The Basics
For proper nutrition of any individual, consumption of a balanced diet consisting of various foods within each macronutrient category as well as all the micronutrients is essential.
1. Macronutrients are our direct sources of energy. They supply the energy needed for daily life and for physical exercise and work. They consist of carbohydrates, lipids, protein.
Carbohydrates:
- food with moderate GI= whole grain bread, rice, bran and peas
- food with low GI= fruit, beans, lentils
Carbohydrate analogy: “The “Yaught” with all its bells and whistles (i.e. fruit, vegetables, whole grains – packed with vitamins and minerals), is sleek, powerful and fast. The “row boat” (i.e. refined carbohydrates such as white rice), deficient in vitamins and minerals, will still get to the destination, but at a much slower pace. Finally the “Garbage Barge” (doughnuts, fried foods, bacon, sausages, chips) will actually pollute and negatively impact performance.”
Proteins:
o 1 gram of fat yields 9 calories of energy!
o Critical to an athletes health and performance
o Essential part of cell membranes
o Protect and insulate vital parts of the body
o Required for absorption of the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
o Boosts immune system
o Should consist of 15-25% of athletes daily calorie intake
o Importance of OMEGA-3 Importance: most people don’t consume enough
- Increases circulation (ability to efficiently transfer nutrients to working muscles, and allows for better recovery time)
- Reduces joint stiffness, decreases muscle inflammation, reduces skin dryness, increases mental focus
2. Micronutrients consist of all the essential vitamins and minerals. They don’t provide energy themselves but without them, many very important processes in the body including digestion and food metabolism would not happen.
- Vitamins: EXAMPLES: Vitamin E, D, A, C
1. Macronutrients are our direct sources of energy. They supply the energy needed for daily life and for physical exercise and work. They consist of carbohydrates, lipids, protein.
Carbohydrates:
- Most accessible energy source for the body—our bodies need more carbohydrates than any other nutrient except water
- Each gram of carbohydrate yields 4 calories of energy when used as fuel
- Preferred energy source for athletes (glucose)
- Carbohydrates are stored in the muscles and liver
- For sports such as hockey or basketball where short boosts of energy are required, the athlete needs carbohydrates, water and vitamins
- Should make up 60-70% of an athlete’s daily calorie intake
- Two forms:
- Simple (natural and refined, preferred = natural): digests very quickly, provides immediate energy. Examples: fruit, some dairy products
- Complex: digests over time, provides energy over time. Examples: grains (whole grain breads, pasta), legumes (beans), nuts (almonds), seeds (sunflower seeds), veggies (leafy greens)
- Glycemic index: indicates the rate of carbohydrate digestion and its effects on blood glucose levels
- food with moderate GI= whole grain bread, rice, bran and peas
- food with low GI= fruit, beans, lentils
Carbohydrate analogy: “The “Yaught” with all its bells and whistles (i.e. fruit, vegetables, whole grains – packed with vitamins and minerals), is sleek, powerful and fast. The “row boat” (i.e. refined carbohydrates such as white rice), deficient in vitamins and minerals, will still get to the destination, but at a much slower pace. Finally the “Garbage Barge” (doughnuts, fried foods, bacon, sausages, chips) will actually pollute and negatively impact performance.”
Proteins:
- Are directly involved in the fundamental processes of life (i.e. digestion)
- contain 4 calories of energy per gram of protein
- 20 different amino acids—9 of which are essential to have in our diet because the body doesn’t naturally produce them
- foods that contain all 20 amino acids=complete proteins EX. Meat, cheese, eggs, milk
- incomplete proteins= vegetable proteins that only contain one or more amino acids in limited amounts EX. Beans.
- body tissues require protein for growth and repair
- body can use proteins as a source of energy when the preferred sources (carbs and fats) supplies run low
- whenever growth process is at its peak—in children or in an adult following illness, a diet that is higher in protein is necessary
- General protein guidelines for adults= 0.8g protein per kg of body weight.
- intake for adult athletes=1.2-1.7g protein per kg weight depending on the sport and training intensity
- Should account for 15-25% of athletes daily calorie intake
- Sources for athletes should consist of a wide variety of plant foods and lean meat.
o Animal food: complete source of protein (beef, chicken, fish etc…)
o Plant food: incomplete sources of protein (DO NOT contain essential amino acids individually). Legumes: beans, peas. Grains: cereals, rice. Nuts and seeds: nut butter.
