What should a freshman sprinter's diet be?

Question

I'm a freshman and I'm getting really serious and committed to track, so commited I'm willing to change my lifestyle. What should i be eating?

Answer 1

Just eat healthily!!! No junk food, pleanty of protein, carbs, and vitamins.

Eat no junk food, because it lacks nutrition. You cannot absorb the proper nutrients needed for an athlete from junk food, so try to cut back. You can enjoy a little bit of ice cream, or a small slice of cake, or a bit of chips every once in a while, but like all athletes, don't eat it in excess.

Because you are constantly excercising, you need protien. Running destroys muscle,  so eat protein such as nuts, fish, poultry, beef, pork, etc to rebuild what you lose. The best time to eat protein is after a big race or meet, to rebuild your muscles that were damaged because you worked them so hard at your event. So try to incorporate a lot of protein.

Carbs, the source of energy!! Eat a big pasta meal, or a lot of bread, the day before a meet. This helps give you energy to burn off when you need it. Carbs are a great source of energy, and you need them to burn. So, eat these WHEN YOU NEED THEM. My brother and I are runners, and all we crave is carbs, but dont' eat them in excess. Its all about balance, so try to balance it out. Don't make every meal consist of a boat load of carbs, because that can be bad (you could gain some unwanted pounds). Remember, balance is key!!!

Vitamins!! Yay!! Fruits and vegetables are packed with proper vitamens needed for an athlete's body. Bananas are great after a race, because they are packed full of potassium. Also, bananas can help prevent cramps, because some cramps are caused by lack of potassium. Try to eat fruit with every meal, because they are packed with essential nutrients to keep you fit. Vegetables are amazing, because they are just full of great stuff for you!! They can help you build up your immune system so you get sick less often. So the key is a lot of fruits and veggies. However, never eat leafy greens the day before, of, or right before a meet!! This can be trouble, so avoid them before a race.

Dairy....dairy is good for strong bones, so that can help prevent injuries. A great way to get dairy and fruit is smoothies. Plus, sprinkle in a little protein powder for some extra nutrients. Smoothies are amazing for runners, so drink them alot. I am lactose intolerant, so I can't drink milk. But I eat alot of yogurt, which is great. So try to eat a lot of yogurt when you can. Frozen yogurt is great after a meet too ;)

Recovery drinks, mmmm!!! These are great after a big workout or meet. They help rebuild your body after you preformed a strenous activity. However, a recovery drink does not mean gatorade or powerade. I mean Accelerade or Endurox, alright? You can pick this up at your local sporting goods store or running store. They're packed full of nutrients when you need it.

Alrighty, here's a list of things to avoid:

-Junk Food (chips, candy, ice cream, cookies, etc etc) NEVER EAT CANDY BEFORE A RACE!!!!

-Energy Drinks such as Monster, Red Bull, etc. These are damaging to your heart, especially because you work it out so much. Avoid these at all costs!

-Too much carbs

-Leafy greens right before an event

-Skipping a meal

Things to Eat:

-Lots of Fruit, especially bananas

-Smoothies!!!

-Protein such as poultry, fish, red meat (in moderation) Eggs, etc

-Carbs teh day before an event

-Recovery Drinks

-Yogurt

-Vegetables (squash is great!)

-The occasional treat for a job well done ;)

I hope this helps you!!! Good luck!! :]