Download Nutrition and Hydration Guidelines

NUTRITION & HYDRATION GUIDELINES
Dear Players and Parents,
The Riverside Brookfield Coaching Staff is looking forward to the 2016 football season. The importance of taking care of
your body has been stressed during the offseason strength and speed program. The results of our hard work have been
monitored. Congratulations on your success, but don’t be satisfied.
More and more stress will be placed on how well you perform. To reach your highest potential, all of your body systems
must be perfectly tuned. Nothing is more important to your well-being and ability to perform than good nutrition. Eating
the right foods helps you maintain desirable body weight, stay physically fit, and establish optimum nerve-muscle
reflexes. Without the right foods, even physical conditioning and expert coaching aren't enough to push you to your
best. Good nutrition must be a key part of your training program if we are to succeed.
The following foods should be reduced and preferably eliminated from your diet due to their high fat or simple
carbohydrate content. They include pop, crackers, bagels, processed meats, muffins, fried foods, corn, white rice, hot
dogs, white bread, white pasta, and white potatoes.
Your probably wondering what is left to eat. Here is a list of better food choices to help your performance on and off the
field.
Almonds
Apples
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cantaloupe Celery
Eggs
Fish
Nectarines
Grapefruit
Oatmeal
Chicken
Beans
Onions
Soybeans
Bananas
Berries
Cottage Cheese Crab Cucumbers
Honeydew Melon
Olive Oil
Pecans Plums Shrimp
Oranges
Avocados
Kiwi
Peaches
Tomatoes Turkey
Lobster Mussels
Pears
Peppers
Yogurt (low sugar)
Peanut Butter
The most important meals of the day are breakfast and the pre bedtime meal. These will be the ones that keep you from
losing weight and muscle mass during the season. It is important to eat every 2-3 hours as well. Don’t skip meals.
Below are guidelines for Pregame Meals:
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Allow enough time for digestion. Eat the meal at least three hours before an event.
Choose a meal that's high in starch. Starch is easy to digest and helps steady the levels of blood sugar. Examples
of complex starches include oatmeal, yams, and whole wheat pasta
Consume only moderate amounts of protein. Protein foods take longer to digest than starch. And high-protein
meals may lead to increased urine production, which can add to dehydration.
Limit fats and oils. They take too long to digest.
Restrict sugary foods. Sweets can cause rapid energy swings in blood sugar levels and result in low blood sugar
and less energy.
Avoid foods and drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the body to increase urine output, which can
contribute to dehydration problems, and a full bladder can be very uncomfortable.
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Watch out for foods that produce gas. Certain raw vegetables, fruits, or beans may cause problems for some
young athletes. Be aware of the foods that cause you problems, and avoid them just before an event.
Within these guidelines, chose foods you like to eat.
Remember to drink plenty of fluids with your pregame meal.
HYDRATION
How much is enough?
Athletes should drink at least 3.7 liters daily, which is the minimum recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) and up to 10 liters to
match losses. Unless weight gain is desired, the fluids used should be low in sugar.
Before practice, athletes need about 16 to 24 ounces (2 to 3 cups) of water, two to three hours before training and games. While on the
sidelines and in the locker room, players should drink at least 8 to10 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes, or more if they sweat heavily. After
training, replenish with at least 64 ounces (8 cups) fluid, and even up to 1 ½ times that amount (96 ounces) to be completely rehydrated.
Beverages that are cooler than room temperature are absorbed best, since they move throughout the bloodstream to the muscles faster.
Fluids that taste good are also more likely to be consumed, so find your favorite and drink up!
After practice, replacing fluids at a rate of 1 to 1.5 times the amount lost, or about 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost at practice
is critical to remaining hydrated.
The above guidelines are simply that, guidelines. The information is useful data supported by sports medicine specialists
but in no way is it supposed to completely replace current dietary habits. It is OK to have a “fat day” where you may have
those higher fats and simple carbs. Also, changing bad habits takes time and requires a group/ family effort. Good things
come out of hard work. Maximizing the physical and mental performance of these student athletes’ is our goal. Let’s work
together.
Brendan Curtin
Head Football Coach
Riverside Brookfield High School
[email protected]
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