- saturated fats= come to us from animal sources and tend to have higher concentrations of LDL (low-density lipoprotein)—which is BAD, carries cholesterol into the system for use by various body cells
- Polyunsaturated fats= come from plant sources and have higher concentrations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)—known as GOOD cholesterol because it carries cholesterol out of the bloodstream for elimination.
- excess of saturated fats= BAD—raises cholesterol levels and lipid levels in the blood, causing build up in artery walls, which can lead to heart disease
- Lipids are an important source of energy!
- Benefits to Good Fats i.e. monounsaturated fats (olive oil, avocado), omega-3 fatty acid (fish, canola, flax, soybeans), omega-6 fatty acid (sunflower and corn oils):
o 1 gram of fat yields 9 calories of energy!
o Critical to an athletes health and performance
o Essential part of cell membranes
o Protect and insulate vital parts of the body
o Required for absorption of the fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
o Boosts immune system
o Should consist of 15-25% of athletes daily calorie intake
o Importance of OMEGA-3 Importance: most people don’t consume enough
- Increases circulation (ability to efficiently transfer nutrients to working muscles, and allows for better recovery time)
- Reduces joint stiffness, decreases muscle inflammation, reduces skin dryness, increases mental focus
2. Micronutrients consist of all the essential vitamins and minerals. They don’t provide energy themselves but without them, many very important processes in the body including digestion and food metabolism would not happen.
- Vitamins: EXAMPLES: Vitamin E, D, A, C
- assist the body in performing several important processes—most come from the food we ingest (except for Vitamin D)
- regulate reactions that occur in metabolism
- absence of a vitamin can block one or more metabolic reactions within a cell and in the entire body
- facilitate energy release and are important in the synthesis of bone or tissue
- come from earth’s water and topsoil and are absorbed by the plants we eat
- 7 key minerals= calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfur
- if an athletes intake of minerals is deficient, there may be a decrease in physical performance
- heavy training may also alter the concentrations of these minerals in our bodily tissue EX. Iron deficiency is common in physical athletes (especially females that menstruate). Low iron can severely affect performance
- low calcium intake= low bone mineral density. Athletes with low calcium are a risk of developing osteoporosis—a serious degeneration of bone tissue that leads to bone fragility and increased risk of fractures
Comparing Nutritional Needs and Diets
Elite teenage female hockey players require more energy than the average teenage girl because they work harder and expend more energy in the average day since they are very active. Not only do they require more energy in the form of calories from food, but a female hockey players' diet is different. To prove this, lets look at how an average 17 year old, 5'6, 130 pound teenage female's diet compares to that of a 17 year old, 5'6, 130 pound female elite hockey player that is active 5-6 times per week.
As you can see, the amount of Calories (a measure of the amount of energy that food will produce as it passes through the body) and food consumption overall per day is much greater in a female that exercises regularly than an average female. This can be explained through analysis of the Energy Equation, which states that the food (or energy) we take in should closely match the effort we put out and is given by:
Energy Storage=Energy Intake - Energy Output
Ideally, an individual with a balanced and adequate diet for their own personal needs will cause this equation to be in balance. If the equation is out of balance because you either consume more energy than you use up or you don't consume enough energy to satisfy your energy output, changes in weight can occur that can decrease performance and may also result in negative health consequences.
It is also to be noticed that the amount of water that a female hockey player must drink per day is much greater than that of an average female teen. It is predicted that hockey players can lose from 1-5 pounds of water in sweat per hockey game!! It is imperative that the water is replaced. For Female hockey players, one pound of sweat loss must be replaced with around 2 cups of water (500ml or more). Water and being hydrated is essential for an athlete because:
o Water maintains body temperature: athletes sweat to cool down their bodies when they are exercising. Without the proper hydration, the body will not be able to cool down fast enough and this can result in premature fatigue, loss of mental focus, and could also lead to severe health issues if someone is really dehydrated.
o Blood flow: working muscles demand more blood flow in order to function at its prime. Hydration provides increased blood flow for athletes and allows the working muscles to receive the nutrients (glucose) and oxygen they need to perform.
