From USA Swimming - Complex But Simple

For more great articles, feel free to view this one at http://www.usaswimming.org/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=1&itemid=4024&mid=8712 and others at USSwim.org

COUNT ON CARBOHYDRATE FOR THE YOUNG SWIMMER

BY JILL CASTLE, MS, RD

Are ‘carbs’ bad? Popular opinion would lead you to believe they are—but this isn’t true for growing swimmers. The truth is, carbohydrates supply important nutrients and a critical energy source for the young swimmer. But what types of carbohydrates are best? You may be surprised to learn that all types of carbohydrates can have benefits, but with all things nutrition, getting the right balance is the key.

Carbohydrate is the preferred energy source for working muscles and normal brain function. All carbohydrate from food is digested and broken down to a simple form: glucose. The brain and muscles rely on a steady supply of this for normal performance.

Muscles store, or load, glucose in the form of glycogen. During exercise, glycogen breaks down, releasing glucose to the blood stream and making it available to the brain and muscles. Unlike adults, young athletes are limited in their ability to breakdown glycogen. While carbohydrate loading is common among adult athletes, its benefit in young swimmers and other young athletes is undetermined.

Carbohydrates are categorized as simple (sugar) or complex (starch and fiber). Foods such as grains, fruit, vegetables and dairy products are complex carbohydrates and desirable for the athlete. Why? The more complex the source, the longer it takes to digest and absorb, making glucose available to the muscles over a longer period. On the other hand, simple carbohydrate sources are quickly digested and absorbed, releasing glucose almost immediately to the body. Both sources are beneficial to the young swimmer. Complex sources are the foundation foods from daily meals and snacks, keeping muscles, brain and body well fueled. Simple carbohydrate sources, such as a sports drink, can be beneficial before and during training or competition.

Generally, children’s diets are rich in carbohydrate, but the balance of complex and simple sources are skewed. Many kids are getting more carbohydrate from simple sources than they need, overdosing on soda, other sweetened beverages, desserts, candy and other processed snack foods. These foods may negatively impact the nutrition ‘bottom line’ for growing swimmers, resulting in excess calories and nutrient gaps in their diet. Scaling back on these foods leaves room for the important (and more nutritious) complex carbohydrate foods.

So how can young swimmers bank on getting enough and the right type of carbohydrates? Tilt the balance in favor of complex carbohydrates with these tips:

• Eat an array of fruit and vegetables, targeting 5 servings (1 cup) each day.
• Incorporate starchy (potato and other root vegetables) and non-starchy vegetables into meals and snacks.
• Eat whole grains (cereal, bread, pasta, rice, crackers) over refined grains, at least half of the time.
• Drink and eat low-fat dairy products (or dairy substitutes), targeting 3 cups each day.
• Scale back on desserts, candy, processed snacks, soda and other sweetened beverages—keep it to one or two servings (or less) each day.
• Strategically use sports drinks during training and competition, not as an accompaniment to a meal or snack.

When thinking about carbohydrates, keep it simple! Max on complex carbohydrate foods and minimize the simple ones—not only will the young swimmer be set for training and competition everyday, he’ll get a healthy dose of good nutrition too.

Jill Castle is a registered dietitian and child nutrition expert. She is the owner of Pediatric Nutrition of Green Hills and creator of Just The Right Byte, a child and family nutrition blog. Jill lives with her husband and four children (one swimmer!) in Nashville, TN.

For more helpful articles on nutrition, visit our Nutrition Center, in our Tips & Training section.

Good Starts

Good Starts

From News for Swim Parents

Published by The American Swimming Coaches Association

5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200

Fort Lauderdale FL 33309

It’s clear to anyone observing a swimming meet that some swimmers are much faster off of the blocks. Differences in starting ability from one swimmer to the next are easy for parents to observe. Unfortunately, it is one part of the race that is not always mastered equally well by all swimmers. There are two contributing factors to the success of the start: learned skill and natural ability.

The simple fact is that not all swimmers are built the same. Some will always be better starters because they are born with a higher percentage of "fast twitch" fibers making them more explosive and capable of getting off the starting block faster. It is an hereditary factor and cannot be significantly changed through training.

