PERFORMANCE: THE ROLE OF NUTRITION AND BODY IMAGE: PERFORMANCE: THE ROLE OF NUTRITION AND BODY IMAGE Leslie Bonci, MPH,RD Director of Sports Nutrition University of Pittsburgh Medical Center


COMMON NUTRITION MISTAKES: COMMON NUTRITION MISTAKES Not drinking enough fluids Not choosing the most appropriate fluids Eating sporadic meals Being inconsistent with eating day to day Not eating enough calories Not getting a good balance of foods/nutrients ( carbohydrate, protein, and fat)


COMMON NUTRITION MISTAKES: COMMON NUTRITION MISTAKES Making food choices that hurt performance Waiting too long to refuel after exercise Making drastic changes in diet to alter body composition and body image


SPORTS NUTRITION FACTS: SPORTS NUTRITION FACTS Athletes need to know: What to eat and drink When to eat and drink How much to eat and drink Reality check on body issues Straight answers on the use of supplements


GOALS OF SPORTS NUTRITION: GOALS OF SPORTS NUTRITION Mental clarity Optimal performance Faster recovery Injury prevention Adequate hydration


NUTRITION FACTS: NUTRITION FACTS We eat FOOD, NOT nutrients Athletes need carbohydrate, protein and fat-containing foods daily We can be selective about the types of foods we choose to eat: Fish instead of meat Kashi instead of Froot Loops Peanut butter instead of bacon


ISSUES: ISSUES Eating is NOT always a priority Information overload, most of it is negative! Busy lives translate to poor eating practices External messages ( from magazines, TV, movies, that portray the “ideal” body) Effect of eating/body issues on team dynamics


BODY IMAGE ISSUES: BODY IMAGE ISSUES Do NOT have one cause, so everyone who is involved with the athletes needs to be part of the treatment Destroys focus of the affected athlete, team, roommate, friends, coach and administrator DO need an action plan that is PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE


BODY REALITY CHECK: BODY REALITY CHECK What you CANNOT change Height Body Frame ( Bone density) Body shape ( where one tends to concentrate weight) What you CAN change Fluid content of the body Muscle Mass Body fat


BODY REALITY: BODY REALITY Body loses fat at about ½ pound per week Body gains muscle at a rate of about 1 pound per week Changes do NOT happen overnight Need to be consistent


A STARTING POINT: A STARTING POINT Set your own nutrition goal Do it for you, NOT for someone else Realistic and achievable Lose body fat, gain mass, or maintain weight Increase energy Prevent muscle cramps, headache or upset stomach while exercising


ROLE OF FLUIDS: ROLE OF FLUIDS Being dehydrated  muscle strength  speed  stamina  energy  cognitive skills  risk of injury  perceived effort of exertion


ROLE OF FLUIDS: ROLE OF FLUIDS Being over hydrated:  headache  gastrointestinal distress  respiratory distress  nausea and vomiting  confusion  lethargy


ISSUES: ISSUES Exercise may suppress thirst mechanism Thirst is NOT the best indicator of adequate hydration Supplements such as ephedra, synephrine, and herbs including saw palmetto, buchu, nettle and lovage may dehydrate the body High protein diets lead to excessive fluid loss which may be dehydrating


ISSUES: ISSUES Some athletes assume that the weight lost during exercise is fat loss BUT it is fluid loss and needs to be replaced! MORE is NOT always better when it comes to fluid as there is an upper limit that the body can tolerate!


FLUID CHOICES FOR EXERCISE: FLUID CHOICES FOR EXERCISE BEST: sports drink, water, milk, soup, fruits, vegetables NOT AS GREAT: carbonated beverages, high carb energy drinks, alcohol, juices NEUTRAL: caffeinated beverages


HOW MUCH?: HOW MUCH? 2 cups (sports bottle size) 1-2 hrs BEFORE practices/games 8 oz 15 minutes BEFORE practices/games 20-40 ounces ( 1-2 sports bottles) per hour of exercise 3 cups (1-1/2 sports bottles) for every pound lost AFTER practices/games


