Fitness Journal March 2017

Fuelling
teenage rowers
An article I wrote for Fitness
Journal around Maadi Cup time
two years ago, called Fuelling
Teenage Rowers is still enjoying
some wide circulation in the rowing
communities. (You can find the article
at fitnessjournal.co.nz/fuelling-teenage-rowers).
That article discussed the importance
of fuelling the teenage athlete with nutrient-dense
foods (and the science behind
it), the essential nutrients needed, some
basic snack ideas, basic food group swaps,
weight management, race-day fuelling
and easy to digest snacks in between race
breaks of variable lengths.
I strongly suggest you go online and
read this article as it will help you better
understand the information I have provided
below – and how I have used this as
a part two of the earlier version.
Due to the popularity of the 2015
article and in response to parents who
email me saying their teenager ‘is always
hungry and tired’, I have decided to
provide some recipes and snack ideas.
These are aimed at the teenage athlete for
day-to-day nutrition around trainings;
as the day-to-day nutrition is the most
important focus when it comes to getting
nutrients right for energy, recovery and
performance.
Please note: The recipe amounts will
be generic, based on the average girl/boy
athlete. In this instance, I recommend
that you encourage your teenager to listen
BY DANIELLE ROBERTS
Nutritionist Danielle Roberts is dedicated
to helping people enjoy a healthy and
knowledgeable relationship with food.
Her business Fuel Nutrition allows her
to share her passion for nutrition and
healthy living. Danielle is a freelance
nutritionist and works with a number
of Hamilton gyms. To make a booking,
please contact Danielle at
www. fuelnutrition.co.nz
to their body and if they are still hungry
and need more food, then boost the
amount, or if they are starting to get full,
then save the leftovers for later if they get
hungry or for lunch the next day.
As everyone has an individual body
and different requirement, a general
guide such as this is a good resource to
get the ball rolling and to play around
with.
Suggestions for a teenager’s nutrition
on a training day
Breakfast
Early morning trainings can be a nightmare
to try and squeeze in a decent
meal beforehand. However, because you
have had at least 7-8 hours sleep and
fasting, then it’s not ideal to skip a meal
before you train.
Liquid food is the best way to get nutrients
in without putting stress and load
on the digestive system. See the smoothie
idea below to help you with this barrier.
(I recommend a highspeed blender like a
Nutribullet).
Energizer smoothie
Serves: 1
Ingredients
2 handfuls of spinach leaves (B vitamins)
1 large banana (carbohydrate source and
high in potassium - fabulous for muscle
function)
50-100 ml Macros organic unsweetened
almond milk
50-100 ml Cocofuel natural coconut water
(extra hydration and potassium)
¼ of a raw beetroot peeled (high in
antioxidants, high in natural nitrates which
works like a natural pre-workout, creating
greater circulation of blood, iron and
oxygen around the body).
Handful of fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cm of fresh ginger (warms up the body,
also good for circulation)
Instructions
Get all ingredients ready the night before
in one of the Nutribullet cups.
Blend in the morning and drink first
thing or on the way to training.
Breakfast needs to be high protein and
have good amount of recovery carbohydrates
for after training.
The recipe below is super quick and
easy to prepare the night before, or make
fresh in the morning if you have enough
time.
Homemade lentil baked beans
Serves: 1 male or 2 females
Will last in the fridge for two days but can
freeze extra portions.
Ingredients
400g can of Watties lentils (in spring
water) or Ceres Brown lentils (rinsed and
drained)
400g can of tinned crushed tomatoes
4 tsp of oregano or dried/fresh basil
2 cloves of garlic chopped or 2 tsp of
Greggs crushed garlic
1 cup of sliced button mushrooms
1/2 red onion chopped
2 tsp of dried ground turmeric
Instructions
First, wash drain and rinse the can of
lentils, then add to a pot.
Add the red onion, mushrooms and
garlic with ½ a tsp of olive oil, caramelise
a little.
Now add the canned tomatoes, turmeric
and herbs cook for about 2 minutes
on a medium to high heat until hot; stir
frequently.
Serve the lentil recipe with one of
these options below:
1. With 2 (female) or 4 (male) scrambled
eggs (use trim milk and mix in 1/2tsp of
ground turmeric (turmeric is good for the
liver and is a power antioxidant /anti-inflammatory).
2. 2 (female) – 4 (male) poached eggs, 2
(female) – 4 (male) tbsp of avocado and 1
cup of spinach.
3. If going straight to school from training,
have the baked bean mixture pre-done
add 2 (female) – 4 (male) boiled eggs (also
done night before) and handful of spinach
in the morning.
NOTE: If the above is not enough you
may wish to add bread to bulk it up
choose a sourdough or even better, a
gluten-free sourdough. Sourdough is fermented
and fermented foods aid greater
digestive flow and don’t clog you up like
normal bread can.
You can order the latter from Frankton
Organics called Flaveur gluten free
seeded sourdough loaf. Just slice the loaf
and freeze. Or you could choose to have
kumara toast (easy to make by cutting
1cm thick rounds of kumara and toasting
them until brown).
Mid morning snacks
If breakfast wasn’t enough then one
of these should tide your athlete over
until lunch. Note the lower range of the
amounts specified are for females and the
higher range males.
1–2 bananas
1-2 slices of fresh pineapple (high in bromelain
– helps to digest protein and acts
as an anti-inflammatory) and 1-2 slices
of fresh mango (when available in the
supermarket)
A pottle of De Winkels unsweetened
yoghurt – in a container, add in 1/2tsp of
cinnamon, handful of berries, 2-3tbsp of
pumpkin seeds, 1-2 tbsp of chia seeds –
18 FITNESS JOURNAL MARCH 2017
www.fitnessjournal.co.nz