My Sports Dietitian Connect

Can snacking really boost performance? How do I put together a healthy snack to curb my hunger levels throughout the day? I don’t have time to eat a snack between meals because I don’t have time and there are not any healthy options on campus. These are questions I get and statements I hear all the time from athletes. I’ll answer the questions and provide practical guidelines to help you fix your snacking woes if you fall into the same boat. Perception of Snacks Athletes typically perceive the word “Snack” as some sort of junk food option (i.e. Chips, Candy, Cookies, etc). They typically don’t view it as an opportunity to get quality calories to fuel their body between their major meals. A snack can be comprised of anything you want it to be but what you choose, may determine how hungry you are in the next hour as well as how good you feel going on the field for practice at 3:00 pm, especially if you’re a high school or college athlete. This also depends on the sport as some collegiate sports practice and lift in the morning depending on the student athlete’s class schedule. Regardless, I’ll discuss what your snack should consist of to provide your body with a great source of fuel for the next 2-4 hours. Benefits of Snacking between Meals Dr. Dan Benardot, Professor of Sports Nutrition at Georgia State University, and Nutrition Consultant for USA Gymnastics, conducted a study on comparing the effects of consuming a healthy snack between meals in athletes vs. those who do not eat a healthy snack between meals. His findings were those who consumed a healthy snack demonstrated the following: • Improvement in Anaerobic Power (Strength) • Significant Increase in lean muscle mass • Significant reduction in body fat • Improvement in energy levels • Weight remained the same while muscle mass increased and body fat decreased Additional benefits include blood sugar control, lower levels of hunger throughout the day which will reduce how much you eat later at night. What Makes a Snack Healthy and Balanced? There are 3 components of a healthy snack: Protein, Fiber, and Fat. When consuming these 3 nutrients synergistically, they help keep you full longer. Below is a chart that provides you with examples from each category. PROTEIN Lean Turkey, Ham, or Roast Beef Deli Meat Chicken Breast *Extra Lean Beef *Lean Beef Jerky *Low Fat Cheese Low Fat or Fat Free Greek Yogurt Protein Powder Protein Bar FIBER Fresh Fruit 100% Whole Wheat Bread Wheat Bagel Whole Grain Cereal Whole Grain Waffle Whole Grain Crackers (i.e. Triscuits, Beanitos) Vegetables Light Popcorn FAT *Peanut Butter *Nuts *Sunflower Seeds Olive Oil *Trail Mix Avocado *Nut or Almond Butter Ground Flax Seed The above chart will give you a few examples of foods in each category. Those listed with an * next them indicate they are a source of Fat and Protein. Below are some examples of healthy snacks you can use between meals. These are just examples and may not apply to caloric needs. • Peanut Butter Sandwich with Fresh Fruit • 1 oz or Handful of Almonds with an Apple or piece of fresh fruit • 1 scoop of Protein Powder with low fat milk or almond milk and a tbsp of Peanut Butter • 6 Triscuit Crackers with 1 oz of low fat shredded cheese Challenges for Athletes High School and College athletes may face challenges in their schedule to where they may not have the ability to eat a snack. Some of these challenges are: • Only 5 minutes between classes to eat • I don’t have time to make snacks in the morning • Teacher may not allow athlete to eat in class • Healthy snack options are not available on campus • I don’t know what’s safe to pack in my bag Putting together a Plan for Success To be successful, you must develop a plan. All of the above are realistic challenges for athletes but they can be accomplished by doing the following: • It only takes 2-3 minutes to a PB and J sandwich, Protien Bar,

