Many of the athletes that I work with have decreased training volume or intensity and are now in offseason, so this blog is focusing on nutrition during the offseason, but also touch on what to do for increased training. Your health needs, including needs for growth and immune health.

Your performance needs, including needs to training, recovery, and events. Whether you are fueling yourself or fueling another athlete, knowing what and when to eat and drink is critical to sports performance, in and offseason so that you perform your best in next season. First off, I like to separate nutrition for athletes into two sections; good nutrition for health and performance nutrition.

Before contemplating your performance nutrition needs, make sure that you have the basics of healthy eating for overall health in place. Nutrition plays a huge role in how you feel and perform on a daily basis. In terms of good nutrition for daily health and training, the basics apply to athletes:.

Some athletes do need more iron, but have your levels measured before supplementation. For females, this can actually be important to correct female athlete triad, which is common during the season and often corrected with body fat gain.

There are no real recommendations there, but I usually recommend hovering within 5 lbs of where you want to be going into the on-season. Recovery nutrition needs vary greatly, so I recommend speaking with a health professional or dietitian if this is an area of concern for you.

For the most-part, micronutrient, essential fat and protein needs remain constant on and offseason. Keep eating a high nutrient density diet as I mentioned previously, but what changes are:. To address carb needs, change your proportion of starch on your plate at meals by increasing vegetable intake.

Instead of having ½ of your plate as rice, potatoes, pasta, decrease it to ¼ of your plate. Do not cut them out altogether! Reduce or eliminate juices, sports drinks, sweetened dairy and alternatives, and please do not drink pop that one goes during the on-season as well.

For fats, our essential fat — omega-6s and omega-3s — need remain the same, so continue to focus on getting in high-quality fats such as nuts and seeds and fatty fish. To recap, during off-season or lower training intensity and volume blocks, keep your protein intake the same and reduce energy from carbs and extra added fats.

As the offseason progresses, athletes have to then shift to working on offseason goals, which may include gaining lean mass, losing body fat, increasing strength-to-weight ratio, increasing endurance, and so on. Not a good idea. For most athletes, off-season still includes some training and perhaps performance -think training camps, time trials, and so on.

For times like this, follow proper sports nutrition by fueling your body with healthy foods, increasing carbohydrate intake, especially leading up to training or competition time, hydrate during your sport and make sure that you include recovery nutrition.

Getting in a mix of carbs with protein after training and performance is key. If your activity is less than 60 minutes, just drink water during the event.

If it involves moving for more than 60 minutes, such as continuous running or sprints such as in soccer, consider some sort of sports beverage with electrolytes and some simple carbohydrates.

What you consume immediately post-event is both important for recovery as well as fueling your next training session or event. First, hydrate.

Proteins should consist of lean meats, such as chicken, fish and beef. Athletes should aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of weight. Carbohydrates include rice, bread, pasta and vegetables.

Calories should be spread throughout the day in smaller meals rather than a few large meals. Additionally, pre- and post-workout meals should be used to replenish calories. Snack on nuts instead of cheese curls although do put them in a small bowl to avoid overeating.

When I talk to athletes about this, I simply present the facts. Alcohol can slow reaction time, increase the risk of dehydration, cause an upset stomach, and delay recovery if consumed prior to replenishing fluid and carbohydrates. I also talk to players about postgame snacks. So I give them specific food choices to ensure that they are getting the right proportions—which is six grams of protein and 35 grams of carbohydrates.

Suggestions include peanut butter crackers, trail mix, yogurt with cereal, a bagel with cream cheese or peanut butter, or a sports bar containing the right proportion. I also explain that this snack should be consumed within 30 minutes after practice or a game for optimal benefit.

The most grueling and intensive training for football players takes place during preseason two-a-day practices. At this point, calorie needs may exceed 10, a day per player.

Getting enough carbohydrates is key for optimal performance and recovery. Hydration is critical for both performance and to ward off heat-related illness. Remind your athletes of the heightened physical and mental demands of preseason, and thus the extra attention that should be paid to eating and drinking.

Work with your coaching staff to ensure that refueling and hydration guidelines are met during every practice, and training session.

By fueling properly during the preseason, the team increases its chances of winning during the season. My first recommendation is that football players begin working on hydration and fueling one month prior to training camp.

Just like players need to get their muscles in shape for two-a-days, they also need to get their digestive tract in shape one month before training camp. This will help the body be better acclimated and adjust more quickly to the demands of preseason, which will minimize injuries and maximize performance.

To accomplish this, athletes should schedule beverages at every meal, as well as before, during, and after exercise. They should also practice drinking larger volumes before and during exercise—gulps instead of sips. In addition, the athletes should get into the habit of regular eating, by having three meals a day plus a snack pre- and post-exercise.

Have them aim to proportion two-thirds of the plate to consist of carbohydrates, and choose foods with higher water content such as fruits and vegetables. Once two-a-days start, players should consume at least three meals per day with snacks in between. Skipping breakfast is not an option, especially when a player has an early morning practice or lifting session.

For the athlete who is not overly-hungry in the morning, a smoothie, yogurt, cereal and fruit, or even a sports drink and sports bar can be a lighter alternative. Adequate caloric intake is very important.

To support a large, hard-exercising body, this can mean consuming a lot of food. That is okay. Players should not be trying to lose weight during this time.

Carbohydrates must be the main fuel source. Players will not recover in time for the next practice unless carbohydrate intakes are adequate. And watch their protein intake. Excess protein consumption will be stored as fat and may dehydrate the body. Sodium intake may need to be increased, especially for athletes with abnormally salty perspiration, to prevent cramping.