But start ability is not all heredity as proper mechanics also contribute. Coaches teach these mechanics several times a week and can help the swimmer make significant improvements over time. It is important to remember that swimmers learn at different paces. Despite the best efforts of coaches, some swimmers will take longer to learn a good start than others.

Before judging a swimmer’s ability to get off the block, either as very good or as needing a lot more coaching, look at where and when the swimmer surfaces after the start. After the starting signal, who gets to the 10 meter mark first? It’s not always the first swimmer off of the block. A study done several years ago examined the relative importance of the initial quickness off the block versus the swimmer's ability to enter the water, streamline, kick, and breakout properly. According to the study, how the swimmer hits the water and what they do in the water are of far greater importance than speed off of the block. This ability is a complex skill requiring a lot of practice, mixed with the right body type. Some argue that it is more dependent on body type which is a factor a swimmer cannot control. The fact is, that because of body type and buoyancy, some swimmers streamline better than other swimmers and with proper kicking an breakout mechanics will surface in front of other less able swimmers.

So what can we make of all this? Answer: always look at the larger picture. Is the swimmer improving and is she or he happy? That’s the larger, larger picture. Looking at the “smaller larger picture” one needs to consider all aspects of the race including good approaches to the walls, good turns, proper breakouts, good stroke mechanics, proper race management, and a great finish. It all adds up. If the swimmer has not yet developed a great start, entry, and break out, there are many other areas of the event we can look to for success.

Thanks, but....

I received two sets of “Thank you’s” from parents on one day a while ago. That’s a rare thing in the world of coaching senior swimmers.

One of the “thank you’s” was about the care and concern I showed for her child and my continuing efforts to provide a good environment not just for her child, but for all the senior swimmers. Wow, that was deeply appreciated and it immediately elevated me a bit.

A short while later I received another “Thank you” of a different type, but this one left me feeling uncomfortable. This “Thank you” was for the very nice performance his child had at the previous weekend’s meet. I was gracious and thanked him but I left many words unsaid.

To thank me for the excellent performance of their child implies that I had something to do with that performance. I am not comfortable being responsible for an athlete’s excellent performance. If I accept thanks for a good performance must I then take the grief for a bad performance?

Where is the line of separation in responsibility for a good or bad performance? I see a senior swimmer perhaps as much as 4 hours a day between morning workout, afternoon dryland, and afternoon workout. That leaves 20 other hours a day for the athlete to get behind in their school work, not get enough sleep, not eat right, and throw themselves into all sorts of dramas and high stress situations. And during the 4 hours I am with them, can I make them have perfect starts, strokes, turns, and finishes? No. Can I make them work beyond their perceived ability? No. Every swimmer is responsible for their work ethic. Every swimmer is responsible for becoming a craftsman of their technique. I can stand on the blocks and instruct them to streamline, kick7 dolphin kicks and go 10 meters off of the wall on every freestyle turn… but I cannot make them do that. It is when they chose to do so that they take advantage of the environment I establish.

My job is creating the right environment. Thank me for that. I’ll appreciate it.

…but don’t thank me for an excellent performance by your child, and don’t look to me to be accountable for a lousy performance. Check out those other 20 hours first and then stop by at workout to further determine if your child is taking ownership of their workout performance.

The proper positive relationship between athlete and coach is one where the coach provides the right environment which includes positive feedback when warranted, critical feedback when warranted, instruction when needed, encouragement when needed, challenges, and a level of adversity nearly all the time. The athletes apply themselves and take ownership of their progress.

What’s a parent to do? Ask your child if they are taking ownership of their performance and if they don’t know what that means – help them understand it. Reinforcement from home is one of the best ways to help your child.

The First Ingredient in Success...Learning to Deal with Failure

The First Ingredient in Success….Learning to Deal with Failure.

From News for Swim Parents

Published by The American Swimming Coaches Association

5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200

Fort Lauderdale FL 33309

In the New York Times Magazine of October 2, is an article by Paul Tough (yep, real name) called “The Character Test.” It’s about Riverdale Country School, one of the elite private schools of NYC. The article deals in depth with the failure of great grades and great test scores to accurately predict success in highly competitive college environments, even for the “very best” of the elite private school graduates.

