Female athletes must be encouraged to eat high levels of carbohydrate on a seven day a week basis.  Carbohydrate is the key to the energy that directly affects their performance, particularly in team sports.

Pregame Nutrition

About a week prior to a game, female athletes should follow a carbohydrate rich diet.  They also should drink water regularly to maintain hydration.

The pregame meal should be high in carbohydrate and relatively low in protein, fat and fiber.  This meal should typically be consumed two to three hours prior to the start of the game.

During The Game

During the game, sports drinks are idea because they meet the twin aims of supplying carbohydrates and fluid.  These should preferably be consumed at frequent intervals. (Note: It is usually recommended that female athletes drink 10 to 20 ounces of fluid immediately prior to a game.)

At halftime, players should continue to fuel with sports drinks.  This will ensure that they continue to replace lost fluid and will provide extra energy.

Post Game Nutrition

Female athletes should be encouraged to eat carbohydrate rich foods and fluids immediately after each game.  This is because the enzymes responsible for the conversion of carbohydrate into glycogen works most efficiently during the early post exercise phase.

Consuming carbohydrate soon after exercise also accelerates recovery rates and improves the ability of female athletes to train or play again within a relatively short period of time.  Some ideal post game snacks include bananas, raisins, caramel popcorn, Pop tarts, bagels or muffins, gatorade or powerade, and orange juice.  This can be followed by a high carbohydrate meal about two hours later.

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In general, the lower end of the range should cover the needs of most endurance/aerobic athletes.  The upper end of the range is more appropriate for those involved in strength and power sports.

You can eat protein for many different foods.  For example, milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish, poultry, eggs and soy products are good sources of protein.

Below is the protein content for various foods.

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Individuals engaged in moderate-duration, low-intensity exercise require 5-7 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight.  By contrast, those participating in long-duration, high-intensity exercise require 7-10 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight.  (To determine your body weight in kilograms, divide your body weight in pounds by 2.2.)

Some examples of sports that require a high carbohydrate intake include:

• Soccer
• Basketball
• Cycling
• Distance Running
• Triathlons
• Swimming

There are three important carbohydrate sources in the body.  These are carbohydrates stored in the liver (liver glycogen), carbohydrates stored in the muscle (muscle glycogen) and carbohydrates stored in blood sugar (blood glucose).

Because carbohydrates are stored in the body in limited amounts, maintaining a good dietary supply is therefore important for female athletes.  Research has shown that athletes who eat a generous supply of dietary carbohydrates can experience significant improvement in training intensity, duration and performance.

Generally, the best choices of carbohydrates are naturally occurring sources of sugars (found in fruit, vegetables and milk) and of complex carbohydrates (found in bread, potatoes, cereals, pasta and grains).  This is because they come with a “package” of other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber.

It is important for athletes to learn to read food labels so they can track their carbohydrate intake.  Carbohydrates should be consumed about 2-3 hours before strenuous training or an event.  Some sample food choices along with their carbohydrate content (in grams) are listed below.

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• low-fat yogurt sprinkled with low-fat granola

• oatmeal with low-fat or fat-free milk, or soy-based beverage

• a slice of whole-wheat toast with a thin spread of peanut butter

• fruit smoothie made with frozen fruit, low-fat yogurt, and juice

• high-fiber, low-sugar cereal with soy-based beverage or low-fat milk

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So, what is a healthy eating plan? A healthy eating plan:

• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.

• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

Some tips for healthy eating include the following:

• Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. Breakfast also gives you energy and helps you get your day off to a healthy start.

• Choose whole grains more often. Try whole-wheat breads and pastas, oatmeal, or brown rice.

• Select a mix of colorful vegetables each day. Vegetables of different colors provide different nutrients. Choose dark leafy greens such as spinach, kale, collards, and mustard greens, and reds and oranges such as carrots, sweet potatoes, red peppers, and tomatoes.

• Choose fresh, canned, or frozen fruit more often thanfruit juice. Fruit juice has little or no fiber, and the caloriesmay be high. Fresh, canned, or frozen fruit is often betterfor you. If you eat canned fruit, opt for fruit packed in water rather than syrup.

• Use fats and oils sparingly. Olive, canola, and peanut oils, avocados, nuts and nut butters, olives, and fish provide heart-healthy fat as well as vitamins and minerals.

• Eat sweets sparingly. Limit foods and beverages that are high in added sugars.

• Eat three meals every day. If you skip meals or replace a meal with a snack, you might overeat later on.