IMPLEMENTATION: IMPLEMENTATION Drink on a schedule Bring a water/sports bottle to practice/workouts Weigh in and out to determine your own fluid loss during exercise GULPS over SIPS for more effective rehydration First urine of the morning should be light in color and plentiful- this is an indicator of being well hydrated


SALT LOSERS: SALT LOSERS IF: Your sweat stings your eyes Your skin/uniform are coated with a white residue after practices/games THEN: Use more salt on foods Eat salty foods Don’t overdo with water


WHAT TO EAT?: WHAT TO EAT? Peace sign eating: 2/3 of the plate as carbohydrate foods: Bread,bagels, cereal, rice, pasta, sweets, fruit, vegetables, crackers, pretzels, beverages 1/3 protein: Meat, poultry, fish, dairy foods, nuts, seeds, soy foods, dried beans, eggs


ISSUES: ISSUES Belief that certain foods are BAD Bodies cannot perform well on fumes FACT: Carbohydrate and fat are the primary fuel substrate for exercise (these two nutrients are essential for endurance and sprint type exercise)


ISSUES: ISSUES Protein is important for muscle growth and repair but is an inefficient fuel source for exercise The maximum protein intake should be 1 gram per pound body weight The minimum protein intake should be 0.5 grams per pound body weight


TIMING: TIMING Breakfast is a must! Something to eat/drink every 3-4 hours Meal 3-4 hours BEFORE games Snack 1 hour BEFORE games Carbohydrate food/fluid DURING practices/games Carbohydrate food/fluid within 15 minutes AFTER practices/games


POST EXERCISE CARBOHYDRATE FOOD CHOICES: POST EXERCISE CARBOHYDRATE FOOD CHOICES 32 oz sports drink 2 granola bars 2 cereal bars A handful of dry cereal An 8 oz yogurt A handful of pretzels and a banana


IMPLEMENTATION: IMPLEMENTATION Eating needs to be scheduled and prioritized There is NO such thing as PERFECT eating Make it available by bringing food/fluid to practices/games so that you can fuel before, during and after practices and games


ACHIEVING WEIGHT GOALS: ACHIEVING WEIGHT GOALS To lose weight effectively Know what you eat by writing down for 3-4 days what, how much, when, where and why you eat Do eat on a regular basis, every 3-4 hours Do try to watch what you eat most days of the week Try to decrease calories from beverages, including juice, alcohol, carbonated beverages


TO LOSE WEIGHT: TO LOSE WEIGHT Watch your portions- try to eat a little less at every meal or snack Sit down when you eat Include items that are more filling such as meats, soups, vegetables Stay away from fad diets- the weight loss is mostly water, and you’ll be too tired to exercise


TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS: TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS Do eat on a regular basis- every 3-4 hours Do try to eat a little more every time you eat Do try to eat more every day, not just a few days a week Do increase calories from beverages as well as foods


TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS: TO INCREASE MUSCLE MASS Do increase the calories in foods: Nuts instead of pretzels Granola instead of corn flakes Bagel instead of bread


SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS: SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS Need to know what you are putting in your body NOT ONE SIZE FITS ALL There are hyper and nonresponders to supplements, in otherwords, some athletes will benefit from taking a supplement in terms of strength, speed and stamina, whereas other athletes may not notice a difference in performance


SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS: SPORTS SUPPLEMENTS Natural and safe are NOT the same Supplements can interfere with medications More is NOT BETTER Tell someone what you take, or are planning to take Be informed, and be cautious with supplements, as what you don’t know may hurt you!


BOTTOM LINE: BOTTOM LINE Food, fluid, and rest are essential for peak mind and body performance Food choices, timing, and amounts matter Focus on what your body ALLOWS you to do POSITIVE environments


FOR A GREAT RESOURCE: FOR A GREAT RESOURCE Visit the NCAA Nutrition and Performance website: www.ncaa.org/nutritionandperformance.html Contents include: Tips and resources for athletes, coaches, athletic trainers, parents and administrators to promote healthy food choices and eating habits, positive body image, and peak performance