The Headmaster has concluded that the missing piece is….. character. He said:

“Whether it’s the pioneer in the Conestoga wagon or someone coming here in the 1920’s from southern Italy, there was this idea in America, that if you worked hard and you showed real grit, you would be successful. Strangely, we’ve now forgotten that.”

“People who have an easy time of it, who get 800’s on their SAT’s, I worry that these people get feedback that everything they are doing is great. I worry about that. I think we are actually setting them up for long term failure. When that person has to face up to a difficult moment, then I think they are screwed, to be honest. I don’t think we’ve given them the opportunities to grow the capacity to be able to handle that.”

A review of those who DID succeed in competitive colleges showed a real prevalence of skills in specific areas: optimism, persistence and social intelligence. They were the ones who were able to recover from a bad grade and resolve to study and do better next time. They were the ones who could bounce back from a fight with their parents, recognize the nature of family (and friends) and re-secure those relationships into balance, and those would could resist the urge to go to the movies with friends and stay home and study instead. They were the kids who could persuade teachers to give them help after class.

“Our kids don’t put up with a lot of suffering,” says a Riverdale teacher, “and when they do get uncomfortable, we tend to hear from their parents. The parents miss the point that being uncomfortable is what helps the child grow.”

Since swimming is simply a part of life education, the parallels are obvious. No matter what part of life is involved, the ability to deal effectively with failure and use the lessons provided to move you closer to success is clear. Parents who spend time “protecting” their children, do them a disservice, and actually disrespect the child who is always stronger and more capable than we, as parents, think.

Everything we do for our children that they can do for themselves, makes them weaker, not stronger. Seek adversity for your child. Allow them the honor of struggling. It’s what made you successful. If you remove the struggle, you remove their opportunities to get stronger in life.

Creating New Habits

This is a great article about creating new habits. Can be applied to more than just the skills done in the water! Think of skills outside of the pool that you can be better at (fueling yourself at meets, snacks, hydration, sleep, etc).



http://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/seven-steps-to-developing-a-new-habit/

Every Developing Swimmer Needs 2 Adults in Their Life

A nice story I found through another coach. I think it depicts well a healthy and an unhealthy relationship that can be found between swimmer, parent, and coach. Please read.


Every Developing Swimmer Needs 2 Adults in Their Life

My first full time coaching job was as the head age group coach of a large, successful program in New Jersey. We had a very strong and supportive parents group that rarely lacked parents willing to volunteer time to raise money, work at meets or become officials.

One of the most helpful parents also served as New Jersey’s head official. He was a superb meet referee and a great guy; I loved joking with him during the meets that he worked. I coached several of his kids, but the first one was emerging as one of our stronger 11-12’s while he was becoming certified.

He was a good swimmer growing up, swam for an Ivy league school himself and knew quite a lot about our sport. His daughter LOVED swimming as a 10-under. She was not great in her first few years, but she loved going to practice. Her best friends were there, and afterwords she and her dad would go for milkshakes. By the time she was twelve she had grown, her strokes had improved and she was talking to me about setting some very lofty goals.

Over the course of that season she would talk to me about swimming at practice, and then to her dad about swimming after practice. At meets he would give her additional tips in the stands after talking to me. He was never wrong, and often just emphasized things I had said to her. He was never negative and usually was both positive and constructive. We probably would have hired him if he had more time.

At our All-Star meet, she swam two best times in her first two races, but finishing third in both, failed to qualify for Zones in either. Prior to her third race she was very nervous and visibly upset. I was confused because she was having such a good meet, and she had been so happy after each of her races. That race and the next day went horribly, each race was worse than the last, but she kept getting up and trying. She actually swam pretty well on our relays both days.
She told me after warming down that she felt that she had let her dad down when she got touched out in those two races. He hadn’t said anything to her other than a tip or two on how to turn around her stroke, but she could tell how important it had become to him as well.

The last morning I was talking to her dad while she warmed up. I told him that any developing athlete needs at least two adults in their swimming life. One to tell them the things they do well, the things they need to improve and how to improve them. The second to say “I love you—I’m proud of you for working hard—“after their best races and their worst. I was willing to be either, but he paid us too much for me to be the second adult.

