5 Breakfast Foods Athletes Should Avoid

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. How many times have you heard that? Probably more times than you can remember. But it's true. The type of food you choose for breakfast impacts your exercise performance, training goals and even your energy levels.

However, choosing athlete-friendly breakfast foods isn't always easy. What you may perceive as a good breakfast food can actually be just the opposite. Here are five foods that are better left on the shelf.

RELATED: 8 High Protein Breakfast Ideas

Fruit Juices

Orange Juice

Pouring a big glass of orange juice in the morning is routine for many. But it's not a wise choice for athletes. Fruit juice, though refreshing, is stripped of important antioxidants and fiber during processing, and it more closely resembles sugary water. Stick with whole fruits instead. Whole fruit contains more of the nutrients and fiber your body demands.

RELATED: Rate My Breakfast Plate: How Top Trainers' Breakfasts Stack Up

Breakfast Bars

Breakfast Bars

Breakfast bars are convenient when you hit the snooze button one too many times, but most of them lack the nutrients to start your day off right. Most breakfast bars provide ample carbs but little protein. Protein is important for muscle recovery and rebuilding. A hearty whole-wheat slice of bread spread with a generous amount of natural peanut butter and a glass of low-fat milk are much better choices.

Yogurt Cups

Yogurt Cups

For the average American, a serving of yogurt in the morning is a healthy choice. Athletes, however, require more calories and nutrients than are found in a small cup of yogurt. Yogurt contains plenty of sugar but not enough calories to power you through your workout. Choose Greek yogurt instead. Greek yogurt is regular yogurt's lean and mean sibling. It contains double the protein of regular yogurt and similar amounts of carbohydrates. Top with granola or fruit for a calorie boost.

Sugary Cereals

Sugary Cereal

Cereal is delicious and cheap. That's probably why it's a staple breakfast food for many. But for athletes, cereal should not be your go-to choice. Most breakfast cereals are nothing but sugar and calories, meaning your energy levels will get a quick boost but plummet shortly thereafter. Go with oatmeal instead. Mix plain oats with water or milk, top with cinnamon and fresh berries and you have a power-packed meal that will keep you going hard for hours.

RELATED: Create a Nutritious Breakfast with This Simple Formula

Bacon

Bacon

The sounds and smells of sizzling bacon in the morning are enough to make anyone's mouth water. Although it's tasty, bacon is high in nitrates, which may be linked to cancer. Bacon also lacks the vitamins and minerals athletes need. Crack an egg instead. Eggs are protein-packed and contain 13 essential nutrients. But don't fear the yolk. That's where all the nutrition is. Complement your eggs with toast and a piece of fruit for a complete and balanced meal.

Your nutrition, especially breakfast, is as important as your training. While it may be convenient to quickly grab something for breakfast in the morning, taking the time to prepare and eat a balanced breakfast is best. Remember, what you put in your body is what you get out.

RELATED: J. J. Watt Eats More for Breakfast than You Eat in a Week

Topics: DIET


Gavin Van De WalleGavin Van De Walle - Gavin Van De Walle earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science from South Dakota State University and is a Master of Science candidate in Nutrition and Dietetics...
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Top Tips For Fueling A Teenage Swimmer

1/7/2016
Panini illustration. (Small)CHRIS ROSENBLOOM, PHD, RDN, CSSD (usaswimming.org)

Many parents ask how they can help their teen swimmer optimize training when practicing two hours a day, six days a week. They want to know how a teen swimmer can keep his or her energy level up while making sure to get needed nutrients. Here are some tips to get 2016 off to a good start.

A good nutrition plan starts with an assessment. Set aside a few minutes with your teen swimmer and ask these questions. You might think you know the answers, but you might be surprised.

  • What are your favorite foods, the ones you just couldn’t live without?
  • What foods will you absolutely not eat?
  • What food tasks are you willing to take on to help fuel your swimming? (Finding new recipes to try? Preparing a shopping list? Shopping for groceries? Cooking? Packing school lunch or snacks?)
  • Will you try a fitness/nutrition app (like My Fitness Pal) to track your food intake?

When you have the answers, narrow it down to food groups. Each day, a growing, active teen needs at a minimum:

  • 6 ounces of grains (with half the grains being whole grains)
  • 2 ½ cups of vegetables (choose a variety of colorful veggies)
  • 2 cups of fruit
  • 3 cups of dairy (it doesn’t have to be milk, try other forms of dairy like cottage cheese, yogurt, soups or hot chocolate make with milk)
  • 5-6 ounces of protein
  • 5-6 teaspoons of healthy fats (choose olive or canola oil, vegetable oil-based spreads, nuts and seeds)

Here is what this might look like in a food plan:

Early morning pre-swim: 2 tablespoons peanut butter on slice of whole grain toast.

Post-Swim Breakfast: Scrambled egg with 1-ounce of lean ham, ½ cup diced bell pepper cooked in 1 teaspoon of vegetable-based spread, like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, rolled in a flour tortilla and 1 cup of calcium-fortified orange juice.

Lunch: Cheese, tomato and greens (try arugula, kale or Romaine lettuce) sandwich on whole grain bagel thins or pita pockets, 2 small tangerines and 6-ounces of yogurt.

Snack: Small sandwich bag with ½ cup trail mix containing dried fruit, nuts and whole grain cereal and 8 ounces 100% fruit juice.

Post- swimming snack: 8 ounces low-fat chocolate milk or milk-or soy-based fruit smoothie.

Dinner: 3-4 ounces grilled salmon or almond-crusted baked cod, medium baked potato with Greek yogurt and sprinkled with cheese, 2 cups roasted broccoli and cauliflower, small serving of ice cream topped with frozen berries.

Evening snack: Bowl of cereal (skip the sugary kind) and milk.

Aim for mini-meals throughout the day. As swimmer Nick Thoman (@Nick_Thoman) tweeted, “Wake up. Eat. Swim, Eat. Nap. Eat. Swim. Eat. Chill. Sleep. Rinse and repeat.” That is a good summation of a swimmer’s life!

There are many excellent sources of information on food choices and meal planning tips at choosemyplate.gov.

Thanks to all those parents who believe that good nutrition plays a crucial role in a swimmer’s success and their child’s good health. Happy New Year!


Chris Rosenbloom is a professor emerita of nutrition at Georgia State University and a registered dietitian. She provides sports nutrition consulting services to sports teams, athletes and coaches. To learn more, visit her website at chrisrosenbloom.com or follow her on Twitter @chrisrosenbloom.  She welcomes questions from swimmers, parents and coaches at chrisrosenbloom@gmail.com.

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