>>NEW!!! Download the November newsletter by clicking here.
>>Cook It Up! Check out the new recipe: Pear, Prosciutto & Hazelnut Stuffing
PRE-SEASON MEALS The fall sport teams at Saint Louis University were right back to hard work in the beginning of August for their pre-season training. To make sure the athletes were eating enough and properly fueling their bodies for two or three a day practices, I had the role of providing women's and men's soccer, volleyball and field hockey with all of their breakfast and lunch meals. Needless to say there were many Sam's Club, Schnucks and Shop n Save trips throughout those weeks, and in the end the athletes were sad to see the cessation of the pre-season breakfast and lunches with the start of school! Variety was the key to success. The athletes completed a food preference survey prior to returning home for the summer, where each individual went through and marked foods they preferred for breakfast, snacks and lunch. The surveys were tallied and the foods with the largest numbers of preferences were the ones chosen to be bought in bulk. Breakfast foods included Honey Bunches of Oats, Cheerios, Kashi Go Lean Go Crunch, Oatmeal, wheat bread, peanut butter, jelly, bagels, light cream cheese, orange juice, cranberry juice, milk (chocolate and regular) and a variety of apples, bananas, Clementine's and grapes. Luna Bars, Power Bars and Clif Bars as well as trail mix and Nature Valley Granola Bars were available for the athlete's to take with them to snack on in between practices. Lunch consisted primarily of a long buffet line for preparing sandwiches. Ham, turkey, chicken, multiple types of cheese, chicken salad, mustard, light mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers were all laid out for the athletes to build their favorite sandwich. Pretzels, baked chips, animal crackers, fruit, fruit snacks and trail mix were available as side items. Bottled water and PowerAde were provided daily for the athletes to have access to. Small bits of educational materials, like handouts, recipe cards and posting signs next to food items to incorporate nutrition education into the meals was very effective. I covered portion sizes for snacks like animal crackers, choosing the best power bar handout, recipes for quick and easy hummus as well as education on choosing milk and lunchmeat to best benefit the college athlete. I tried to add in healthy, unique foods into the lunches here and there to get the athletes excited about trying new things. Hummus became a big hit by the end of the week. Whole wheat tortillas with roasted red pepper or original hummus were on display with an educational handout to get the athletes thinking about quick, healthy snacks in between training. One day I sliced a bunch of kiwis for the girls to try a different, exotic fruit. All in all, it was a great success and a great start to an exciting 2009-2010 year in Billiken Athletics! Click here for a photo gallery! SOFTBALL TRAINING TABLE During the "fiesta" meal, the softball team was educated on three main topics throughout the meal, portion control, "staying power," and glycemic index. A pre- and post-assessment were completed during the session.
Pre-Assessment Analysis
Post-Assessment Analysis To view photos of the event, click here. SLU BASEBALL TRAINING TABLE - "Very tasty and filling, yet functional, because I still feel energized!" During the presentation/meal, the baseball team was very engaged. The players highly enjoyed guessing how many calories were in the pre-plated food. The majority of athletes ate a serving of green beans, a piece of chicken, a large portion of pasta, and a slice of garlic cheese bread. This experience was useful for the players to learn about proper pre-game nutrition. In fact, 18 out of the 22 athletes who attended the meal said they would prepare this meal/eat this meal again before a game. While the food itself was very successful, so was the presentation of information. The players learned a variety of new things. The information learned included: (1) fruit is a carbohydrate, (2) proper serving sizes, (3) chicken is a source of protein, (4) carbohydrate helps with endurance, and (5) certain foods should be eaten at various times prior to the game. Finally, a pre-assessment and post-assessment were issued in order to compare an athlete's typical pre-game meal to actual pre-game meal. The overall analysis was that the average athlete's typical meal contains the breakdown of CHO:PRO:FAT ratio was 70:15:15 whereas the training table meal ratio was 70:20:10. Overall, the training table meal provided optimal nutrition for SLU athletes to compete and perform at the highest level. The Fresh Gatherings training table meal was organized by Leslie Fialia, Liz Fox, Jamie Bommarito, RD, LD, and Jessica Janik, RD, LD. To view photos of the event, click here. HYDRATION CALCULATOR
1) Visit the website: http://www.poweradegb.com The tool requires the athlete to list sex, weight, height, sport, duration, intensity and temperature to determine how much fluid the athlete needs to stay hydrated.
1) Visit the website: http://bmi.emedtv.com/bmi-articles-a-to-z-page-2.html The BMI calculator is a valid measurement tool for both men and women, but athletes need to be aware that it does offer certain limitations. The calculated BMI for athletes will often overestimate body fat because muscle is denser than fat and weighs more. It is crucial that the athlete understand body fat can be normal or even low, and may calculate a high BMI. Please address all concerns or inquires with the Registered Dietitian, Jessica Janik. >>Presentation Archives: Pre-Practice Meals | Recovery Nutrition | Fruits and Vegetables | Travel Nutrition >>Newsletter Archives: November 09 | October 09 | September 09 | April 09 | March 09 | February 09 | January 09 | December 08 | November 08 | October 08 | September 08 >>Recipe Archives: Pear, Prosciutto & Hazelnut Stuffing | Healthy Dorm Choices | Spring Munchies | Chunky Guacamole | Valentine's Day Cookies | Chocolate Banana Smoothie | Low-Fat Mock Deviled Eggs | Pumpkin Muffins | Pumpkin Seed Party Mix | Blueberry Peach Crisp | Fast Meals Recipes |
|
