Vegetarian Athletes

The primary concern for vegetarian athletes is protein. As athletes, your protein needs are a little bit higher than your meat-eating teammates because plant protein isn’t digested as easily as animal protein. Don’t worry though, as long as you are eating a variety of high protein sources, you should be able to meet your protein needs for training and competition. Low-fat dairy products and eggs are great sources of protein. If you are avoiding all animal products, some examples of high protein plant foods include:  

• Peanut butter (8 g per 2 Tbs) 
• Pistachios (6 g per 1 oz or 48 kernels) 
• Tempeh (15 g per ½ cup) 
• Falafel (14 g per ½ cup) 
• Soybeans, as edamame (11 g per ½ cup) 
• Lentils (9 g per ½ cup) 
• Quinoa (4 g per ½ cup) 

As with trying any new foods, I would recommend doing an experiment with them not prior to a sporting event. Everyone tolerates foods differently, so try the food and see how you feel after 3-4 hours. If it’s not sitting well or causing some distress, you can eliminate it from your pre-competition meal or pre-practice snack. 
Vegetarian athletes also are at higher risk to be low in iron, especially women. Iron from animal sources is different from iron from plant sources in that it is not absorbed as easily. All iron is better utilized by our bodies when it is eaten with a source of vitamin C such as orange juice, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, or grapefruit. Some high iron foods include:

• Iron-enriched cereals 
• Prunes 
• Raisins 
• Spinach 
• Broccoli 
• Kidney beans 

More helpful information on eating vegetarian diets can be found at: 

USDA Choose MyPlate – Tips for Vegetarians http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/tips-for-vegetarian.html 
USDA Lifecycle Nutrition – Vegetarian Nutrition 
http://fnic.nal.usda.gov/lifecycle-nutrition/vegetarian-nutrition 
The Vegetarian Society of the United Kingdom 
http://www.vegsoc.org/health/

Guest Blogger: Jaime Williams, USD Dietetic Intern

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Fueling the Athlete with Oatmeal

If you are looking for a breakfast idea to have an hour or so before exercise, oatmeal is an excellent choice. Oatmeal is a whole grain that is high in soluble fiber, which allows for a slower digestion rate that provides long-lasting energy- perfect for athletes! You probably have noticed advertisements for oatmeal that label it as a "heart healthy" food. Oatmeal is considered heart healthy because the fiber content helps lower cholesterol levels. It will also help keep you feeling full longer. 

Oatmeal is high in carbohydrate. If you have read any other of my posts, you know how important carbohydrates are in the athlete's diet! A serving of oatmeal (1/2 cup, uncooked) provides 27 grams of carbohydrate. To add more grams of carbohydrates to your breakfast, prepare with milk and top with fresh fruit. That is a lot of wonderful nutrition in one bowl!

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Vitamin D and Athletes

What is Vitamin D? Here is some background information: 

• Fat soluble vitamin meaning that the body stores excess amounts for later use opposed to water soluble vitamins which get flushed out through the system
• Functionally it acts as a hormone with a similar structure as steroid hormones 
• Known to be important for optimal muscle function as well as playing an important role in bone growth and repair, cell functioning, neuromuscular immune functioning and the management of inflammation. 
• It is produced in the body when your skin is exposed to sunlight 
• Not “just a vitamin”, but rather the only known substrate producing multiple effects related to functions in the body. 
• Important to ensure adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D together to ensure bone health 
• Vitamin D is needed for absorption of calcium

Why is it important to athletes specifically? 

• Vitamin D has been shown to improve athletic performance (International Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2009) 
• A related finding noted that peak athletic performance occurs during summer sun exposure when your body produces the most Vitamin D 
• Been shown to increase the size and percentage of “fast twitch” muscle fibers playing a huge role in generating quick bursts of speed and power
• Supplementing vitamin D in athletes with sub-optimal levels may have beneficial effects on athletic performance in particular strength, power, reaction time and balance (AIS) 
• A deficiency can lead to several health issues including increased risk of bone injuries, chronic musculoskeletal pain and viral respiratory tract infections 
• Deficient athletes tend to have a higher incidence of stress fractures according to the Cleveland Clinic

References 
1) Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) – “Fuelling your success – Vitamin D” 
2) Institute of Medicine, 2010 
3) Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: Athletic Performance & Vitamin D (John Cannell, 2009) May 2009 - Volume 41 - Issue 5 - pp 1102-1110 
4) International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism; “Should We be Concerned About the Vitamin D Status of Athletes?” K.S. Willis et al.; 2008 5) Cleveland Clinic –“ Vitamin D deficiency Hazardous to Athletes’ Health & Performance”

Guest Blogger: Liz Wray, USD Dietetic Intern

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"Inside the Summit League"

For those of you who have Midcontinent as their cable provider, be sure to check out my guest segment on "Inside the Summit League." The show airs on Wednesday nights at 7 pm CST on Midco Sports Net. I visit with the host, Tom Neiman, about various sport nutrition topics. 

