Ask the Sports Nutritionist

So, how exactly should you eat for energy? Eat breakfast!  This will get you going.  Studies show better brain function and healthier weights among breakfast eaters.  If you’re not hungry for breakfast, you may be eating too much at night.  Start the day with some lean protein (ex: 2 eggs), high-fiber foods (ex: veggies...
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Go Fresh In today’s fast paced world, it’s so easy to opt for frozen or pre-packaged meals.  I don’t blame you….I’ve got a busy family myself and know exactly how rushed dinner time can be.  But I also know how much more incredible it is to use fresh foods for your meals. Choosing fresh...
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Chronic Inflammation is an enemy of your body.  It is correlated to cell damage, cholesterol plague, hardening arteries, and chronic disease. To reduce inflammation (as an athlete and for overall health), try to eat foods that are: Whole-food rather than processed. If a grain product, choose 100% whole grain rather than refined (for example:...
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When is Water more than Water? In reality, not very often. Bottled waters are not regulated and could be filled right out of someone else’s tap. And what about “enhanced water” with promises of energy, vitamins, minerals, and health benefits? There is no evidence that the amounts and types of nutrients added to these water products provide any benefit to our bodies....
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Cramping?…There May Be Something to These Folk Remedies The following tips are considered folk remedies, but I wanted to include them as they may be worth giving a shot. Mustard:  For years coaches have given mustard to their athletes with leg cramps. Cramps are sometimes caused by a deficiency in acetylcholine, the neurotransmitter that...
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Ten Things to Consider When Eating Out 1) If possible, check out the restaurant’s nutritional guide online prior to going out. 2) Avoid most appetizers – they are usually refined grains (bread bowls, chips & salsa) or fried. If others in your party are ordering an appetizer, consider getting a salad or broth soup for...
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Three simple tips to decrease saturated fat, sugar, refined starch, and trans-fat intake: • Shop the exterior of the grocery store where most foods are unprocessed. • Avoid boxed and bagged (processed) products – snack on nuts, fruits, and veggies rather than potato chips. Eat a homemade dinner rather than one out of a box...
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With the colder weather now creeping in to certain areas, it is important to remember to continue to drink while you ride or perform any other exercises. Many people forget to drink enough since they may not sweat as much, which is a trigger for us to drink. Dehydration can occur just as quickly...
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Sodium The amount of sodium in a given food can be found on the Nutrition Label. As you begin looking at foods you commonly eat and their levels, you may be surprised to find 1 serving of canned soup (often only half the can) may have 600-800 mg Sodium.  Whoa. When Labeling a product, food manufacturers must adhere to the...
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Fiber It’s best to add fiber slowly (to reduce gas and bloating) if you are not used to eating very much. Add only about 5 grams of fiber per day for an entire week. Then, if comfortable, add another 5 grams the following week until you have reached 30+ grams of fiber per day (for example:...
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Reading Labels Within the “Total Carbohydrate” section of a nutrition label, you’ll find Total Carbohydrates, Dietary Fiber (sometimes further defined as soluble & insoluble), and Sugars. Pay attention to the total fiber per serving (no need to log soluble vs. insoluble) – your goal is 30+ per day. Of note, when you subtract the total fiber and sugar from the...
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Pita Chips Do you sometimes crave chips or pita chips?  It seems like buying a bag of pita chips is a healthy alternative to regular potato chips……they are a better choice, but with many of them being made from enriched flour why not avoid them and make your own. They are so easy to...
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