Grinning and Winning!
Have you ever worked so hard for something that when you earned the reward you couldn’t stop grinning?
Well, that’s how I felt this past week.
For the past year, I have been studying for a Fitness Nutrition Specialization credential with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. This was no small credential. It involved 15 modules of videos + reading + quizzes + a final exam. I felt like I was back in graduate school earning my clinical doctorate!
And you better believe… I am excited that I passed my exam with a score of 92/100 on the first attempt!
Why did I put in all this hard work?
I was tired of my physical therapy patients and fitness clients asking me questions about nutrition that I didn’t have all the answers to. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know I’m not going to have the answer to every question that comes my way about food. However, I feel so much better equipped to respond to questions like:
- What is the best diet to follow?
- Is...
Which Diet is Best For Me?
Anyone who knows me knows that I exercise regularly, eat healthy 80% of the time, and try to find some “me” time to relax.
Because I am a physical therapist and an athletic trainer, I tend to get asked a lot of questions about “what do I do when this [fill in the blank] hurts?” or “can you tell why I have this pain?”
Besides those questions, I get asked A LOT about “WHAT FOOD SHOULD I EAT?” or “WHAT DIET DO YOU RECOMMEND?”
Now, let’s be clear. I am NOT a nutrition expert and I am NOT a registered dietician.
If anyone has any dietary concerns or has any health problems related to diabetes, heart disease, thyroid issues, or any other medical issues that can be influenced by diet, I absolutely recommend seeking professional assistance with a Registered Dietician who can create an individualized and custom diet plan for you.
I can only speak in general terms based on the research I have read for my own personal benefit...
Food and Water for Sport
Every person, athlete or non-athlete, functions best with good nutrition.
Athletic performance is influenced greatly by nutrition. Getting the right amount macronutrients and micronutrients can often be the missing link in improving performance.
Macronutrients = carbs, proteins, and fats
Micronutrients = vitamins and minerals
Let’s keep it simple.
Athletes will need the following macronutrients:
- 45-70% of their diet from healthy carbs
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- 15-25% of their diet from lean protein
- Low-fat dairy - cottage cheese, milk, Greek yogurt
- Chicken, fish, beef, turkey, eggs, tofu
- 15-25% of their diet from healthy fat
- Olive oil
- Avocados
- Nut butters
- Coconut oil
- Seeds
- Nuts
Athletes will also benefit from the following micronutrients:
- Calcium
- Dairy
- Vitamin D
- Egg yolk
- Fortified milk
- Yogurt
- Cereals
- Fruit juices
- Iron
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Lentils
- Quinoa
- Nuts and seeds
- Vitamin C
- Oranges
- Strawberries
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Electrolytes
- Mixed...