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Knowing Your Sweat Rate

Answering the question, "what is my sweat rate?" can be tricky. Although it can be calculated easy enough, there are so many variables that can affect it that it will not always be the same. It will change depending on the type and intensity of activity, temperature outside, genetics, humidity, and the type of clothing/equipment you are wearing. Being mindful with your hydration plan will help prevent some of the effects of dehydration and possible muscle cramping. 

An example of how much sweat rates can vary can be seen by looking at two tennis players.

Male 1: He is in his summer competition with an average sweat rate of 1.6 L per hour.
Male 2: He is also in his summer competition and is prone to muscle cramps. His sweat rate is 2.6 L per hour.

As you can see, most everything between these two males is the same (temperature outside, humidity, clothing) with the exception of their genetics. So it goes to show that you really need to pay attention to your body and how much YOU are sweating to estimate how much water you should be drinking. Not only are you losing fluid in your sweat, but also electrolytes. Sodium, in particular, is lost in sweat and even the rate of that is highly dependent on genetic factors. Some people are "salty" sweaters while others not. It may require adding in some electrolytes to your water or drinking a sports drink.

Reference:
Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 39(2), 377-390.

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Recipe - Green Smoothie with Kale, Banana, and Milk

As I was making my breakfast this morning, it hit me that this would make a wonderful breakfast for an athlete on-the-go because it is so quick to prepare. It is a light breakfast, but still packs in a good amount of carbohydrate with some added protein. Adding in the kale really gives this smoothie an extra punch of nutrition. Who says you can't have your dark leafy greens in the morning? This smoothie is also an excellent source of calcium because both the kale and milk are rich sources. 

In my breakfast smoothie that I have pictured, I used:

1 cup of chopped kale
1 cup of vanilla soy milk
1 banana
1 tsp chia seeds (optional)

I blended those ingredients until smooth, then I added in a few ice cubes and blended again.

Nutrition facts: 258 calories, 49 grams carbohydrate, 11 grams protein, 5 grams of fat

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Another Reason Not to Skip Breakfast

You have heard it all before. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's so easy to come up with reasons to skip this meal, such as not enough time, not hungry in the morning, etc...

It is important for everyone, especially athletes, to fuel your body right away in the morning. After a night of sleep, your body is running low and breakfast is needed to give you the jump-start you need. When choosing what to eat for breakfast, be sure to include a good source of protein. Often times people eat a lot of protein later in the day and forget to include it in with breakfast. Your body needs it in the morning, too! It will also keep you feeling full longer.

Another reason not to skip breakfast comes from a study done by the Imperial College of London. Subjects who skipped breakfast craved higher fat choices once lunch time came around. Those who ate breakfast did not have such intense cravings and ate fewer calories at lunch. It offers interesting insight to how our brain thinks about the food we eat. A more detailed summary of the study can be found in the link below. 

From BBC News, Skipping breakfast primes the brain to seek out fat

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Eating Disorders and Athletes

Maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial for overall good health.  At the core of this philosophy lies a balanced diet and plenty of physical activity.  Although that rule is true for everyone, it holds a special meaning to athletes.  The desire for an athlete to improve performance is usually a good trait; but, in some cases, it may be taken too far. A major cause of concern comes from the mentality that thinness is directly related to an athlete’s self-worth and the ability to become better at his or her sport.  At this point, it is time to

seek help.

In general, an eating disorder is a condition when a person suffers from an unhealthy body image paired with harmful eating practices.  The three classifications of eating disorders are anorexia nervosa (restrict food with or without binge-purge cycles), bulimia nervosa (binge-purge cycles), or eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS).  They are often connected with psychological disorders including anxiety, depression, and over-compulsive behavior.  Current research is unable to accurately show how prevalent eating disorders are within the athletic population.  Data suggest that the number of athletes affected by this disease could range anywhere between 1% and 62% in females and between 0% and 57% in males¹.

