NSCAs

P
J

erformance
ournal

Issue 7.5
Sept. / Oct. 2008
www.nsca-lift.org

raining
Sports Nutrition

Features
Body Composition &
Its Affects on the Sports
Performance Spectrum
Dawn Weatherwax-Fall, RD,
CSSD, LD, ATC, LAT, CSCS
Do Athletes Maintaining
Healthy, Well-Balanced
Diets Really Need
Nutritional Supplements?
Donovan T. Santas, CSCS,*D
Ten Simple Things
to Remember for
Optimal Nutrition
Amanda Carlson, MS,
RD, CSSD

Sports Nutrition
special issue

Sponsored by

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Editor

Jay Dawes, MS, CSCS,

NSCA-CPT,*D

Keith Cinea, MA, CSCS,*D,

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Assistant Editor

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Brian K. Schilling, PhD, CSCS
Mark Stephenson, ATC, CSCS,*D
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nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

CONTENTS

table of

sports nutrition
Body Composition & Its Affects
Ten Simple Things to
6 on
17
the Sports Performance
Remember for Optimal Nutrition
Spectrum

Dawn Weatherwax-Fall, RD, CSSD, LD,

ATC, LAT, CSCS

Take a closer look at body composition and its

affect on performance. Included are recommended
guidelines and a discussion on different methods for
predicting body composition.

Amanda Carlson, MS, RD, CSSD

Nutrition does not have to be complicated.

These ten simple things can help you start eating better immediately.

Athletes Maintaining
10 Do
Healthy, Well-Balanced Diets
Really Need Nutritional
Supplements?
Donovan T. Santas, CSCS,*D

This article looks at the need for athletes to appropriately supplement a well-balanced, whole food-based
diet for optimal nutrient levels, and discusses the
current use of supplements by athletes.

departments
Games
4 Mind
Learning from Olympians
Suzie Tuffey Riewald, PhD,
NSCA-CPT

As an athlete, you were undoubtedly one of the 4 billion people that watched the recent Olympic Games
in Beijing. This article takes a look at some of the outstanding performances of the 08 Olympics, and how
proper mental skills played into the performances.

8 Fitness Frontlines

G. Gregory Haff, PhD, CSCS,*D, FNSCA

The latest news from the field on milk ingestion and

endurance performance, -alanine supplementation
and body composition, whey protein supplementation
and fat loss, and the effect of vitamin C and E supplementation on high intensity performance.

The Gym
13 InNutritional
Quality vs.
Nutritional Quantity:
Properly Fueling Athletes for
Optimal Performance

Table
14 Training
Does Your Diet
Pass Muster?

Debra Wein, MS, RD, LDN,

CSSD, NSCA-CPT,*D

Take a look at five basic tenets for a good diet, and

how you can easily determine your caloric requirements.

Of Prevention
16 Ounce
Recognizing Disordered Eating
Habits in Athletes

Jason Brumitt, MSPT, SCS, ATC/R,

CSCS,*D

The prevalence of disordered eating in female athletes

has been estimated to be as high as 62%, whereas
33% of male athletes may demonstrate behaviors
associated with disordered eating. The purpose of
this article is to present the signs and symptoms associated with disordered eating.

Kyle Brown, CSCS

Looking at the label does not always guarantee you

are buying a nutritious product. This article discusses
how to look beyond the label and find foods that not
only are healthy, but can better fuel your performance.

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

Mind Games
about the
AUTHOR
Suzie Tuffey Riewald
received her degrees
in Sport Psychology/
Exercise Science from
the University of North
Carolina Greensboro.
She has worked for USA
Swimming as the Sport
Psychology and Sport
Science Director, and most
recently as the Associate
Director of Coaching
with the USOC where
she worked with various
sport national governing
bodies (NGBs) to develop
and enhance coaching
education and training.
Suzie currently works
as a sport psychology
consultant to several
NGBs.

