Healthy Eating for On-the-Go Athletes
As an athlete, you have a busy schedule, with days full of work or school, practice, lifting, team meetings and even double headers—not to mention tournament days, which can take anywhere from four to eight hours, with multiple games being played on the same day. All that moving around and travel can make proper nutrition difficult, with major consequences for game-day performance.
As a high-performance athlete, you should be eating every 2-3 hours—three meals per day, plus snacks before and after games or practice. To protect your performance, you need to plan ahead for proper fueling. Make it a habit always to have non-perishable snacks in your gym bag, and pack extra items so you never run out. The worst-case scenario is to get caught at a tournament for longer than you expected and start feeling dizzy or fatigued because you forgot to bring enough snack food. Pack your gym bag the night before so you won’t feel rushed the next morning.
Ideally, each meal and snack should have a carbohydrate and a protein. Getting in a vegetable at meals is helpful but not always realistic.
Here are some good packable choices:
• Trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits
• Sliced fruit and peanut butter
• Raw vegetables and humus
• Turkey sandwich
• Bagel with peanut butter
• Protein bars
• Yogurt with nuts and granola
If you forget to pack snacks or run out, check out SCAN’s recommendations for fast food options, such as:
Mexican
Burrito with grilled veggies and chicken, fish or steak
Fast Food
Grilled chicken sandwich or plain hamburger with side salad
Sub Sandwich/Deli
Turkey or grilled chicken sandwich with side salad or side of chili
Italian
Piece of fish or chicken, side of pasta and side salad
Chinese
Steamed chicken and vegetables with a side of brown rice
Bagel Shop
Bagel with peanut butter or egg
Finally, keep a reusable water bottle with you at all times and hydrate throughout the day. Sometimes, adding a few slices of lemon or lime makes it more appealing and easier to drink.
Photo Credit: morguepress.com
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Healthy Eating for On-the-Go Athletes
As an athlete, you have a busy schedule, with days full of work or school, practice, lifting, team meetings and even double headers—not to mention tournament days, which can take anywhere from four to eight hours, with multiple games being played on the same day. All that moving around and travel can make proper nutrition difficult, with major consequences for game-day performance.
As a high-performance athlete, you should be eating every 2-3 hours—three meals per day, plus snacks before and after games or practice. To protect your performance, you need to plan ahead for proper fueling. Make it a habit always to have non-perishable snacks in your gym bag, and pack extra items so you never run out. The worst-case scenario is to get caught at a tournament for longer than you expected and start feeling dizzy or fatigued because you forgot to bring enough snack food. Pack your gym bag the night before so you won’t feel rushed the next morning.
Ideally, each meal and snack should have a carbohydrate and a protein. Getting in a vegetable at meals is helpful but not always realistic.
Here are some good packable choices:
• Trail mix with nuts, seeds, and dried fruits
• Sliced fruit and peanut butter
• Raw vegetables and humus
• Turkey sandwich
• Bagel with peanut butter
• Protein bars
• Yogurt with nuts and granola
If you forget to pack snacks or run out, check out SCAN’s recommendations for fast food options, such as:
Mexican
Burrito with grilled veggies and chicken, fish or steak
Fast Food
Grilled chicken sandwich or plain hamburger with side salad
Sub Sandwich/Deli
Turkey or grilled chicken sandwich with side salad or side of chili
Italian
Piece of fish or chicken, side of pasta and side salad
Chinese
Steamed chicken and vegetables with a side of brown rice
Bagel Shop
Bagel with peanut butter or egg
Finally, keep a reusable water bottle with you at all times and hydrate throughout the day. Sometimes, adding a few slices of lemon or lime makes it more appealing and easier to drink.
Photo Credit: morguepress.com