He spent the day saying those words; after the first race, which may have been the worst of the weekend, and after the last two, which she went on to swim at Zones. (author unknown)


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Preparation for Life

Preparation for Life

By Phil Hansel

Not everything we do in life is a pleasant experience. Not everything we do is beneficial. Not everything is productive. Not everything is a nurturing, loving experience. Life is full of negative, destructive experiences. Rejection, defeat and failure surround all of us. The trick is to be prepared to deal with this side of life and learn to overcome discouragement.

I have always felt that the great value of swimming as a sport is that it prepares one for life. The total swimming experience is made up of people, attitudes, beliefs, work habits, fitness, health, winning and losing, and so much more. Swimming is a cross section of lifetime experiences. It can provide so many learning situations. A swimmer learns to deal with pressure and stress, sometimes self-imposed, sometimes applied by others. One learns to deal with success and failure. One learns teamwork and discipline.

Swimming becomes a self-achievement activity. There is only one person in the water in a given lane in any race. The responsibility for performance ultimately lies with the individual. How well the individual has prepared physically and mentally to a large degree will determine the performance level.

Many swimming experiences can be of the disruptive, discouraging type. But at least a young swimmer learns that this is part of life, and the swimmer must learn to cope. By learning how to handle frustration and disappointment, the young swimmer gains confidence. The swimmer learns dedication and commitment. Through perseverance, a swimmer learns to overcome adversity. All of these experiences tend to develop an individual who is better able to handle life's hardships and face problems.

As coaches and parents, we tend to preach that hard work will lead to victory. We preach that clean living and proper training such as diet, sleep and regular attendance at workouts will lead to winning. Though in the long run for a productive successful life, these are probably truthful concepts that don't always work in short term situations. We have all been in situations where a bigger, more gifted person with poor work habits is the victor in race after race. Or we've known others who never seem to study yet get good grades. We've known business people who never seem to lift a finger, yet for one reason or another, they close deal after deal.

These things just are not fair. Yet this is one of the valuable lessons that swimmers learn: "Life is not fair." We don't all start out in life with the same physical, mental, emotional and financial resources. In that respect, "Life is not fair."

- A swimmer must learn what is fair for one is not necessarily fair for another.

- A swimmer learns we are all different and each individual controls his or her own destiny.

- A swimmer learns to emphasize given talents and skills.

- A swimmer learns to improve on a regular basis. By not setting limits and restrictions, this improvement will surely lead to success.

- A swimmer learns if he or she does their best, then there are no failures.

- A swimmer learns to set realistic goals. Once a goal is reached, then new goals must be established.

- A swimmer learns that effort becomes an individual crusade. If the ultimate goal is an Olympic gold medal, then with the proper talent, dedication, belief and support all swimmers believe it can be done.

This is the positive achievement side of swimming that I like so much. Through experience in swimming, our young people learn attitudes and habits that will remain with them throughout the rest of their life. Most swimmers learn to be "can do" people. Generally, these positive attitudes, belief in self and solid work habits will produce a terrific adult. Our society and our world are enriched by these former swimmers, as they become adults. Because of their training, they handle life with a smile. They contribute time and energy to others in every way imaginable. We can be proud of what swimming contributes to this world. Though "life is not fair," a swimmer knows how to deal with that and can achieve a balance. For the most part, former swimmers grow up to be ordinary people, but they always have that extra plus from the swimming experience. We are different and can be proud of it. It's a pity and truly "unfair" that thousands and thousands of young people are missing the swimming experience. We must open our programs to everyone. We must find ways to share our fantastic sport.

Recovery foods for athletes - Food - Jamaica Gleaner - Thursday | September 1, 2011

Recovery foods for athletes - Food - Jamaica Gleaner - Thursday | September 1, 2011

Heather Little-White, PhD, Contributor

Jamaicans have been glued to their television sets for the past few days as they watch the World Championships. You may wonder how our athletes feed themselves to recover after the rounds and enter the final race to achieve their goals.