Suzie Tuffey Riewald, PhD, NSCA-CPT,*D

Learning From Olympians

A

s an athlete, you were undoubtedly one of the 4

billion people that watched the recent Olympic
Games in Beijing. People across the globe tuned in to
witness amazing athletic performances from a multitude of sports. While watching these phenomenal
athletes perform, we cannot help but be awed by the
physical and technical prowess of these athletes who are
able to do things most of us do not even dream about.
What performance stands out in your mind?
Many will immediately think of Michael Phelps
when recalling the 2008 Olympic Games. He won
eight gold medals, setting seven world records in
the process. The commentators talked often of his
physique that is so suited to swimming and his
amazing technical skills.
For some, it may be the marathoners who run sub
five minute miles for 26.2 miles.
Others may remember the gymnasts who have phenomenal body control and awareness. They perform athletic feats that seem beyond the realm of
the physically possible, often times seeming to defy
gravity.
All of the sports; shooting, wrestling, badminton,
equestrian, soccer, volleyball, fencing, and so on offer examples of phenomenal physical feats.
The physical, physiological, and technical prowess of
the Olympians is, in many instances, quite evident. But,
what else separates these athletes? Are there other skills
or characteristics that they possess? Let me give a few
examples and you tell me the skills or characteristics
that enable such astounding performances:
Chen Ruolin, a 15-year-old diver competing in her first
Olympic Games, stood on the 10-meter platform getting ready for her last dive. She needed 9.5s and 10s
to win the gold. In preparation for the dive, her movements indicated she was going through her dive in her
head then she walked to the edge of the platform, did
not hesitate, and dove. She nailed the dive and won the
event, scoring four perfect 10s and three 9.5s, despite
the pressure-filled internal and external environment.
Unexpected tragedy struck the US mens volleyball
team. The father-in-law of head coach Hugh McCutch-

eon was stabbed and killed in a random act of violence

while visiting a Beijing landmark just days before the
start of the Games. Consequently, the team was without their head coach for several matches and had to deal
with the emotional turmoil of losing someone who had
been very close to the team. The assistant coaches and
athletes had to manage their emotions and maintain focus on the task at hand. The end result, they won gold,
beating Brazil in four sets. Additionally, in the process
of getting to the gold medal game, the US team had to
fight through a number of 5-set matches where in any
one of them it would have been very easy just to throw
in the towel. However, they consistently rose to meet
the challenge. Talk about maintaining focus through an
emotional roller coaster.
Michael Phelps drive for 8 gold medal could have
ended very early were it not for the performance of his
teammates on the 4x100 meter relay. Jason Lezak was
the last swimmer on the relay team and entered the water 0.6 seconds behind the world record holder in the
100 meter freestyle, Frenchman Alain Bernard had an
insurmountable lead for all intents and purposes. Lezak
lost another 0.2 seconds to the French swimmer over
the first 50 meters of the race, only to swim nearly a
second faster over the final 50 metersturning in the
fastest relay split every recorded (46.07 seconds) while
leading the US to victory by 0.08 seconds. How spectacular was this feat and how much did the mental component come into play? In the individual 100 meter
freestyle, Lezak won the bronze with a time of 47.67
a full 1.7 seconds slower than his relay performance.
While swimmers definitely benefit from the relay start,
swimmers typically only swim several tenths of a second faster in the relay compared to the individual event.
Clearly something else played into this phenomenal relay performance.
Yes, mental skills certainly seemed to be a factor impacting performance. In their pursuit of excellence, the
athletes used mental skills to manage their emotions,
to deal with the environment, to maintain an effective
focus, to enhance their performance. Do you manage
performance expectations? Are you able to deal with
distractions? Do you have a strong determination and
commitment?

