Proper nutrition is necessary for your physical development and performance – both on and off the field. Think about the physical demands you put on your body when you practice. Things like agility training, speed tests, and conditioning training can take their toll on your bones, muscles, and more.
Healthy eating habits are essential to ensure your body has the fuel needed for optimal performance. From adding sunfiber to your diet to drinking plenty of water, there are more than a few things you can do to ensure your body gets the nutrition needed. Keep reading for some other helpful and useful tips.
Engage in Proper Meal Planning
Along with planning your meals, you should also ensure nutrient timing to help improve your preparation efforts and overall performance. You must eat breakfast every day, within an hour of waking up in the morning. Also, eat smaller, more frequent meals during the day – about five or six is ideal. It would help if you also tried to eat every three to four hours.
Along with eating the right foods at the right time, it is necessary to drink water during the day and with each meal, when you wake up, and before you go to sleep. Be sure you put a priority on your pre-and post-workout nutrition.
Ensure Variety and Balance with Each Meal
If you want to ensure you are making healthy food choices, you need to incorporate variety and balance. Be sure to choose meals that are made up of more carbs and protein and more protein than fat. You can substitute higher calorie carb sources, like bread, with options that are more nutrient-dense, such as vegetables and fruits. Also, be sure to eat an array of colors. Be sure to limit the consumption of fried foods, soft drinks, alcohol, sweets, sauces, and salad dressings.
Avoid Extreme Eating
If you want to promote more positive eating habits and superior food choices, you should avoid any type of extreme eating. Remember, dieting will not work, and fads will not last. Eating carbohydrates is essential for energy when you are training and ensuring proper recovery. Also, you need to include at least some fat in your diet.
Drink Plenty of Water
Did you know that water is the most critical component of a diet designed for performance? In fact, it makes up about 80% of your body and accounts for 65% of your total weight. You need to drink plenty of water per day – especially when you are training.
Add Beans to Your Diet
If you are looking to add good sources of carbohydrates to your diets, then beans are a great option. This includes pinto, lima, kidney, black, and green beans. These will provide fiber, minerals, and protein, which are all critical to your metabolism.
Eat More Chicken and Poultry
Protein is essential to performance. Great sources of protein include grilled, roasted, and baked skinless turkey and chicken breasts. Be sure to add these to your diet to ensure you can perform while on the field.
Eat More Green Leafy Vegetables
Sources of carbohydrates, like spinach, broccoli, and leafless yellow, red, and green peppers, are full of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. They also provide you with ample amounts of fiber, which are necessary for performance.
Citrus Juices and Fruits
Sources of carbs, like tangerines, grapefruit, and oranges, will supply plenty of fiber, potassium, and vitamin C to your body. These are also easy to carry with you and provide energy when you need a snack.
Improve Performance with the Right Food
If you want to improve your performance while on the field, you need to fuel your body with the right food. Be sure to keep the tips and information here in mind, as this is going to help ensure that you are healthy, regardless of how hard you train or what type of activity you participate in. Being informed is the best way to ensure you get the nutrients needed from the food you eat.
