Look for us in our new location soon! - Townsite of Redwood Meadows
Look for us in our new location soon! - Townsite of Redwood Meadows
Look for us in our new location soon! - Townsite of Redwood Meadows
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NUTRITION<br />
Pre-exercise meal Pre-exercise snack Dur<strong>in</strong>g exercise snack Post-exercise snack<br />
Tuna, cheese, peanut<br />
butter sandwich<br />
Porridge with raisons,<br />
apples & c<strong>in</strong>namon<br />
Pasta & tomato sauce<br />
Fabulo<strong>us</strong> Banana Berry Muff<strong>in</strong>s<br />
Yoghurt & fruit<br />
Cereal & milk<br />
Homemade muff<strong>in</strong><br />
1 cup quick oats<br />
½ cup each unbleached white and whole wheat fl<strong>our</strong>s<br />
¼ cup wheat germ<br />
½ cup sugar<br />
1 ½ tsp bak<strong>in</strong>g powder<br />
1 tsp bak<strong>in</strong>g soda<br />
Healthy Snacks and Water Keep Little Athletes Go<strong>in</strong>g Strong<br />
With the onset <strong>of</strong> warm weather f<strong>in</strong>ally upon <strong>us</strong>, we<br />
break out the lawn chairs to watch the kids play<br />
sports. They run around like crazy people and flop to<br />
the ground afterward to <strong>in</strong>hale a snack provided by<br />
an oblig<strong>in</strong>g parent. However, have you ever really<br />
considered y<strong>our</strong> kid’s sports nutrition?<br />
Kids typically expend upwards <strong>of</strong> 25 percent more<br />
energy than adults when active due to lack <strong>of</strong> coord<strong>in</strong>ation<br />
and economy <strong>of</strong> movement. This could be the<br />
reason parents so <strong>of</strong>ten hear “I’m starv<strong>in</strong>g!” at any<br />
given time <strong>of</strong> day. Consider what and when you feed<br />
y<strong>our</strong> kids to keep hunger at bay.<br />
Pre-exercise snacks should be easily digested and eaten<br />
about an h<strong>our</strong> be<strong>for</strong>e exercise so they don’t sit <strong>in</strong><br />
the stomach. Serve pre-exercise meals 2 to 3 h<strong>our</strong>s<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e game time. Dur<strong>in</strong>g exercise, kids shouldn’t<br />
need anyth<strong>in</strong>g to eat if their session lasts an h<strong>our</strong> or<br />
less. However, longer sessions require some highcarbohydrate,<br />
low-fat choices available to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><br />
energy levels, prevent low blood sugar, and promote<br />
per<strong>for</strong>mance. Bags <strong>of</strong> chips, chocolate bars, and sugary<br />
treats are not optimal choices as they don’t <strong>of</strong>fer<br />
adequate n<strong>our</strong>ishment or serve to ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> energy<br />
levels dur<strong>in</strong>g activity.<br />
22 CHATTER IN THE WOODS, June 2012<br />
Diluted fruit juice<br />
Dried or fresh fruit<br />
M<strong>in</strong>i bagel<br />
Fresh fruit<br />
Nuts & raisons<br />
Pancakes<br />
Homemade muff<strong>in</strong><br />
Mix dry & wet <strong>in</strong>gredients separately, comb<strong>in</strong>e and fold <strong>in</strong> berries. Bake 20 m<strong>in</strong>utes at 375”C or until a toothpick comes<br />
out clean. Makes 12 yummy muff<strong>in</strong>s. Recipe slightly stolen from Looneyspoons by Janet & Greta Podleski<br />
½ tsp salt (sea salt please)<br />
1 ½ cup mashed ripe banana<br />
1 egg<br />
After exercise, the aim is to rehydrate and replace energy<br />
losses. Post-exercise snacks and meals can determ<strong>in</strong>e<br />
how fast y<strong>our</strong> little athletes recover. Ensure they<br />
eat someth<strong>in</strong>g with<strong>in</strong> a half h<strong>our</strong> <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ish<strong>in</strong>g their<br />
session. Fruit right away is ideal as it is juicy, high <strong>in</strong><br />
fibre, and full <strong>of</strong> antioxidants. However, research <strong>in</strong>dicates<br />
that tak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> a little prote<strong>in</strong> with some carbohydrate<br />
enhances recovery time, so make sure that a<br />
more substantial snack or meal is taken with<strong>in</strong> about<br />
two h<strong>our</strong>s post-exercise.<br />
F<strong>in</strong>ally, hydrate! Kids sweat less than adults, become<br />
hotter, and succumb to heat faster, and they <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
don’t respond to thirst signals. Enc<strong>our</strong>ag<strong>in</strong>g water<br />
<strong>in</strong>take throughout the day, dr<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g a glass <strong>of</strong> water<br />
be<strong>for</strong>e exercise, and topp<strong>in</strong>g up with dr<strong>in</strong>ks about<br />
every 15 m<strong>in</strong>utes and after exercise will prevent dehydration.<br />
Kids don’t need sports dr<strong>in</strong>ks <strong>for</strong> hydration;<br />
water or diluted fruit juice is j<strong>us</strong>t f<strong>in</strong>e. This article was<br />
written with kids <strong>in</strong> m<strong>in</strong>d but the concepts here apply to<br />
adults too!<br />
¼ cup melted butter<br />
1 cup blueberries<br />
Cathleen Fisher<br />
Holistic Nutritionist & Fitness Pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
www.fitnutrition.ca