NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES YOUNG ATHLETES

NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES YOUNG ATHLETES

I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXPERT IN NUTRITION HOWEVER WITH EXTENSIVE READING AND THE INFORMATION FROM THE IYCA –PARTICULARLY JOHN BERNARDI. I HAVE TRIED TO COME UP WITH SOME SIMPLE NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR YOUNG ATHLETES PARENTS AND COACHES . NUTRITION IN THE YOUNG ATHLETE IS A MASSIVE AND COMPLICATED SUBJECT BUT THESE GUIDELINES SHOULD PROVIDE A SOUND BASIS FOR THE YOUNG PLAYERS.

EAT EVERY 2-3 HOURS

THIS PROVIDES THE BODY ENERGY ON A REGULAR BASIS STIMULATING METABOLISM AND MAINTAINING A BALANCED BLOOD SUGAR (ASSUMING THE OTHER GUIDELINES ARE FOLLOWED AS WELL). THIS REGULAR EATING WILL IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND HEALTH. YOUNG ATHLETES DUE TO THEIR BUSY LIFESTYLE CAN STRUGGLE TO ADHERE TO THIS AND IT CAN REQUIRE PLANNING WITH SUITABLE MELS AFTER SCHOOL AND BEFORE PRACTICE AS WELL AS PRIOR TO BED.

EAT COMPLETE LEAN PROTEINS WITH EVERY MEAL (APRROX 1G/LB OF BODY MASS PER DAY DIVIDED INTO 5-6 MEALS)

COMPLETE LEAN PROTEINS CAN BE CONSIDERED ACCORDING TO BERNARDI AS PART OF AN ANIMAL OR COMING FROM AN ANIMAL

THE REGULAR INTAKE OF PROTEINS HAS THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS 1. STIMULATES INCREASED METABOLIC RATE

2. INCREASED MUSCLE TO FAT RATIO

3. INCREASES LEVELS OF MUSCLE BUILDING HORMONES IN THE BODY

4. REDUCES CHOLESTEROL LEVELS IN THE BODY

5. AIDS REBUILDING OF MUSCLE

6. IMPROVED FEELING OF FULLNESS POST MEAL REDUCING INCLINATIONS TO SNACK

EAT VEGETABLES (AND FRUIT) WITH EVERY MEAL

AS WELL AS SUPPLYING A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF VITAL MICRONUTRIENTS. THESE MICRONUTRIENTS ARE VITAL FOR MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT AND FUNCTION OF THE BODY PARTICLUARLY IN YOUNG GROWING ATHLETES.VEGTABLES ALSO BALANCE THE ACIDITY PRODUCED BY PROTEINS AND GRAINS WITHIN THE BODY

AS A PARENT THIS CAN BE A DIFFICULT AREA DUE TO THE YOUNGER PLAYERS HAVING A RELUCTANCE TO EAT VEGETABLES AND FUIT –TRY AND PROVIDE A VARIETY RAW AND COOKED AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO TRY NEW AND DIFFERENT TYPES.

EAT THE BULK OF THE SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES AROUND EXERCISE.

SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES – (SPORTS DRINKS SIMPLE SUGARY FOODS PLUS STARCHY CARBOYDRATES –PASTA RICE POTATOES ETC - THOSE WITH A HIGH GLYCAEMIC INDEX –SHORT TERM BOOST TO BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS ) ARE BEST CONSUMED BEFORE DURING AND AFTER EXERCISE AS THEY ARE BEST TOLERATED AND PROVIDE REPLACEMENT TO THE GLUCAGON STORES (ENERGY STORES ) USED UP DURING EXERCISE. DURING THE REST OF THE DAY THE SLOWER ACTING MORE COMPLEX CARBOHYRATES (LOW GLYCAEMIC INDEX) SHOULD BE CONSUMED. THESE PROVIDE

1. MORE FIBER

2. HIGHER MICRONUTRIENT LEVELS.

3. A SMALLER BODY RESPONSE TO STABILISE THE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL WITHIN THE BODY AS IT DOESNT INCREASE THE LEVEL AS HIGH OR AS RAPIDLY COMPARED TO HIGH GI FOODS

EAT HEALTHY FATS DAILY

FATS HAVE HAD A BAD PRESS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AND YET ABOUT 30% OF THE A YOUNG ATHLETES SHOULD COME FROM FAT. WAHT IS VITAL IS THAT THESE FATS ARE CAREFULLY BALANCED BETWEEN THE DIFFENT TYPES. THE ADDITION OF FATS HIGH IN OMEGA 3 AND OMEGA 6 OILS IS OF GREAT BENEFIT

ROUGH GUIDELINE

33% OF SATURATED FATS-ANIMAL MEATS AND DAIRY

33% OF MONSATURATED FATS- VEGETABLE FATS OLIVE OIL ETC

33% FROM POLYUNSATURATED SOURCES-VEGETABLE FATS FLAXSEED AND FISH OILS

AVOID TRANS FATS

THESE ARE MAN MADE FATS- USUALLY VEGETALBLE OILS THAT HAVE BEEN ALTERED AND CANT BE METABOLISED PROPERLY THEY ARE PRESENT IN SOME FOOD STUFFS INCLUDING READY MEALS, SOME CAKES AND SOME FRIED FOODS AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED

END OF SECTION 1 NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES YOUNG ATHLETES

GUIDELINE 6

MOST CALORIE CONTAINING DRINKS SHOULD BE AVOIDED (EXCEPT AROUND EXERCISE)

FRUIT JUICES, COKES AND OTHER SUGARY BEVERAGES SHOULD BE ELIMINATED FROM YOUNG ATHLETES DIETS. FRUIT JUICES ARE OFTEN CONSIDERED A HEALTH ALTERNATIVE BUT THEY OFFER LITTLE OF NUTRITIONAL VALUE .IT IS MUCH BETTER TO EAT THE WHOLE FRUIT. ALL THESE TYPES OF DRINKS HAVE A VERY POOR MICRONUTRIENT RATIO AND ARE BETTER TO BE SUBSTITUTED BY A GOOD MEAL AND SOME WATER –FLAVOURED OR PLAIN

EAT WHOLE FOODS WHERE POSSIBLE

YOUNG ATHLETES SHOULD TRY AND EAT WHOLE UNPROCESSED FOODS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE –AN EXCEPTION CAN BE MADE AROUND EXERCISE. WHOLE FOODS PROVIDE IMPORTANT FIBRE AS WELL AS NUTRIENT VALUE.

PLAN AHEAD

COACHES AND PARENTS MUST PLAN THE MEALS AND TIMINGS AS IT IS EASY TO GET FORCED INTO COMPROMISING THE PREVIOUS GUIDELINES BY POOR PLANNING DURING A BUSY WEEK OR IF YOU ARE RUNNING ;ATE TO TRAINING

FAILING TO PLAN IS PLANNING TO FAIL!!

EAT A VARIETY OF FOODS

IT IS EASY TO FALL INTO A SET ROUTINE OF THE TYPES OF FOOD CONSUMED

YOUNG ATHLETES SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO EAT A WIDE VARIETY OF PROTEINS, VEGETABLES, FRUITS ETC

ALLOW A CHEAT OCCASIONALLY

YOUNG ATHLETES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO CHEAT APPROXIMATELY 10% OF THE TIME THIS IMPROVES COMPLIANCE DURING THE REST OF THE WEEK AND WE MUST REMEMBER THAY ARE STILL KIDS!!

END OF NUTRITIONAL GUIDELINES YOUNG ATHLETES

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