Recovery foods are an integral part of nutrition for sports. Each athlete knows what will work best for him or her during the rounds and the final race. The way the championships are set up, athletes go the rounds with little time for their muscles to restock.

However, to get to the finals, recovery time and recovery foods are very critical during competition, and foods have to be eaten along the way. This is important so that prime fuelling time is not missed.

Athletes, their coaches and management team need to pay careful attention to the food and fluids they consume after each training period, elimination round and finals. Very often, athletes will find that they do not recover as quickly as they should. The goals after each session of physical activity are :

1. Replace the fluids you lost from sweating.

2. Replace your depleted glycogen stores.

Replacing Fluids

After each race, the priority is to replace fluids lost by sweating. To figure out how much fluid you need to replace, you need to figure out how much you lost during your run. You can do this by weighing without clothes before and after competing.

One pound of sweat loss equals 16 ounces of water. For example, if Veronica Campbell-Brown lost two pounds, then she would need to drink one litre of water to replace the liquids she lost. As a safety factor, no more than 20 per cent of body weight should be lost during competition. If this happens, it means that the athlete should increase fluid intake during competition. An easy and efficient way to self-test rehydration levels is to drink enough water until the urine is almost as clear as the water, or very pale yellow. If the urine is dark and smelly, it means that the body is not properly hydrated.

Rehydrate

To rehydrate properly, the athlete should drink frequently for up to 48 hours. Apart from water, which is well-tolerated, other recovery fluids include:

juices which supply water carbohydrates and electrolytes;

watery foods like watermelon, otaheti apple and soups which supply fluids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals (electrolytes);

coconut water which supplies fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes;

sports drinks or soft drinks will supply fluids and carbohydrates.

Replacing Muscle Stores

During competition, glycogen stored in the muscles becomes depleted. It is the glycogen that provides energy for the body during the rounds and finals. Replacing glycogen stores prepares the athlete for the next round or competition.

After competition or training, the athlete should eat within 15 minutes. Within this time, the enzymes responsible for making glycogen are most active and will most quickly replace the depleted glycogen stores. The carbohydrate intake should be 0.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight, eating every hour for four to five hours.

Eating after competition

Foods high on the glycemic index are ideal to refuel the muscles equally well. Foods that are higher up on the glycemic index (like yams, baked potatoes, bread, juice, oatmeal, sports drinks, raisins, corn, sweet potato, and white rice) provide the quickest replenishment, because these foods enter the bloodstream very quickly to provide nourishment.

To supply 300 calories, the athlete may have:

• a bowl of cereal with milk and a piece of fruit;
• a bowl of soup and a piece of bread or some crackers;
• a sandwich with lean meat, tuna or egg salad;
• an energy bar and a piece of fruit;
• yoghurt with granola and dried fruit or raisins;
• pasta with meat spaghetti sauce.

Protein for repair

Adequate amounts of protein should be eaten to aid athletes in rebuilding their muscles. Protein, like carbohydrates, helps speed the glycogen-replacement process. Studies have shown that having a 3:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein is more effective after a workout.

Source: www.runnersworld.com

Savoury Surprise Smoothie

6oz carrot juice

¹/⁴ avocado

1tbs fresh lemon juice

2oz water

1tbs freshly grated ginger

Pinch of cayenne pepper

The carrot juice in this savoury smoothie is rich in vitamin A, which helps regulate the immune system, says Ilana Katz, a sports nutritionist in Atlanta who developed the recipe. Fresh ginger adds a sweet, peppery flavour that, according to a 2010 study in The Journal of Pain, can reduce post-exercise muscle pain.

Avocado adds a silky texture and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Studies show the capsaicin in cayenne pepper briefly boosts metabolism, helping you burn a few extra calories.

Calories - 161; 23g carbs, 5 g fiber, 3g protein, and 8g fat.

5 Pre-Race Nutrition Mistakes to Avoid | Active.com

5 Pre-Race Nutrition Mistakes to Avoid | Active.com

By Kelly Bastone
Runner's World

If you're like many runners, you've spent the last few months training for a big race. And as your 5K, half-marathon, or marathon approaches, you're probably taking extra care with what you eat and drink. Maybe you're loading up on carbs, drinking lots of water, ordering extra servings of broccoli and beans. But are you doing the right thing?