Participating in athletics is demanding on the body.  The body requires a substantial amount of energy and other nutrients to perform repeatedly or for a long time, and even more to fully recover from that physical activity. This underscores why nutrition counseling is an important aspect in successful training and competition. The body receives most of its energy from carbohydrates and fat.  Protein is also needed to help build and repair muscle.  Athletes who inappropriately restrict the amount of food they eat will hinder their training and athletic performance by decreasing muscle mass and allowing fatigue to set in more quickly.  A diet too low in calories can also make it much more difficult to reach the minimum level of nutrients needed to stay healthy.  Calcium, vitamin B-12, and iron are common nutrient deficiencies found in food-restricted diets¹.  Because the body is weakened from the lack of energy and other nutrients, there is also an increased risk of injury.

Athletes put a lot of pressure on themselves to get the best score or lowest time. Many sports also have the added pressure of achieving and maintaining a certain body image. Some sports in particular, such as running and gymnastics, have some of the highest rates of eating disorders when compared to other sports ².  

Signs and Symptoms:  Signs and symptoms of an eating disorder can vary greatly by individual.  Restricting food is not the only sign of an eating disorder so it is important to be aware of other characteristics.  The American Psychiatric Association provides this list to help identify a person with an eating disorder:²

• Intense fear of gaining weight
•  A connection between body shape and size to self-worth
• A weight loss that drops him or her below 85% of a normal weight for age and height, and the inability to see the danger of the extreme weight loss
•  In females, the loss of menstruation for longer than three months
• Episodes of binge eating, which is eating an unusually large amount of food, followed by a purge, which may be self-induced vomiting, misusing laxatives, or over-exercising. 
• Binge eating and purging at least twice a week for three months

In athletes, over-exercising is more difficult to recognize when compared to non-athletes, but it is still an issue that needs to be considered.  If the motivation to exercise changes from improving athletic performance to only thinking about burning calories from the previous meal², then it may be a sign of something else going on, such as an eating disorder.

The health consequences related to an eating disorder include a disruption in normal hormone levels, depression, weakened bones, malnutrition, tooth decay, stomach problems, infertility in women, damage to the heart, and possibly death¹.  Successful recovery from this disease requires intervention from a team of professionals, typically including a physician, a mental health counselor, and a dietitian.  An appointment with any one of those providers will be able to offer assistance and make referrals.  

¹Beals KA. Disordered eating in athletes. In: Dunford M, ed. Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals. 4^th ed. Chicago, IL: American Dietetic Association; 2006:336-354.

²Clark N. Sports Nutrition Guidebook. 4^th ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2008. 

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Living on campus? Save money on snacks!

• Buy items in bulk. They last longer are usually cheaper per serving. An example would be a box of triscuits or crackers rather than the buying the individual packages. 
• Keep an eye out for any items that you commonly use that go on sale at the grocery store. Remember - don’t buy a food item you will never use just because it is on sale. 
• If you have a microwave in your room: frozen (steam in microwave) vegetables is a healthy snack idea and are cheaper and easier to care for then fresh. Place them in the freezer compartment of your mini-fridge for storage. 
• Canned foods, such as tuna or canned fruit, have a long shelf life and are generally cheap. Place the tuna on crackers for a good snack or meal. Choose canned fruit that has been canned in water or its own juice. 
• Fresh fruit/vegetables are always a good snack idea and when on sale can be relatively inexpensive. One must eat it, however, before it spoils. 
• If buying lunch meats make sure you choose the leaner meat selections, such as chicken or turkey.

Guest Blogger: Duncan Anderson, USD Dietetic Intern

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Chocolate Milk and the Athlete

Chocolate milk has been making headlines for some time now about it being the "athlete's drink." But do you really know why? 

Before we dive into that too much, let's review a little what happens when we exercise. In our bodies, protein is constantly being built and broken down. This is called protein turn-over. A side effect of an exercise bout is the breaking down of proteins. Exercise causes some tissue damage and requires a little repair. Not only do you need the protein, but your carbohydrate stores need to be replenished as well. This is why there is a recommendation to eat a carbohydrate/protein snack post-exercise. The term "recovery snack" makes more sense now, doesn't it?

So what makes chocolate milk so special? Cow's milk is considered to be a high-quality protein because it contains all of the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that are body cannot produce and must be taken in through the diet. It also contains more carbohydrates (cho) per serving when compared to regular white milk. 

In a study led by the University of Connecticut, they examined chocolate milk consumption with endurance athletes and how it affected protein balance, glycogen, and performance. Runners were asked to complete a 45 minutes exercise. After that, each runner was given either chocolate milk (cho+pro) or a sweetened beverage (cho only). 

At the end of the study, they found that the runners who drank the chocolate milk had greater protein synthesis and less protein breakdown than those who drank the sweetened beverage. Both drinks were able to maintain glycogen (cho) storage. 

