Fueling
Food Basics | Hydration | Planning | Nutrition Handbooks | Resources
Athletes have unique nutritional needs due to the physical and mental demands of sports performance. Developing healthy eating habits will give you an edge over your competition. Making dietary changes is difficult, but after you develop the habit of proper fueling, it will become easier with time.For meal ideas and fueling advice from MSU Nutrition, follow us:
- Twitter: @MSUBobcatsFuel
- Instagram: @msubobcatsfuel
Food Basics
Keep in mind that the energy needs of athletes are greater than the average person. It's not uncommon for male and female athletes, especially those still growing, to have caloric needs greater than 2,400-3,000 kcal and 2,200-2,700 kcal per day, respectively.1 Making sure you are eating enough high-quality calories will help you recover from injury, recover from practice, fuel for competition/practice, and avoid adverse health consequences of improper fueling. Food and diet are complex, and every athlete has different food preferences. However, here are some of the basics about athlete fueling.
Macronutrients
When planning a meal, try to include something from each macronutrient category.1| Carbohydrates (4kcal/gram) | fruit, oatmeal, potatoes, bananas, squash, broccoli, leafy greens, bread, crackers, cereal, quinoa, rice |
| Protein (4kcal/gram) | eggs, tuna, chicken, string cheese, fish, hummus, string cheese, red meats |
| Healthy Fat (9kcal/gram) | avocado, nut butter, nuts, seeds, olive oil, canola oil for baking, coconut oil, flaxseed, chia seeds |
Carbohydrates are an important source of fuel for athletes. Although fats have more energy per gram than carbohydrates, carbohydrates provide more energy per unit of oxygen than fats because of the way the body processes them.2 In athletics, oxygen is frequently a limiting factor in long-duration or high endurance events. When the body processes carbohydrates, it stores the energy as glycogen in the muscles so the body can access it easily when it needs the energy. Then, as you compete, the stored glycogen is converted quickly to glucose to fuel your athletic endeavors. A finite amount of glycogen can be stored, so make sure the tank is full before the competition/practice. Filling up the tank will not make you faster or stronger. Instead, it will give your body the fuel it needs to keep working as time passes.2 This is why eating carbohydrates before a competition/practice is so important - you need to fill up your glycogen stores!
Protein is important for muscle building and repair.2 Protein is digested into amino acids, which are a building block for tissues, enzymes, and hormones. Consuming protein after athletic events such as practice or competition has been shown to support muscle protein synthesis. However, more is not always better when it comes to protein. The body can only process a certain amount, with excess protein being broken down and stored as fat. The Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics and the American College of Sports Medicine recommended that endurance athletes eat between 1.2-1.4 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day and resistance and strength-trained athletes can eat as much as 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kg of body weight per day. Researchers have estimated that immediately after a workout, eating about 20–25 g of a high-quality protein will help build muscles, with any more than this being used elsewhere in the body.3 Weight does matter, with researchers breaking down maximum protein intake as 0.4 g/kg/meal.3 Needless to say, protein is an important part of a healthy diet for athletes.
Healthy fats are the most energy-dense macronutrient, making fat an important part of fueling.2 Using fat for fuel becomes the most helpful as the event duration increases and intensity decreases. For moderate exercise, about half of the athlete's energy comes from fat. In athletic endeavors lasting more than one hour, the body uses mostly fat for its energy. Maintaining adequate fat intake is also necessary to meet the nutritional needs of essential fatty acids and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Restricting fat intake can actually hurt athletic performance.2 It is a myth that eating fat makes your body gain fat. Rather, fat is high in calories and should be consumed in moderation as part of a healthy diet. For athletes, fat should make up about 20% of total energy intake each day.2 Incorporating healthy fat into your diet is essential for athletic performance and wellness.