"How you fuel up before the race has a huge impact on your performance," says Beth Jauquet, R.D., a nutritionist for Cherry Creek Nutrition in Denver. Unfortunately, runners tend toward extremes: Skimping on fuel, overdoing food or drink, or eating foods that cause digestive disaster. Here's how to avoid common mistakes and ensure what you eat and drink in the week before your race will help you secure the PR you hoped for.

The Mistake: Eating a Box of Pasta

Many runners like to top off their glycogen stores by feasting on carbs the night before a race. And why not? You're going to burn through them the next day. But flooding your system with more carbs than it can process may lead to digestive problems that will have you running to the porta-potty every mile.

The Fix: Consume moderate quantities—not huge portions—of carbs for several days prior. "Massive amounts of any food throw your system a curve ball," says Jauquet. Have oatmeal for breakfast, potatoes at lunch, and pasta for dinner. "Eat just to fullness, so you don't get indigestion or have trouble sleeping," says Tara Gidus, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

The Mistake: Drinking Gallons of H20

Not only will chugging too much water before a race leave you feeling bloated, but it will also dilute your electrolytes—minerals responsible for optimum muscle contraction. Diluted electrolyte levels can cause muscle weakness or cramping and, in extreme cases, can lead to hyponatremia, a life-threatening condition triggered by abnormally low sodium levels.

The Fix: In the days leading up to your race, drink fluids as you normally would to stay hydrated. This can include water, sports drink, juice, even coffee and tea. On the morning of the race, Jauquet recommends drinking 16 ounces of water two to three hours before the start, giving your body time to process extra fluid; drink another one to two cups right before the gun goes off.

The Mistake: Loading Up on Fiber

Normally, runners should make sure to eat lots of cruciferous vegetables, beans, and whole grains. And if you're used to such foods, all that roughage right before a race may pose no problems for you. But if you've been living on pizza and burgers, now is not the time to become a vegan. Loading up on high-fiber foods can cause uncomfortable gas, especially if your stomach is plagued by pre-race jitters.

The Fix: If you think fiber might be an issue, "cut back on those foods three days before a major race," says Gidus. That includes beans and bran cereals-but not fruits and veggies, which you should eat in modest portions. Think one cup of pineapple, a handful of cherries, or a few broccoli florets. But, Gidus cautions, if you're racing every weekend, reduce your fiber intake only on race day to make sure you don't trim all fiber out of your diet.

The Mistake: Skipping Breakfast

Too nervous or worried about feeling full, some runners can't face food on race morning. But without it, you're likely to bonk in any race. Why? Because studies show that a pre-race meal keeps your blood sugar steady and provides energy to power you through. "There's no way to get enough fuel midrace to make up for the energy you missed at breakfast," says Jauquet.

The Fix: If you know you get too nervous to eat before a race, wake up a few hours before the start-so you can eat breakfast slowly, letting each bite settle before taking another. If you can't stomach solid foods, drink a smoothie with bananas, fruit juice, and milk. These ingredients are easy on most stomachs, provide energy, and won't leave you feeling overly full.

The Mistake: Trying Something New

If you've never had spicy salmon sushi, don't order it the night before your race. You won't know how a food affects you until you've tried it-and last-minute experimentation could send you bolting for the bathroom and leave you dehydrated.

The Fix: Stick with what you know for a week before race day. Check the race Web site to confirm which drinks and gels (if any) will be offered along the course so you can test them out in advance. Don't be afraid to skip the pre-race dinner or hotel breakfast: If you're not used to downing sausage burritos pre-race, you're better off sticking with a familiar bowl of pasta. As long as it isn't huge.

Eat Better

In the days before a race, vary your diet with nongrain carb sources, such as fruits and starchy vegetables, to benefit from a wider range of nutrients.

Tailor meals to meet needs of young athletes - Leader-Telegram: Food

Tailor meals to meet needs of young athletes - Leader-Telegram: Food: With high school sports starting up, you parents may be thinking
about how to help your athletes get in and stay in shape for the
season ahead.