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

mind games

Learning From Olympians

The above are just a few examples to illustrate the psychological aspect Enough about other athletes, now it is your turn. As we have discussed,
of performance. Research can shed further light. Numerous studies have the physical and technical strengths of elite athlete are often obvious. And,
assessed the psychological characteristics of successful versus less success- as athletes, you work to develop your own physical and technical strengths.
ful athletes. A summary of this research (1) suggests that more successful At the surface, mental skills of elite athletes may be less apparent but closer
athletes are characterized by higher confidence, greater management of inspection reveals they exist. Are you also working to develop your menarousal, better concentration and focus, an in-control attitude, positive tal skills? Are you equipping yourself with the skills to manage the chalthoughts and imagery, greater determination and commitment, and the lenges inherent in sport? If not, now is the time to begin.
use of mental skills such goal setting, imagery, coping strategies and mental preparation plans.

References

Some of these skills were evident, directly or indirectly, in the athletes

competing in the Olympic Games. Other skills are more difficult to observe or infer so it would take talking to the athletes to determine what
was going on internally.

Speed

1. Williams, JM and Krane, V. Psychological characteristics of peak

performance. In: Applied sport psychology: Personal growth to peak
performance. J.M. Williams (Ed.), Mountain View, CA: Mayfield.

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Agility Are Important,

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nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

12/6/07 3:45:55 PM

feature

sports nutrition

Body Composition and

Its Affect on the Sports
Performance Spectrum
about the
AUTHOR
Dawn Weatherwax-Fall
is a Registered/Licensed
Dietitian with a specialty
in Sports Nutrition
and Founder of Sports
Nutrition 2Go. She is
also a Board Certified
Specialist in Sports
Dietetics. In addition, she
is an Athletic Trainer with
a Certification in Strength
and Conditioning from
The National Strength and
Conditioning Association.
Therefore, she brings
a comprehensive and
unique understanding of
the athletes body, and its
nutritional needs, to those
interested in achieving
specific performance
goals and optimal
health. WeatherwaxFall is also the author

Dawn Weatherwax-Fall, RD, CSSD, LD, ATC, LAT, CSCS

aving a certain body fat to muscle mass ratio is

related to athletic performance. Research has
shown that correct portion of muscle mass increases
strength, power, and agility (8,9). Table 1 (see next
page) provides recommend body fat percentages for
both men and women.

3. When you are evaluating body fat percentages the

challenge is not to just evaluate the percent body fat
number but to also evaluate the lean weight number.
Even though you may have the appropriate body fat
percentage for your sport, you may still have room
for improvement if you continue to gain lean mass.

However, to gain lean muscle it is not just about the exercise protocol but nutritional intake and timing (2,7).
Research shows three out of four student athletes may
not be getting enough to eat. It also shows that 70% of
the women and 73% of the men are not getting enough
total calories, only 81% of the women and 90% of the
men are consuming enough carbohydrates, and just
68% of the women and 81% of the men are eating
enough protein based on USDA guidelines. Intakes of
salt, total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol often exceed recommendations, even in diets deficient in major
components (4).

4. When an athlete has encountered a severe injury

where rehabilitation will take several months, measuring body composition on a monthly basis can be
a tool to minimize a gain in body fat. Athletes can
gain body fat quickly when activity has been limited and eating habits are poor. It is difficult to get
an athlete back to full go if they have lost muscle
and gained body fat.

To help you achieve your goals, you should know your

body composition. But body composition is much
more than a body fat percentage number. Below are
different ways the measurement can be utilized.

of The Official Snack

Guide for Beleaguered
Sports Parents and The
Complete Idiots Guide
to Sports Nutrition. She
is an Official Speaker
for the Gatorade Sports
Science Institute and on
the approval speaker list
for the NCAA. She has
also been featured on
television shows including:
Good Morning America,
MSNBC, Geraldo Rivera,
and Fox News.

1. Knowing what percent body fat assists in the type

of fuel mixture an athlete needs. If an athlete has
a higher body fat they usually need fewer calories
and fewer carbohydrates. The opposite is true if
the athlete has a low body fat. They usually need
more calories and carbohydrates due to more lean
weight.