Protein Supplementation and Athletic Performance Protein has been an extremely popular nutrient and has drawn a significant amount of attention from high school athletes all the way up to the professional level regarding its use in athletic performance. I’ve heard everything from eating more protein increases muscle size, makes me stronger, or gives me more energy. All are completely false if you’re already eating enough protein. We’ll discuss the functions of protein in more detail but most importantly, I’ll address the key take home points you need to know about how this nutrient can help you as an athlete. Furthermore, I find where athletes are most confused is regarding how much do they actually need on a daily basis. Function of Protein 1. Metabolism – when we eat protein, our body burns more calories when we eat protein compared to carbohydrate than fat. Be sure to include a source of protein at every meal to keep your metabolism charged and ready to go. 2. Satiety (Fullness) – this is extremely beneficial if trying to drop body fat or get leaner as it minimizes your chances of eating more food throughout the day. When you combine a meal of protein, fat, and fiber, you have the 3 components that stabilize blood sugar and keep you full longer. 3. Repairing Muscle Tissue – after an intense exercise session, particularly a strength training session, our muscle tissue breaks down (catabolism). The research has demonstrated consuming a source of protein within 30-60 minutes after a workout, especially when combined with a source of carbohydrate, has improved strength, reduced muscle soreness and inflammation, increased muscle fiber size, and protein synthesis (rebuilding of muscle tissue 4. Hormonal Change – good protein intake can increase the release of the hormone Glucagon which can reverse the process of too much insulin release in the blood which can facilitate the fat burning process. Whole Food Protein, Whey Protein, and Casein Protein I get asked quite frequently, what is the biggest difference between eating a chicken breast, beans, or drinking a nutrition shake. The answer is absorption rates. Research has demonstrated whole food protein sources are absorbed slower than a liquid protein shake that contains Whey Protein. Whey Protein – fast acting protein that elevates blood amino acid levels quickly which last for 3-4 hours. Whey protein is best consumed when you wake, immediately before, and within 30-60 minutes after a strength training session. Casein Protein – slow acting protein that elevates blood amino acid levels slowly which last for 6-8 hours. Casein Protein is best consumed before bed to minimize the amount of protein your body uses while you rest. Foods like Cottage Cheese and Milk are good sources of Casein Protein. Use in Athletic Performance First and foremost, you want to make sure you’re eating every 3-4 hours and a source of protein is included in each meal. To take your performance to the next level, you want to be sure you’re consuming protein around your workouts to maximize muscle growth and recovery. The best way to do this is to consume a source of protein, preferably in liquid form, 30 minutes before your workouts and within 30-60 minutes after your workouts. Testing and Safety of Protein Powders It’s very common to be asked what is the best brand of protein powder on the market to maximize muscle growth and recovery. Since I work with collegiate and professional athletes, my primary focus is to make sure they are taking products that are 3rd party tested to ensure their supplement does not contain any ingredients that may cause a positive drug test. You may think this does not occur in Protein Powders but a study conducted by Informed Choice, a 3rd party testing lab, found that 25% of the 58 protein powders (15 products total) tested positive for steroids and another 11% (6 products) tested positive for stimulants not listed on the label.

This is a question I ask athletes quite often as I want to get them thinking about their diet and whether or not they know how well or poor they may be eating. Most athletes don’t keep a food journal so they’re not aware of what their diet may look like over a 24 hour period. Filling out a food log provides you with an overview of when and what you’re eating and usually changes the way an you think about your diet as after reading the article, you will have an understanding of where you are vs. where you need to be. Our research on the perception of eating habits has provided our team with interesting information. We surveyed a high school football team regarding how well they thought they were eating. 88% of High School Athletes perceived their diet was good to excellent as they rated their diet as an A or B. I gave the same athletes a nutrition questionnaire that asked 15 questions ranging from: a) Do you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner? b) Do you have snacks between meals? c) Do you eat 6-10 servings of Fruits and Veggies? The survey indicated the average score based on their eating habits gave them an actual grade of a 71 (Low D). This proved to us there is a gap between an athlete’s perception of eating habits and their actual eating habits. We took it a step further and surveyed a Division 1 football team (90 athletes). 44% of the team ranked their diet as an A or B, another 44% ranked their diet as a C and the final 12% as a D or F. To reach your Sports Nutrition goals and get your diet to where it can maximize your health and performance, follow these 10 guidelines: 1. Eat every 3-4 hours – this has been scientifically proven to lower body fat, improve energy levels, and improves strength and performance. Furthermore, eating more frequently throughout the day keeps your blood more sugar stable if choosing the correct carbohydrates and maintains a healthy metabolism. 2. Eat Breakfast everyday – if you’re not eating breakfast, you’re not reaching your potential for top athletic performance. Skipping breakfast causes your body to continue using muscle as a source of energy which increases your risk for losing strength and eventually gaining weight. Eating breakfast starts your metabolism, provides fuel to the brain, and provides energy to working muscles. It only takes 20 seconds to make a PB and J sandwich or take 2 minutes to concoct a smoothie before you leave the house. 3. Consume 6-10 servings of Fruits and Vegetables – keep your immune system healthy and lower your risk for getting sick, improve healing of injuries, and reduce the soreness of your muscles with these high nutrient dense foods. 4. Healthy Snacking between meals – good quality snacks between meals keeps your gas tank close to fuel where you won’t run out of gas. For example, if your last meal is at 12:00 pm (lunch) and you have practice from 3-6 pm, a 2:30 pm snack is essential to get you through your workout and minimize fatigue. Skipping your between meal snacks could increase hunger and over-eating which may increase your body fat. 5. Drink at least ½ your body weight in ounces of fluid to Hydrate – Hydration is critical in keeping energy levels normal as the 1st sign of fatigue is usually related to being dehydrated. For athletes ½ your body weight is a good start but when training, you want to increase your fluid intake to match your losses. For every pound you lose during a practice or session, you want to drink 2-3 cups of fluid to replace the fluid lost. 6. Consume a Post Workout Shake (Carbohydrate and Protein) within 30 minutes after your workout – research has proven over and over again that consuming a combination of carbohydrates and protein immediately after your workout will improve muscle recovery, strength, and muscle size. A dosage of approximately 20-25 grams of protein along with 60-80 grams of carbohydrate is the ideal ratio of carbs to protein to maximize protein synthesis.