Ever wonder why you feel light headed at practice? Or maybe you just have no energy or get up and go? Have you looked at your nutrition lately? When finding a work/life/derby balance, it can be all too easy to reach for what is quick, convenient, and easy. While a quick fix for a growling belly, many of these choices can be filled with empty calories which won’t help you on the track.
So what is the solution? In order to function at its best, the body should be filled with a balance of macronutrients including 30-40% carbohydrates, 30-40% protein, and 20-30% fat. Carbs for immediate energy to burn; protein to maintain lean body mass and build and repair muscle; and fat to protect organs and maintain healthy joints. You should aim towards comprising your meals of lean proteins and complex carbohydrates like those found in fruit and vegetables. Eating this way will allow your blood sugar to remain steady so you don’t get the crashes that come when you stuff your face with sugar and simple carbohydrates that are often found in convenient, fast foods.
Before and after practice, hydration should be high on the to do list. Being dehydrated can reduce your muscle performance by up to 30%. So drink up. A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight in pounds divided by 2 and that number will be the number of fluid ounces of water you should be drinking a day.
As important as eating before a practice is, post workout nutrition is equally as important. Protein+ carbohydrate can help your body recover quicker, can help reduce next day soreness, and will help you retain the muscle tone we are building. So pack something in your bag that you can eat 15 minutes to one hour after you roll. Some portable examples include an apple and jerky, or a banana and a small handful of almonds, or my favorite–egg whites and sweet potato chews.
I am not a nutrition expert, but I have spent a lot of time reading and studying nutrition and putting it into play in my life on and off the track. I feel the best I have in years. There are many resources that I can share with you if you’d like. Let me know.
Sister
Check out : Notes from Roller Derby Bootcamp: Best Nutrition Practices