5. Body Composition testing can be a reassurance test.

Many female athletes believe when they gain weight,
they are gaining fat. Also an athlete can exchange
fat at the same rate they gain muscle so the scale is
not displaying the positive exchange.
6. Because female athletes are more vulnerable to
developing an eating disorder (5), having biyearly
body composition tests can detect any significant
changes. These changes could shed light on an unhealthy behavior with food.

The best ways to measure body composition are by hydrostatic weighing, Dexa Scan or Bod Pod testing. However many people do not have access or the funds to use
these methods. The next best step is to use Lange skin
fold calipers. They are easy to use, easy to learn, and
very affordable. However you want to make sure you
2. In any strength and conditioning or specialized nu- take the time and follow strict protocols to ensure accutrition program there needs to be a way to measure racy (3). Take a minimum of three tests at each site and
its effectiveness. Body composition testing is an im- have at least two numbers that are within a millimeter.
portant measurement tool since most athletes want If you do not, then keep retesting the site until you
to gain muscle, lose fat, or do both.
do. The last thing you want is the body fat percentage
to increase due to poor measuring techniques. Lastly

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

Body Composition and Its Affects of the Sports Performance Spectrum

you want to avoid going the easy route and buy
a bioempedance device. These devices can be
anywhere from 6 10% off because these techniques depend on the athletes hydration status
(6). These tools start off by measuring how fast
the current runs through the body. The more
hydrated the athlete the lower the body fat will
register. The more dehydrated the athlete is the
higher the body fat will measure.
Body Composition testing is not just about
measuring fat. It can be a very effective tool for
menu planning, monitoring progress, improving
current athletic status, part of a rehabilitation
protocol, offering encouragement, and finding
irregularities in behavior. Now that is a tool.

References
1. ACSMs Guidelines for Exercise Testing
Prescription. American College of Sports
Medicine,7th Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins. (2005).
2. Biolo, G, Williams, BD, Fleming, RY, and Wolfe,
RR. Insulin action on muscle protein kinetics
and amino acid transport during recovery after
resistance exercise. Diabetes, 48:949 957.
(1999).
3. Heyward, VH, Wagner, DR. Applied Body
Composition Assessment. Champaign, IL:
Human Kinetics. (2004).

Classification

Women

Men

Essential

10 12%

2 4%

Athletes

14 20%

6 13%

Fitness

21 24%

14 17%

Acceptable

25 31%

18 25%

Plus

32% plus

25% plus

4. Hinton, P, Sanford, T, Davidson, MM, Yakushko,

O, and Beck, N. Nutrient intake and dietary
behaviors of male and female collegiate
athletes. Inter J of Sports Nutrition and Exercise
Metabolism, 14: 389 390. (2004).
5. Kirk, G, Singh, K, and Getz H. Risk of Eating
Disorders among female college athletes and
nonathletes. Journal of College Counseling,
4(2): 122 132. (2001).
6. McArdle, W, Katch, F, Katch, V. Exercise
Physiology. (4th Edition). Philadelphia: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins. (2006).

Table 1
General Body Fat
Percentage Category (1)

carbohydrate supplement enhances muscle

protein anabolism after resistance exercise. J.
Appl. Physiol, 88:386 392. (2000).
8. Spaniol FJ. Physiological predictors of bat
speed and throwing velocity in adolescent
baseball players (Abstract). Journal of Strength
and Conditioning Research, 16(4): 1 18.
(2002).
9. Spaniol FJ. Predicting throwing velocity in
college baseball players (Abstract). Journal
of Strength and Conditioning Research, 11(4):
286. (1997).

7. Rasmussen B, Tipton, KD, Miller, SL, Wolf, SE,

and Wolfe, RR. An oral essential amino acid-

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

Fitness
Frontlines

G. Gregory Haff, PhD, CSCS,*D, FNSCA

about the
AUTHOR

Does Milk Ingestion Improve

Endurance Performance?

