January 29, 2021
Nutrition Foundations for Winter Athlete Performance
Nutrition Foundations for Winter Athlete Performance
By: Makayla Meixner, MS, RDN Whether you are a skier or a snowboarder, nutrition can have a profound effect on performance. In fact, the United States Olympic Committee has stated “a proper eating program is just as important to an elite athlete’s success as a training program.” However, nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated. Here is a breakdown to get you started, including the importance of getting enough energy, the foundations of a performance diet, and a helpful guide to help you build performance plates day today. Energy First and foremost, winter athletes need enough energy — or calories — to support their extremely active lifestyles. This includes energy to support basic body functions, growth, regular daily activities, and intense levels of training and competition. While individual energy needs vary, a rule of thumb is that athletes need to eat 5-6 times per day to meet their high energy demands. Often, this looks like breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, dinner, and sometimes a nighttime snack. If you’re wondering whether you or your athlete is getting enough energy, here are some common symptoms of low energy availability:- Chronic fatigue
- Frequent illness or injury
- Difficulty gaining weight or muscle
- Decreased strength or endurance
- Training hard, but not improving performance
- Weight loss (keep in mind, the body is great at conserving itself — you can have low energy availability without weight loss)
- Carbohydrate-containing foods. Carbs are the main source of fuel for the muscles and brain. Nutritious sources of carbohydrates include whole grains, fruit, legumes, and starchy vegetables.
- A variety of proteins. Protein is used for muscle repair, muscle growth, and numerous body functions. Varying your protein to include plant-based sources can help boost the number of essential nutrients in your performance diet. Besides lean meats, fish, and eggs, some nutritious plant-based sources include soy and tofu, beans and other legumes, nuts, seeds, and nut butters.
- Healthy fats. Healthy fats play a role in muscle recovery, immune health, brain health, and heart health. Some nutritious sources of fats include nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish (tuna and salmon), and avocados.
- Color. A wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods supply essential vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds that fight inflammation, support overall health, and promote optimal performance.
- Easy days. Easy days include days with a very low-intensity workout or rest days.
- Moderate days. Moderate days can include 1-2 workouts, with at least one being relatively intense.
- Hard days. Hard days include competition days, or days that contain at least two high-intensity workouts. The hard day plate can also be used to load up on carbohydrates in the days leading up to a competition.