Nutrition Guidelines
What is the best way for an athlete to gain weight?
1. You have to eat an extra 500 to 1,000 calories per day to gain of one to two pounds per week. Every
day, have three hearty meals plus one to three additional snacks. Do NOT skip meals! You'll miss out on
important calories that you need to accomplish your goals.
2. Eat larger than normal portions. Instead of having one sandwich for lunch, have two. Eat three potatoes
at dinner, instead of only two. Have a taller glass of milk, bigger bowl of cereal, larger piece of fruit.
3. When snacking, healthy snacks include fruit yogurt, cheese and crackers, peanuts, english muffins,
multigrain bagels with cream cheese and jelly, or bran muffins
3. Select higher calorie foods. Read food labels to determine which foods have more calories than an
equally enjoyable counterpart. For example, cran-apple juice has more calories than does orange juice (170
vs 110 calories/8 ounces); granola has more calories than Cheerios (700 vs 100 calories/cup); corn more
than green beans (140 vs 40 calories/cup).
4. Drink lots of juice and milk. Beverages are a simple way to increase your caloric intake. Instead of
drinking water, quench your thirst with calorie-containing fluids.
The Post Workout Meal
Eating after strenuous exercise is vital for achieving the optimal recovery that enables an athlete to compete
again. All athletes should make "recovery nutrition" a planned, scheduled component of training, delivering
the appropriate amount of nutrients in a timely, efficient manner.
Carbohydrates, protein, and fluids containing electrolytes are the most important elements to address in
post-activity refueling.
What should I be eating in the school cafeteria?
The Blue Devil Power Pack lunch is the best choice. This meal lets you pick a deli sandwich
(turkey/roast beef/tuna) with cheese, lettuce, and tomato on the whole grain bread. Add other
toppings/condiments to boost calories. This meal will also include a piece of fruit and a container of
milk
The pasta bar is also another healthy option, especially the day before an event
The salads are also excellent as long as chicken is added to it to boost the protein content
What should I NOT be eating and drinking?
Pizza, french fries, burgers, fried products, soda, and the fruit drinks should ALL be avoided! These
items are high in fat, in some cases sugar, and do not provide healthy calories.
When should you eat?
Post-workout nutrition is just as important as pre-workout nutrition!
Eat your post-workout meal as soon as possible to replenish carbohydrates, protein, and other
nutrients your body burned during activity.
Ideally, you should eat no later than 60 to 90 minutes after a workout, when your metabolism is at
its highest. Your muscles are starving for nutritional replenishment, and at this time your muscles will
absorb the greatest amount of nutrients from food and fluids you take in.
After 90 minutes, the body’s metabolism will begin to slow down. Your body will now be more likely
to store some the food you ingest as fat instead of converting it into energy for muscle stores.
Examples of a high-carbohydrate, high-protein, low-fat, post-game meal could be a turkey sandwich
on wheat bread with cheese, lettuce, and tomato. Have a salad with vegetables or have a piece of
fruit. Add an energy drink like Powerade or Gatorade and you have sufficiently replenished your
body.
Examples of Foods that are High in Protein:
Red meat/ Chicken/Fish (i.e. tuna)
Nuts/Yogurt/milk/cheese and other dairy products
Peanut butter
Protein bars (e.g. Zone, Cliff, MetRx)
Whey Protein shakes are also good choices if none of the above are available
Why is protein important?
Protein helps to build and repair muscle.
Endurance athletes (such as those who run, bike, or swim for long periods of time) need 1.2 to 1.4
g/kg per day.
Athletes who do strength training (such as lifting weights) need 1.6 to 1.7 g/kg per day.
How Much Protein Is Enough?
To calculate your daily protein requirements, use the following conversion:
Take your Body Weight in pounds and divide it by 2.2 to convert it to kilograms
Multiply that number by 1.4 if you are an endurance athlete or 1.6 if you are strength training. This equals
the amount of protein in grams you should consume each day.
Your Body Weight In Pounds / 2.2 = Your Weight In Kg
Your Weight In Kg x 1.5 = The Amount of Protein You Need Daily