This study, along with others, show that it takes BOTH protein and carbohydrates to properly recover from exercise. Chocolate milk is a convenient (and tasty!) way to get the nutrients your body is craving. Remember- a recovery beverage should be consumed within 30 minutes of exercise to see the full effects.

Reference: 
Lunn, W. R., Pasiakos, S. M., Colletto, M. R., Karfonta, K. E., Carbone, J. W., Anderson, J. M., & Rodriguez, N. R. (2012). Chocolate milk and endurance exercise recovery: protein balance, glycogen, and performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 44(4), 682-691.

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Suffering from stomach issues during endurance events?

There are many variables involved with developing stomach and intestinal difficulties during endurance events, including different courses, varying weather conditions, different states of fitness and changing intakes of calories and fluids – it can be very difficult to pin point exactly what went wrong in any situation. 

• Report as many details as possible such as weather and course information, start and finish time, and record – in as much detail as possible – everything you ate and drank (including solution strengths and amounts of food) and when you consumed it 
• Possible Problem: Taking in too many calories during event. Taking in too many calories too quickly can slow the emptying of your stomach causing a build up of fluid in the stomach and resulting in cramps, nausea and vomiting. 
• Try to take your energy in liquid form if possible. It is easier to swallow, easier to digest and easier to know what you are taking in. Solid food takes more time and energy to digest and when you are operating at your limit. Your body simply does not the have time to digest it well. 
• Possible Problem: Taking in too much fluid. Taking in too much fluid can result in ‘stomach sloshing’ and a build up of fluid in the stomach and small intestine resulting in nausea and vomiting. 
• Another factor to be aware of is that carbohydrate sources that contain resistant starch, may contribute to symptoms of gas, bloating, cramps, nausea and diarrhea. Resistant starch is derived from amylose often used to make maltodextrin which is widely used in sports nutrition products. This may require some experimenting with different sports drinks to find one that works best for you.

Guest Blogger: Marni Shoemaker, Sports Nutrition Intern from Augustana College

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Recovery foods: What to choose? Review of the research.

Often people wonder if buying a commercially engineered sports food (drinks, gels, bars, etc) is better for you when compared to regular food to aid in muscle recovery from exercise. If it is packaged to say so, it must be right? 

Well some of those products do work, but they are not necessarily better. They may be convenient, but they do not contain any magic ingredients that cannot be found in foods you regularly purchase. A study was done comparing a carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage (sports drink) and a bowl of cereal with nonfat milk. The objective of the study was to determine what, if any, difference the two foods had on muscle recovery from exercise. 

This study recruited eight male and four female cyclists or triathletes. The athletes rode a bike for two hours. Immediately after the ride, a muscle biopsy was done on the subjects (ouch!). Then the subjects were given either the sports drink or the cereal with nonfat milk. They waited an hour and another muscle biopsy was done. The researchers found that both increased glycogen in the muscle, but only the cereal significantly increased muscle proteins. 

Whole foods, like the cereal and milk, are a great option for muscle recovery and are often less expensive. 

Reference:
Cereal and nonfat milk supports muscle recovery following exercise by Lynne Kammer, Zhenping Ding, Bei Wang, Daiske Hara, Yi-Hung Liao, and John L. Ivy

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Recipe - Southwestern Chicken and White Bean Soup

I am sharing this recipe from Cooking Light. It will be sure to warm you up on a chilly evening and it only contains five ingredients!

Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cooked Chicken breast
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
Cooking spray
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or any other white beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup green salsa
Light sour cream, optional

Directions:
1. Combine chicken and taco seasoning; toss well to coat. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes until chicken is lightly browned. Add broth.
2. Place beans in a small bowl and mash until only a few whole beans remain. Add beans and salsa to the pan with the chicken. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with sour cream, if desired. 

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Carbohydrates are the Best Source of Energy for Athletes

The best way to provide your muscles the energy they need is CARBS! No secret there. It's not supplements or any other product with big promises to do the trick. It's really simple. A carbohydrate rich diet is the key for athletes to both fuel up before, maintain, and replenish energy from exercise.

Now the question you may be thinking yourself or hear many others say, "well, don't carbs make you fat?" Eating too many overall calories make you fat, not carbohydrates specifically. Carbohydrates get a bad reputation for that, but many of the foods that people over-indulge in are high in carbohydrates - sodas, pastas, breads, sweets, etc. Those foods all can have a place in a healthy diet. Finding the balance of how they fit in is where a little education can help. 