Energy Storage=Energy Intake - Energy Output
Ideally, an individual with a balanced and adequate diet for their own personal needs will cause this equation to be in balance. If the equation is out of balance because you either consume more energy than you use up or you don't consume enough energy to satisfy your energy output, changes in weight can occur that can decrease performance and may also result in negative health consequences.
It is also to be noticed that the amount of water that a female hockey player must drink per day is much greater than that of an average female teen. It is predicted that hockey players can lose from 1-5 pounds of water in sweat per hockey game!! It is imperative that the water is replaced. For Female hockey players, one pound of sweat loss must be replaced with around 2 cups of water (500ml or more). Water and being hydrated is essential for an athlete because:
o Water maintains body temperature: athletes sweat to cool down their bodies when they are exercising. Without the proper hydration, the body will not be able to cool down fast enough and this can result in premature fatigue, loss of mental focus, and could also lead to severe health issues if someone is really dehydrated.
o Blood flow: working muscles demand more blood flow in order to function at its prime. Hydration provides increased blood flow for athletes and allows the working muscles to receive the nutrients (glucose) and oxygen they need to perform.
Nutrition For Pre, Post, and During Game Time
Many minor female athletes are unaware of the importance of proper nutrition pre, post, and during competition. For female hockey players, here is a guideline that will ensure maximal energy storage and performance.
1. Pre-Hockey Game Nutrition:
3-4 hours before game time:
- Foods: high in carbohydrates (bananas, bagel, dried fruit)
- Foods: carbohydrates with protein (fruit yogurt, chocolate milk, trail mix)
- examples:
- Carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, whole grains (i.e. bread, pasta, rice, crackers, bagels)
- Protein: lean meat, fish, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds, sandwiches.
1. Pre-Hockey Game Nutrition:
- the goal for athletes in the pre-exercise period is to make sure that blood sugar levels are maintained, hydration is optimal and the stomach is relatively empty by game time.
- female hockey players must ensure sufficient carbohydrate intake so that the body doesn't turn to protein as a source of energy
3-4 hours before game time:
- consume your pre-game meal that is high in carbohydrate, moderate in protein, and low to moderate in fat for easy digestion
- 75% carbohydrate, 25% protein, low fat
- water!
- EXAMPLES: salmon, mixed green salad, mixed veggies and whole grain brown rice OR chicken breast, edamame beans, couscous or quinoa
- consume smaller sized meal consisting of 85% carbohydrate and 15% protein
- lots of water!
- EXAMPLES: scrambled eggs and whole grain toast (small portion), OR lean ground beef, whole wheat pasta, sauce and spinach salad (small portion)
- consume a larger snack consisting of mainly carbohydrates and a little protein
- water!
- EXAMPLES: smoothie, yogurt, fruit, small sandwich, small granola bar, fruit bar or dried fruit etc...
- consume small amount of food that won't elevate blood sugar and quick to digest
- fruit is IDEAL--fibre won't cause blood sugar levels to spike and is easy to digest
- water!
- MORE EXAMPLES: applesauce, 100% fruit juice
- it is important during a high-intensity game that water levels are restored and you are fully hydrated throughout the game
- Drink water after every shift and have a sports drink available for electrolyte replacement (i.e. homemade sports drink made from real fruit juice, water and a pinch of salt)
- The goal of post-exercise nutrition is to replenish glycogen stores and to repair and restore muscle tissues
- The 3 R’s:
- Re-Hydrate: always drink water for 2 hours following exercise
- Re-Fuel: need to rebuild energy stores! Consume simple sugars such as fruit IMMEDIATELY after exercise, and carbohydrate consumption with protein within 2 hours after exercise.
- REST! Stretch following exercise and get a good night’s sleep.
- The Recovery Window: within 15-30 minutes after exercise
- Foods: high in carbohydrates (bananas, bagel, dried fruit)
- Foods: carbohydrates with protein (fruit yogurt, chocolate milk, trail mix)
- Within 2 hours after exercise/game:
- examples:
- Carbohydrates: fruits, vegetables, whole grains (i.e. bread, pasta, rice, crackers, bagels)
- Protein: lean meat, fish, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese, nuts and seeds, sandwiches.