Recommended Diets for Athletes

Athletes need to eat carefully in order to perform well on the athletic field. Athletes should refrain from junk foods and alcohol, and rely heavily on fish and chicken for protein while avoiding fatty foods. Game-day diets can include more carbohydrates than everyday diets.

Training Diet

• You may have heard that it is better to eat four or five small meals in a day rather than two or three big meals. This is true, especially when you are training to compete. During the training period, you should eat white-meat chicken and fish as your main sources of protein. You should not have more than one portion of red meat per week. Have at least two portions of fresh vegetables every day and one portion of fresh fruit. Carbohydrates such as pasta, potatoes, cereal and other grain products are recommended. Your body breaks down carbohydrates, turns it into glucose, and stores it in the muscles as glycogen. Glycogen turns into fuel as you exercise.

Game-Day Diet

• If you are playing a game like football or basketball, make sure your meal includes starch, which is broken down more easily than proteins and fats. Breads, pastas, cereals, and fruits and vegetables are recommended in the hours before the game. All of these foods will give you more energy as the competition is taking place.

Foods to Avoid

• Don't waste your calories on foods like cake, cookies and other heavy deserts that will sit in your stomach longer and will not break down quickly. Also, avoid drinking alcohol to excess. You can have one glass of wine per week or one glass of beer. When you do have your wine or beer, drink it with a meal and not by itself. Make sure you have at least six 8-oz. glasses of water every day.