Carbohydrates are both simple and complex. Simple and complex refer to the sugar types present in the molecule. Without getting too complicated, simple has one or two different types of sugars present. Complex carbohydrates are formed when many sugars are linked together. Foods contain a variety of different sugars. 

You need foods that contain carbohydrates because that is what is stored in your muscles for energy. Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrate in muscle and liver. A little over half of your total calories should come from carbohydrates for optimal performance in sport. 

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Dehydration: A concern for basketball players?

Proper hydration is a key component for effective athletic performance. However, the impact and importance of hydration during basketball practice or, more importantly, a game is often unappreciated and underemphasized by the athletes and coaching staff. Many players don’t realize the effect dehydration may have on their on-court performance. As little as a 2% body weight deficit during practice or competition can diminish decision making and basketball-specific skills, slow response times, and cause fatigue to occur more rapidly.^1,2,4 Therefore, it is clearly advantageous for players to enter a game well-hydrated, and maintain their hydration throughout the game, as the outcome may depend on split-second decisions in the closing minutes of the contest.

Sweat rate and fluid intake in basketball

Studies show that a high percentage of basketball players (from middle school up to the NBA) are entering games dehydrated.⁵ Adult and older adolescent basketball players on average lose 2.0-4.5 L (67-152 fl. oz) of sweat over the course of a 2-hr practice and 1.0-4.6 L (33-155 fl. oz) during a game.⁴ While these sweat rates (at the upper end) may seem high, these extensive losses are very manageable if the players are deliberate in consuming the proper amount of fluid throughout their practices and games. However, studies also have shown that basketball players typically only consume about half of what they lose during practice and competition.^3,5 This is often times due to the fact that athletes underestimate the amount of fluid they are losing and because our thirst mechanism doesn’t provide the proper stimulus to fully maintain hydration during exercise. You may be fairly dehydrated and still not feel that thirsty during or after exercise.

Recommendations

Make sure to start each practice and game fully-hydrated. A simple way to determine proper hydration is to look at the color of your urine before you start. It should be a light color (lemonade color). If your urine is a darker color (apple juice color), more than likely you are dehydrated. But also make sure you are not overly hydrated, which can also hurt performance. If you are going to the bathroom often (e.g., every 45 minutes) you are probably drinking too much.

Drink regularly throughout the practice/game. A general recommendation for adults and older adolescents is to drink 6-8 oz. of fluid (water or sports drink) every 15 minutes. In addition, you also need to consider your sweat rate, the intensity of play, and the environmental conditions (in-season game vs. summer tournament) and adjust fluid consumption accordingly.

A more accurate way to determine sufficient hydration is to monitor your weight before and after practice or a game. A weight loss of 2% or greater indicates inadequate fluid consumption. For every pound of weight loss after play or practice, 16-20 oz. of fluid should be consumed over the course of the night to the next day.

If you are expending a lot of energy (playing at a high intensity and/or the duration of the game is greater than 90 minutes), a sports drink is recommended to replenish some carbohydrate and electrolytes. Stay away from energy drinks, soda, and caffeinated beverages, as they may cause you to become dehydrated and hurt your performance!

Coaches and training staffs also play key roles in keeping their athletes properly hydrated. Coaches need to schedule enough water breaks in practice and encourage their athletes to drink regularly throughout games, during time-outs, and when they are recovering on the bench. 

Following these recommendations can give you a performance advantage over your opponent the next time you step out onto the court.

Guest Blogger: Jason Dorman, MS, CSCS - Operations Manager at The National Institute for Athletic Health and Performance. Follow him on Twitter @SanfordJasonD

1. Baker, L.B., D.E. Conroy, and W.L. Kenney, Dehydration Impairs Vigilance-Related Attention in Male Basketball Players. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007. 39(6): p. 976-983.

2. Baker, L.B., et al., Progressive Dehydration Causes a Progressive Decline in Basketball Skill Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2007. 39(7): p. 1114-1123.

3. Broad, E.M., et al., Body Weight Changes and Voluntary Fluid Intakes During Training and Competition Sessions in Team Sports. International Journal of Sport Nutrition, 1996. 6: p. 307-320.

4. Dougherty, K.A., et al., Two Percent Dehydration Impairs and Six Percent Carbohydrate Drink Improves Boys Basketball Skills. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2006. 38(9): p. 1650-1658.

5. Osterberg, K.L., C.A. Horswill, and L.B. Baker, Pregame Urine Specific Gravity and Fluid Intake by National Basketball Association Players. Journal of Athletic Training, 2009. 44(1): p. 53-57.

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