• Have low-fat, low-sugar snacks on hand. Whether you are at home, at work, or on the go, healthy snacks may help to combat hunger and prevent overeating.

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Although very controversial and far from proven, there is no doubt that carbonated drinks alter your body´s pH levels. The fact that many people, especially teenagers, consume a large percentage of their calories as soft drinks, which have no nutritional value and displace a proper sports nutrition diet, should make you think twice about drinking a lot of soda. You don´t have to give up soda; just don´t make it a major part of your sports nutrition diet.

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As the body can’t store water, we need fresh supplies every day to make up for losses from lungs, skin, urine and feces. Water is needed to maintain the health and integrity of every cell in the body, keep the bloodstream liquid enough to flow through blood vessels, help eliminate the by products of the body’s metabolism, help flush out toxins, regulate body temperature through sweating, lubricate and cushion joints and carry nutrients and oxygen to the body’s cells, just to name a few. Drinking refreshing, clean water plays a major role in reducing the risk of certain diseases.

The loss of body water through urination is greatly increased by the ingestion of decaffeinated and alcoholic beverages. These drinks have a diuretic effect, meaning they stimulate the kidneys to excrete more urine. Not only do we lose water, we also lose water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C, vitamin B (thiamine) and other B complex vitamins. For every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you drink, you need to add an
additional glass of pure water.

A diet containing lots of fruits and vegetables will supply about 4 cups of water per day. Even with a diet high in fruits and vegetables, it is still necessary to drink an additional 6 to 8 cups of water per day to supply enough water to meet the body’s daily needs. For every caffeinated or alcoholic beverage you drink, you need to add an additional glass of pure water.

Dehydration occurs when the water content of the body is too low. This is easily fixed by increasing fluid intake. Symptoms of dehydration include headaches, lethargy, mood changes and slow responses, dry nasal passages, dry or cracked lips, dark-colored urine, weakness, tiredness, confusion and hallucinations. Eventually urination stops, the kidneys fail and the body can’t remove toxic waste products. In extreme cases, this may result in death.

Approximately six to eight glasses of a variety of fluids can be consumed each day. More than eight glasses may be needed for physically active people, children, people in hot or humid environments, and breastfeeding women. Less water may be needed for sedentary people, older people, people in a cold environment or people who eat a lot of high water content foods.

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By following sound sports nutrition guidelines, it is reasonable that an athlete can find a whole new level of play. For example, a high school athlete can hold a competitive edge just by hydrating and fueling her body before and after athletic performance. As a result the player is more alert, less likely to become injured and at peak performance should a scout make an unannounced appearance.

It is especially important for females of all ages to follow good nutrition guidelines to counteract the impact that sports place on their body. Good nutrition:

• serves to maintain optimum bodily function or good health;
• provides the body with energy (fuel); and
• plays a critical role in the growth and repair of cells following training.

Because tissue is broken down during training, it must be fully replenished before the next session. The process is always the same: breakdown, recovery, growth. The body must fully recover from training before the re-growth can commence. If it doesn’t, and the athlete trains again while still in a catabolic (breakdown) state, then sooner or later the athlete will end up over-training, and if this carries on, will go into reverse, losing physical strength and capability.

The essential nutrients that female athletes need are protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals. Proteins include fish, chicken, meat, eggs, milk and cheese. Examples of carbohydrates, which are the body’s main fuel source, are wholewheat products, oats, potatoes, rice and pasta. Fat intake should ideally be 50% unsaturated. Olive oil, flax seed oil and similar products are representative of the best form of fat.

The ideal diet for female athletes is:

• about 70% carbohydrates,
• 20%-30% fat, and
• 10%-15% protein.

Total caloric intake shoude be 1500-300 kcal/day depending on intensity, frequency and duration of activity.

If a female athlete begins to complain of fatigue, irritability or reduced endurance, they may be suffering from an iron deficiency. In addition to having their iron checked by a blood test, they can keep their stores up (about 18 mg each day) by eating iron-rich foods such as meat, poultry and fish. Dietary iron supplements should only be taken under medical supervision.

In addition to adequate iron, female athletes need sufficient calcium for bone development and strength. About 1300 mg per day is needed for female athletes, age 11-24, and is best obtained through diet. Some calcium sources include skim milk, swiss cheese, yogurt, broccoli, calcium fortified orange juice and cottage cheese. Calcium supplements should not be taken without medical supervision.

In sum, female athletes need to follow a healthy diet with an adequate intake of calories, iron and calcium to maintain and improve performance. Athletes who consume adequate calories and nutrients feel better, train harder, recover more quickly and are less susceptible to injury and illness.

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