Tailor meals to meet needs of young athletes

By Lisa Eierman Special to the Leader-Telegram | Posted: Monday, August 1, 2011 11:45 pm

With high school sports starting up, you parents may be thinking about how to help your athletes get in and stay in shape for the season ahead.

Eating right is a big part of staying in shape for all athletes, including those of high school age.

The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association website, wiaawi.org, contains healthful eating tips. To find links to nutrition topics, go to the WIAA Info tab, click on "Health" and then on "Nutrition and Wellness."

One source is the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board's "10 Tips to Eat to Compete." Tips include:

- Focus on eating several meals and snacks throughout the day so your body has a constant energy supply.

- Choose fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products for energy-refueling carbohydrates.

- Eat foods from all five major food groups to provide the proper balance of nutrients to keep your body healthy.

- Start the day with breakfast to get a jump-start for morning practices and events.

- Pack healthful snacks for after-school refueling.

Your athlete needs a balanced diet combining energy-providing carbohydrates with lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods. Other foods can be added to that base.

Choose foods your son or daughter likes to complement the main food groups.

Family cooperation

Jane Foos, a clinical and sports dietitian at Mayo Clinic Health System-Red Cedar in Menomonie, says for high school athletes, eating right is a partnership between parents and students.

The parents' responsibility is to buy groceries and make meals, while the athlete's job is to take the food and eat it at appropriate times, she says.

For example, if the parents buy bread, peanut butter and trail mix for snacks, and then the athlete needs to make a sandwich and pack a bag of trail mix to take along for a quick snack before practice.

Breakfast and lunch provide energy for the day, so athletes should not skip these meals. If they have morning practices, they should try to eat beforehand, but if they can't, then they should have breakfast immediately afterward.

Try a breakfast of cereal, a banana, milk and toast, or pack a bagel with juice and yogurt.

For lunch, good choices are a turkey and cheese sandwich with lettuce and tomato, fruit and milk, or a beef taco with rice, baked chips with salsa and milk.

Dinner suggestions include pasta with meat sauce, breadsticks, salad or cooked vegetables, yogurt with peaches and milk, or baked chicken, rice, green beans, a dinner roll, fruit and milk. These meals provide selections from all the major food groups.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy provide carbohydrates for energy, while lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, beans and nuts yield protein that our bodies need to keep our muscles in shape for exercising.

Healthful snacks throughout the day are important to keep the athlete's body fueled. Keep a variety of foods on hand for quick snacks.

Good choices include yogurt, granola, fresh and dried fruits, bagels, pretzels, Fig Newtons, breakfast cereal, trail mixes, 100 percent juice, instant breakfast drinks, peanut butter and crackers, string cheese, tortillas with cheese, tuna and crackers, pudding, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, energy bars, sports drinks, smoothies, granola bars, graham crackers and popcorn.

Fluid intake is critical

Staying hydrated by drinking enough fluids, especially on hot days, is essential for good athletic performance. Here are some guidelines for athletes:

n Drink eight to 10 cups of fluid a day to avoid thirst. Check your urine color; dark urine means you aren't getting enough fluids, while a lemonade color indicates a good hydration level.

n Two to three hours before events, drink two cups of fluid.

n Drink ¾ to 1½ cups of fluid for every 15 minutes of exercise.

n After exercising, drink three cups of fluid for every pound of body weight lost.

n For events lasting 30 minutes or less, water is the best drink. Other good fluid choices are 100 percent fruit juices, lemonade, milk and watery foods such as fruits and vegetables. Caffeine-free beverages are recommended.

For longer duration events, sports drinks provide another option. These offer some energy from carbohydrates.

Some sports drinks also contain electrolytes such as sodium and potassium. The sodium helps the water and carbohydrates move into the body quickly.

Following these guidelines will help athletes have a great season.

Eierman is a registered dietitian with more than 25 years of experience in the food and nutrition field. She has bachelor's and master's degrees in nutrition and is certified as a diabetes educator by the American Association of Diabetes Educators and a certified dietitian by the state of Wisconsin. She is the owner of Nutrition First, a nutrition consulting business in the Eau Claire community, and is a registered dietitian with UW-Stout Dining Services.