WorkoutAid.com » nutrition

What to Eat Before a Football game?

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 15:23:48 +0000

Knowing when and what to eat before playing football can be complicated. You want to stick to high carbohydrate foods throughout the day that will help increase your energy levels. Many people are under the assumption that throwing back a plate of pasta a few minutes before you play will help improve your game, but this is a misconception. You don’t want to consume anything for two to three hours before you play. Digestion requires energy, so not only could you feel weighed down and bloated by eating so close to game time, the digestion process will actually be leaching some of the energy you could be using to play. Eating a quick granola or energy bar a few minutes before you play is acceptable, because in some cases it can help to peak your energy.

A medium sized meal about three hours before game time is best, full of healthy high energy foods such as whole wheat pasta, oatmeal, nuts, and fruit. Avoid drinking energy drinks which are full of sugars and caffeine, as these can cause an energy crash after a short period, and can also dehydrate you.

What to Eat Before Practice

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 21:56:50 +0000

Though you may not be as concerned about what you are eating before your practice as before your big game, it is important. Practice makes perfect right, and the same goes when figuring out exactly what you should eat on practice day. Eating healthy all the time is of course your best choice, but if you are a fan of fast foods and greasy meals, try to avoid eating anything of the kind at least three hours before hand. If you are hungry before practice, try eating a small healthy snack that will hold you over. Small amounts of peanut butter or nuts are recommended along with oats, an apple or an orange, and two cups of skim milk. This way you are having a healthy, balanced snack that will give you energy, help with digestion, but not leave you full and bloated.

Back Pain As A Result Of Too Much Protein

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:16:21 +0000

Kidney back pain has been linked to over consumption of protein.

Many people in Canada and the US suffer from chronic and undiagnosed back pain, and even more experience sudden flare ups of severe pain that occur seemingly without cause. You may assume that your pain is caused from lifting something that was just too heavy or sitting inappropriately for a long period at a computer, but this may not always be the case.

In today’s society there is a large focus on losing weight and building muscle. People are resorting to some rather off the wall fad eating plans, and while some can be effective for a short period of time, any kind of diet that limits the body’s nutrition can have sometimes strange and unexpected side effects.

An example that has been coming up recently is the high protein and low carbohydrate diet. Though we have mentioned the dangers of this diet previously, it is important to understand that the issue isn’t eating too much protein, it is consuming much more protein than carbohydrates. Your body needs carbohydrates in order to break down the proteins you consume, and limiting your carbohydrates when consuming large quantities of protein can seriously harm your kidneys. If you are noticing that your lower back hurts after grabbing an extra protein shake or if you eat a big steak the day before, it could be your kidneys causing the pain.

If you are concerned about eating too much protein, make sure you are balancing it out. Your body actually requires more carbohydrates than protein, the daily breakdown being like a 1 2 3 rule. You need 1 times the fat, 2 times the protein and 3 times the carbohydrates. So, if you know that you’ve consumed 10 g of protein, your body would require 15 g of carbohydrates and just 5 g of fat. Also, if you are bulking up by eating increased protein, remember that you cannot drink enough water! The key to avoiding protein related lower back pain is hydration and moderation.