Ask these players about their sodium intake, encourage sports drink consumption in addition to water, and recommend adding salt and condiments such as Worcestershire or soy sauce, to foods on their plate.

For the training camp rookie, it is important to remind him to eat and drink, even when he would rather nap. In addition, try to push a little more food at every meal. How do you make sure fluid intake is adequate? Start by stressing the importance of drinking early and often.

Players should start their day with 16 ounces of fluid and make it a point to drink at every meal, before, during, and after practices.

Explain that drinking fluids not only prevents heat-related illnesses but also helps them sustain performance. When practice is grueling, being fully-hydrated will help them get through it. Ideally, players should weigh themselves before and after practice and drink enough fluid to replace the lost weight.

That is, percent of the lost water weight should be consumed. A player who loses five pounds during a practice would need to drink ounces of fluid to replace the water weight loss.

Are sports drinks better than water? During two-a-days, sports drinks most likely provide an edge over straight water. Sports drinks provide necessary fluid, fuel, and electrolytes during exercise, so they provide a great package deal.

At the same time, athletes should not overhydrate. Although consuming enough fluid is essential, it is possible to drink too much. Overhydration can cause hyponatremia, or low blood sodium levels. This can result in headache, apathy, fatigue, nausea, and cramping. In advanced stages, it leads to confusion, lack of coordination, seizure, coma, collapse, and even death.

Now on to some specific nutrients. Carbs are fuel. Those bursts require carbohydrates. Eating adequate carbohydrates allows proteins to rebuild and repair damaged muscles.

When carbohydrate intake is low, the muscles will breakdown body proteins amino acids into carbohydrates, making training less effective. Based on the type of sport and position, I recommend grams of nutrient-dense protein at each meal.

Last but not least are essential fatty acids, calcium, vitamin D, and iron for the high school athlete. Essential fatty acids are just that — essential for optimal health. They are key to brain health and development as well as wonderful nutrients for athletic recovery. The timing of nutritional intake plays another role.

Ideas include a smoothie with whey protein and fruit or juice, Greek yogurt and fruit, or a homemade protein energy bite with eggs, tofu or protein powder, oats and dried fruit. If your training is increasing, start adding in carbs at times leading up to and post-training.

Increase the serving of starch at your pre-training meal, and consider increasing the serving size at all meals as volume and intensity of training increases. Remember to keep your protein intake up at the same time. Have a carb-rich snack hours out, and be sure to get in carbs post-training. If you had a lower intensity or volume training session, you can reduce the amount of carbs you consume post-training.

Our bodies are pretty cool and can store carbohydrates in the form of glycogen, so as long as you increase your overall energy intake as training progresses, you should have enough energy to get you through training.

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Nutrition for athletes is important for two reasons: 1. Your health needs, including needs for growth and immune health 2.

Off-Season Nutrition Pitfalls to Avoid And H ow To Avoid Them Keeping the same nutrition all season long Variation in diet is important for micronutrient intake, as well as the fact that our needs change on and offseason.

We will cover how to make these changes. If you crave pizza, perhaps make Friday night pizza night and have a few slices. Nutrition is not an off and on switch. What you do in the offseason sets you up to have the best season possible. Pay attention to how you feel in training and in general when you eat well versus go overboard with treats or junk food.

Ask your parents for help or speak with a sports dietitian. Basics of off-season nutrition First off, I like to separate nutrition for athletes into two sections; good nutrition for health and performance nutrition. Good Nutrition For Health Nutrition plays a huge role in how you feel and perform on a daily basis.

Top two areas of nutrition health for athletes: Nutrients for growth. For younger athletes who are still growing and accumulating bone density, they have a double whammy of having increased nutrient needs for growth, as well as for sport.

Not fueling properly can have long term effects on their health, including increased risk of bone fracture and hormonal disturbances.

Nutrients for immune health. Exams, peer pressure, a day off, all get in the way of consistency. Getting enough calories at the right time of day, from the right food groups.

Preparation and recovery Getting up too late to eat breakfast, no time to pack a lunch and snacks, busy with classes all day until practice, may not eat all day. Getting high quality protein and fat sources. Even in the offseason and preseason.

Keep it simple, colorful and REAL Eat whole, colorful foods Drink shakes, baby food Nutrition principles she recommends to players trying to pack on weight and muscle.

For high school athletes, hormones drive weight gain, so you can only gain so much weight. Takes time to build muscle Protein oz every couple hours throughout the day, served with whole grains and vegetables. Limit breakdown compounds in: Fried foods Soda Processed foods Recovery fuel Prepare to have something while still on the field, to have something within that recovery window.

Examples: shake or bar Whether specific positions require more calories than others i. Goals More mass requires more calories. Muscle requires calories but it differs from athlete to athlete based on the amount of muscle mass that they have.

I sit with each player and individualize their meal plan to their liking. Calorie dense foods to pack in the calories: Nut butters, whole milk The Pre-Game Meal and types of pre-game meals that are best?

Protein will even out the energy levels and keep an athlete satiated longer. Fluid A couple bottles of fluid up to about 45 minutes before game time. Fluid needs: half your weight in ounces, then divide by 8oz to get cups. Need some electrolytes Electrolyte rich sports drink that are not excessive in sugar Lite sports drink, or a lite sugary drink Too much sugar will damage the gut and teeth and potentially cause weight gain.

What I always say is, supplements supplement a whole food diet. I see too much attention and energy spent on supplements and not enough attention to the diet. The diet has to come first.