Sports Nutrition

Never skip breakfast. Your body has not had nutrition while you were sleeping and it will be low on energy stores. If you exercise without breakfast you may feel weak and dizzy. Plan to eat at least one to two hours prior to exercise. Fruit and whole grain cereals or whole wheat toast are good choices for breakfast. Slice some bananas or strawberries and add them to a bowl of whole grain cereal or oatmeal with low-fat vitamin-fortified milk. How much you eat will impact your performance. Eating too little can leave you feeling weak, but eating too much before exercise can also impact your performance. Try to avoid eating large meals right before a you play sports. Eat large meals at least 4 hours prior to physical activity. Small meals may be eaten as soon as two hours prior to sports exercise. If you eat too much too soon before exercise you may feel sleepy, sluggish or experience stomach upset. 

It’s important to eat after exercise to help repair your muscles and replace your body’s glycogen. Eat protein and carbohydrates after exercise. Drink fruit juices, eat a bagel with some low-fat cream cheese, have a snack of cheese and crackers, fruit, yogurt or a peanut butter sandwich. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise.