid nutrition
(ex. Instant Breakfast, homemade smoothies) may be more tolerable and easier
to incorporate into a warm-down. Individual preference will also play a
role, but the end result will be positive.
Eat ONE of the following immediately after workout or racing, then
another item an hour later:
If you weigh 120-150 lbs, your post-workout/race carb intake should
be 65-85 grams.
Food Suggestions: 2 cups apple juice* or cranberry cocktail* OR 2 servings
of low-fat yogurt OR 1 cup dried apricots OR 1.5 PBJ sandwich OR 1.5
PowerBars® OR 1.5 PowerBar Harvest® bars OR 1.5 Clif® bars OR 2 50g pkgs
PowerBar® Bites OR 35-50 oz Gatorade®* OR 35-50 oz Powerade®* OR 2 cans
Carnation Instant Breakfast ™ OR 1.5 cans Boost ® OR 1.5 cans Ensure™
If you weigh 160-200 lbs, your post-workout/race carb intake should
be 85-110 grams.
Food Suggestions: 2/3 cup raisins* OR 4 cups grapefruit juice* or orange
juice* OR 2 medium bagels OR 4 slices watermelon* OR 1 bagel with peanut
butter OR 2 PowerBars® OR 2 PowerBar Harvest® bars OR 2 Clif® bars OR 3 50g
pkgs PowerBar® Bites OR 50-65 oz Gatorade®* OR 50-65 oz Powerade®* OR 2.5
cans Carnation Instant Breakfast ™ OR 2.5 cans Boost ® OR 2.5 cans Ensure™
If you weigh >200 lbs, your post-workout/race carb intake should be
115+ grams.
Food Suggestions: 8 kiwi fruits* OR 2 cups canned fruit salad* OR 2 PBJ
sandwich plus 1 serving yogurt OR 2.5 PowerBars® OR 2.5 PowerBar Harvest®
bars OR 2.5 Clif® bars OR 3.5 50g pkgs PowerBar® Bites OR 65+ oz Gatorade®*
OR 65+ oz Powerade®* OR 3 cans Carnation Instant Breakfast ™ OR 3 cans Boost
® OR 3 cans Ensure™ |
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At Home:
Organge
juice, Fresh fruit. Low-fat yogurt, Pancakes with syrup, 2% or skim milk
or
Plain English muffin, Strawberry jam, Scrambled Egg, Orange juice, 2% or
skim milk
At a Fast Food
Restaurant:
Hot cakes with syrup (hold the margarine and sausage), Orange juice, Low-fat
milk
or
Cold cereal with low-fat milk, Orange juice, Apple, bran or blueberry muffin
At a Convenience/
Grocery Store:
Fruit flavored yogurt, Large bran muffin or pre-packaged muffins, Banana,
Orange juice, Low-fat milk
At a Family Style
Restaurant:
Pancakes, waffles or french toast with syrup (hold the margarine, bacon and
sausage), Orange juice, Low-fat milk
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