- U.S Food & Drug Administration: Talking About Trans Fat
- U.S Food & Drug Administration: Monounsaturated fat and Polyunsaturated fat
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol
- NCAA Fueling During Exercise (PDF)
- NCAA Fueling During Recovery (PDF)
- NCAA Energy Availability Fact Sheet (PDF)
- TED Talk: How the food you eat affects your brain
Micronutrients
Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals found in the foods we eat, with the exception of Vitamin D, which the skin synthesizes using sunlight.4 These micronutrients are essential for health, well-being, and development. It is important to pay attention to these micronutrients as you choose macronutrient foods for meals and snacks, to make sure you are covering all of your bases. When fueling, try to get the most bang for your buck by choosing macronutrient groups that also have micronutrient value. For example, a donut is a carbohydrate that will give you fast energy, but it has little micronutrient value. However, a banana is a carbohydrate that will also give you fast energy, but it is packed with potassium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. In other words, by choosing a banana for fueling, you are "killing two birds with one stone" by getting your carbohydrate and an array of micronutrients. Micronutrients are one reason that a colorful, varied diet made up of unprocessed food is a rule-of-thumb recommendation for nutrition. Micronutrients include Vitamin A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Vitamin B6, Biotin, Folate, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Calcium, Chromium, Copper, Fluoride, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Potassium, Selenium, Sodium, and Zinc.5 Some key micronutrients include Iron, Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Iodine, Zinc, and Calcium, and are described in detail below.
- Iron deficiency is the leading cause of Anemia, which is when the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to its tissues.4 Having Anemia will make athletes feel tired and low-energy, which damages the ability to perform.
- Vitamin A is important for eyesight and a healthy immune system.4 Having healthy amounts of Vitamin A helps athletes stay illness-free.
- Vitamin D comes from sun exposure. People living in the north, and especially people of color, need to take vitamin D supplements or eat vitamin D fortified food in the winter months to keep their levels up.
- Vitamin D is important for bone mineral density and bone strength because it enables calcium absorption in the body. Vitamin D is also necessary for nerve and muscle functions and promotes immune system function.4
- Iodine can be found in iodized salt. Iodine is used to make thyroid hormones and is important for brain and bone development.4
- Zinc is helpful for immune functions,4 helping athletes to resist infectious diseases.
- Calcium is a structural component of the bones and teeth. Consuming enough calcium will help athletes avoid loss of bone mineral density, which will help prevent stress fracture. Calcium is also necessary for muscle contraction and nerve transmission.5
- Oregon State University: List of all Micronutrients and Their Function (PDF)
- NCAA: Understanding Dietary Supplements (PDF)
- CSU Nutrition for Athletes handout (PDF)
- NCAA How to Use the Nutrition Facts Label (PDF)
- Harvard Public Health: Healthy Eating Plate
- NCAA Vegetarian Eating for Student-Athletes (PDF)
Hydration
Proper hydration is important for sports performance. Everyone sweats a different amount, so hydration should be approached on an individual basis. Try these suggestions and find a hydration plan that works best for you. For athletes, a general rule of thumb is to consume a minimum of:
- 8 oz of fluids per hour prior to competition
- Four to six oz of fluid every 15 minutes of exercise1
To prepare for an athletic event (practice or competition), athletes should drink 5 to 7 mL of water per kilogram of body mass about four hours before the event.2 During event, the athlete should drink chilled water or electrolyte drinks, drinking enough to match their sweat losses. To determine how much you should drink, try weighing yourself before and after an athletic event to calculate your loss of water weight. For every pound of weight lost during the event, replace it with 16-24 oz of fluid. You should never gain water weight during an event - that means you are drinking too much, which can cause electrolyte imbalances and other consequences. When making a hydration plan, it is important to consider the environment in which you will be performing. If it will be hot, humid, and sunny, you will need more fluid than if you are competing in a cool, shady environment.2 Best hydration choices include water, low-fat milk, or 100 percent fruit juice. Sports beverages should be reserved for competition, where quick hydration and electrolyte replacement are necessary.1
More about hydration:
- NCAA: How to Maximize Performance Hydration (PDF) fact sheet
Planning
Planning meals and snacks ahead of time will help you fuel properly, and save time and money. If you have a goal to improve your nutrition, planning ahead is a good way to set yourself up for success. Here are some tips for planning ahead.
