TOP TIPS FOR FEEDING TEEN SWIMMERS

5/14/2013

BY CHRIS ROSENBLOOM, PHD,RD, CSSD

USASwimming.org nutrition contributor, Jill Castle, recently published “Fearless Feeding: How to Raise Healthy Eaters from High Chair to High School” (Jossey-Bass publisher, 2013), and I asked her to offer her top tips for feeding teen swimmers. Many of our readers are looking for sound nutrition advice with practical tips for families of active swimmers and this book is the go-to source.

With parents and teen athletes on different schedules, how can the family eat meals together so that mom and dad aren’t short order cooks?
“Start by checking everyone’s schedule for the week, and I’ll bet you can find at least two or three meals the whole family can enjoy together,” says Castle.

It might be breakfast or a weekend dinner, but look for opportunities to eat together. Plan the menu and announce the plan to your family. Tell them they are expected to be present, and if plans change, Castle suggests a pre-plated meal for the absent person that can be reheated in the microwave or oven.

How can parents limit fast food consumption?
Castle suggests several strategies to curb unhealthy fast food choices. First, help your teen learn about healthier fast food items so he can make good choices most of the time. Visit the restaurant’s website or download an app to encourage choosing grilled items, yogurt parfaits, wraps or egg sandwiches. Second, have healthy, quick items within easy reach in your fridge. Yogurt, smoothies, low-fat milk, veggies and dip, and mixed fruit cups should be grab-and-go items for teens,” Castle says. In addition, keep trail mix, nuts, and dried fruit available for quick after practice snacks.

What can a parent do to get a teenage girl to get adequate calcium if she won’t drink milk?
If your teen doesn’t drink milk, look for other good sources of calcium that she will include in her diet. Castle suggests calcium-fortified orange juice, yogurt smoothies, cheese, pudding or ice cream. Other calcium-rich foods include almonds, soy nuts, tofu and cooked greens. Also consider why your teen won’t drink milk. Is it lactose intolerance or another issue? Soy milk, rice milk and almond milk are all fortified with calcium, and your teen might like these alternatives better than dairy milk.

With heavy practice schedules and schoolwork, how can parents help swimmers get enough calories?
“Structure a meal and snack plan,” Castle says. The plan should include 3 meals and 3 snacks each day. Experiment with free phone apps that help athletes track food intake, and set the phone to beep for reminders to eat throughout the day. Castle recommends powerhouse foods that contain both carbohydrate and protein for pre- and post-workout snacks to refuel tired muscles. “Peanut butter on whole grain bread, a banana and a cheese stick” contain high quality nutrients for fueling.

For more information on Castle’s book, see http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-111830859X,descCd-buy.html

Chris Rosenbloom is the sports dietitian for Georgia State University Athletics and is the editor of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Sports Nutrition Manual, 5th edition, 2012. She welcomes questions from swimmers, parents and coaches. Email her at chrisrosenbloom@gmail.com. 

Reposted from usaswimming.org

Top Tips For Choosing Smoothies

4/16/2013

BY CHRIS ROSENBLOOM//PHD, RD, CSSD

Smoothies are a great choice for swimmers because they provide nutrient-rich carbohydrates to fuel muscles before a workout and can rapidly replace lost muscle glycogen after a workout. However, with so many choices of smoothies found in specialty stores (Smoothie King, Freshens, Jamba Juice, etc.) to bottled smoothies in the grocery store, how do you choose? Here are some tips to help you choose the smoothie that will meet your energy needs and won’t sabotage your workouts.

1. Study the ingredient list to check for real fruit or vegetables and/or fruit or vegetable juice as the main ingredients. Don’t be fooled by pictures of whole fruit or vegetables in the advertising or on the package. The only way to know if a smoothie has real food is to look at the ingredient list. Some smoothies list “pear juice concentrate or apple juice concentrate” as the first ingredient, although they claim to be made from real fruit.

2. Smoothies can be healthy, but many are sugar traps. Fruit naturally contains sugar but many smoothies add sugar in the form of fruit puree blends or include sherbet or frozen yogurt which contributes to added sugar. And, just because the sugar is listed as “organic” doesn’t mean it is healthier. Sugar is sugar. Remember that “energy” is another word for calories. All food gives you energy because it is broken down to provide fuel. If smoothies were called “calorie drinks” no one would buy them, but when the word “energy” is on the label everyone wants it. Energy can also be a marketing code word for caffeine or other stimulants, like guarana or yerba mate, so be careful when choosing a smoothie that claims to boost your energy. Don’t add the “boosters” or “enhancers” when ordering a smoothie to avoid caffeine or even possibly a banned substance.

3. Check the serving size. Many smoothies come in 2 or 3 sizes and a 40-ounce peanut butter power smoothie can have 1400 calories. That might be OK for a really tall, elite swimmer who spends his life in the pool, but it is too much for a pre-teen female swimmer. Many smoothies sold in the grocery store fool you on portion size, too. For example, many smoothies come in a 16-ounce bottle but the serving size is 2 servings per bottle. So that 300 calorie smoothie really has 600 calories if you drink the whole bottle (and most of us drink the whole bottle).

4. Learn to make smoothies with simple ingredients. The best smoothie I ever had was at little smoothie stand in Florida. The only ingredients were banana, strawberries and orange sections blended with ice. Cool, refreshing, bursting with vitamins and minerals, and not too sweet. So, dig out the blender in mom or dad’s kitchen and experiment with your favorite flavors.

Smoothies can be a powerhouse snack for a swimmer by providing carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and water, but they can also be calorie bombs that can sabotage your workouts, so choose wisely!

Chris Rosenbloom is the sports dietitian for Georgia State University Athletics and is the editor of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Sports Nutrition Manual, 5^th edition, 2012. She welcomes questions from swimmers, parents and coaches. Email her at chrisrosenbloom@gmail.com.

Taken from www.usaswimming.org