- Plan 2-3 meals at the beginning of the week before you go grocery shopping. This will reduce the amount of time you spend going to the store during the week, and limit fast-food runs that happen when you feel hungry but there's nothing to eat at home.
- Plan a few healthy snacks for the week before you go grocery shopping. There are plenty of healthy snacks that have a long shelf life, such as crackers, tuna, nuts, jerky, granola bars, nut butter, and dried fruit. Having snacks ready in your cupboard will help you save money on purchasing coffee shop scones and other convenience snacks.
- Block out a time each week to do meal prep. Your meal prepping may include planning a few meals and buying groceries for them, organizing or preparing ingredients to cook later, or cooking meals ahead of time. Find what works best for you and your meal preferences.
- See: Time Management
- Go to the grocery store with a list. This will help you save money by resisting impulse-buys, and save time by limiting your forgotten-items grocery store runs.
- Eat a snack before going to the grocery store. Being hungry at the grocery store will influence the amount and type of food you choose to buy. You may buy less healthy food, or expensive convenience food if your brain is clouded with hunger. Having a snack beforehand will help you stick to your list.
- Pack snacks for class. Grab a snack from the fueling station after practice or pack some of your own snacks in your backpack. This way, you will have a healthy option on hand if you get hungry during class.
- Bring a water bottle to class. Staying hydrated throughout the day will help you perform better in the classroom and in athletics.
- Plan ahead for eating on the road. If you are leaving town for a competition, you will mostly be eating out. Pack some healthy snacks, and go to restaurants with a plan. Try to choose meals that include all three macronutrients: carbohydrate, protein, and healthy fat, and have some micronutrient value.
- More about planning ahead for trips HERE. (PDF)
- Everything in moderation. It would be unreasonable to perfectly plan out every meal and snack each week, or to eat 100% "clean." It is good to treat yourself, and enjoying food is a natural and healthy thing. Try to eat food that you enjoy, and plan ahead to make sure your body is getting the fuel it needs.
- NCAA Eating Frequency for the Student-Athlete (PDF)
- NCAA: Making Good Choices While Eating on the Road (PDF)
Nutrition Handbooks
- Gatorade Sports Science Institute: Practical Sports Nutrition - Maintaining Hydration and Proper Fueling (PDF)
- Harvard Healthy Living Guide (PDF)
Resources
Bobcat Athletics Registered DietitianBrittney Patera, RDN, is the first Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist at Bobcat Athletics. Patera helps Bobcat teams create nutrition options for peak performance and provide education and nutrition counseling for student-athletes. You can book a nutrition appointment HERE.
https://msubobcats.com/sports/2020/5/13/nutrition-appointment-booking.aspx
Location: Brick Breeden Fieldhouse
References
1. University of Wisconson-Madison Health and Wellness (2021). Eating for peak athletic performance. Retrieved from: https://www.uwhealth.org/health-wellness/eating-for-peak-performance/45232
2. Clifford, J., & Malloney, K. (2015). Nutrition for athletes. Colorado State University. Retrieved from: https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/foodnut/09362.pdf
3. Schoenfeld, B. J., & Aragon, A. A. (2018). How much protein can the body use in a single meal for muscle-building? Implications for daily protein distribution. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15, 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0215-1
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Micronutrient facts. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/micronutrient-malnutrition/micronutrients/index.html
5. Linus Pauling Institute. (n.d.). Micronutrients for health. Retrieved from: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/sites/lpi.oregonstate.edu/files/pdf/mic/micronutrients_for_health.pdf
Developed 2021 by Quinn DeStefano, OTD Student
Reviewed 2021 by Aaron Grusonik, MA, Psy.D
Reviewed 2021 by Aaron Grusonik, MA, Psy.D