G. Gregory Haff is an
assistant professor in
the Division of Exercise
Physiology at the Medical
School at West Virginia
University in Morgantown,
WV. He is a member of
the National Strength and
Conditioning Associations
Board of Directors. He is
a Fellow of the National
Strength and Conditioning
Association. Dr. Haff
received the National
Strength and Conditioning
Associations Young
Investigator Award
in 2001.

One of the main effectors on the capacity to perform

prolonged exercise is the availability of carbohydrates.
Many studies have reported that the ingestion of carbohydrates before and during exercise as an ergogenic tool
may improve performance. Many commercially available carbohydrate supplements are formulated in concentrations of 2 10%. Interestingly milk has a similar
concentration while containing similar electrolyte and
macronutrient breakdowns. Recently researchers from
Loughborough University in the United Kingdom compared the effects of water, carbohydrate + electrolytes,
and milk + carbohydrate on exercise capacity. Eight
healthy men were randomly assigned a treatment order
with each subject performing endurance trials with four
different supplements. Each subject ingested 1.5 mL/
kg body mass of plain water, a carbohydrate-electrolyte
beverage, and low fat milk (0.1%) + added glucose prior to the exercise bout and every 10 minutes during the
bout. The exercise bout consisted of performing cycle
ergometry work at 70% of VO2peak until volitional exhaustion. There were no differences in the exercise duration between the four supplements, but the inclusion
of milk or carbohydrate appeared to result in longer
exercise durations when compared to the water condition. The carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage increased
exercise duration by 17.3 minutes, the milk condition
increased exercise duration by 10 minutes, and the milk
+ carbohydrate resulted in 9.5 minutes more exercise
when compared to the water condition. There was also
no difference in the subjective feelings experienced during the exercise trial between the treatments. Taken collectively the results of this study suggest that the effects
of milk supplementation appear to be similar to that of
carbohydrate electrolyte beverages.
Lee, JK, Maughan, RJ, Shirreffs, SM, and Watson, P.
Effects of milk ingestion on prolonged exercise capacity
in young, healthy men. Nutrition 24:340 347. 2008.

-Alanine Supplementation
does not Improve
Performance of Body
Composition After 10-weeks
of Supplementation and
Resistance Training.
Carnosine is a di-peptide which is synthesized in muscle and central nervous system tissue from histidine and
-alanine. -alanine supplementation and/or resistance
training has recently been linked to increases in muscle
carnosine concentrations. It has been postulated that increases in carnosine improved buffering capacity which
corresponds to improvements in anaerobic and aerobic
exercise performance. Very few studies have examined
the effects of -alanine supplementation coupled with
resistance training on muscle carnosine concentration
and performance. Therefore the aim of the present study
was to examine a 10-week resistance training program
coupled with the consumption of 6.4 g/day of -alanine.
Twenty six physical education students were randomly
divided into a -alanine and a placebo supplementation group. All subjects resistance trained four days per
week for 10 weeks and took 6.4 g -alanine or placebo
per day. Biopsies, performance, and body composition
were assessed prior to and after the 10 week intervention. There were no significant increases in whole body
strength between the -alanine (+19.67%) and the placebo treatments (+17.46). Additionally, no differences
in isokinetic strength were noted between the -alanine
(+12.1%) and the placebo (+12.6%). When body composition and body mass were examined there were no
differences between the two treatments. The -alanine
supplemented group did express higher muscle carnosine concentrations after the 10 weeks of supplementation when compared to the placebo treatment. Based
upon these results it was concluded that supplementing
the diet and training with -alanine does not result in
an ergogenic effect as indicated by markers of muscle
strength and changes in body composition.
Kendrick, IP, Harris, RC, Kim, HJ, Kim, CK, Dang, VH,
Lam, TQ, Bui, TT, Smith, M, and Wise, JA. The effects
of 10 weeks of resistance training combined with betaalanine supplementation on whole body strength, force
production, muscular endurance and body composition.
Amino Acids 34:547 554. 2008.

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

Fitness Frontlines
Whey Protein
Supplementation
Increases Fat loss and
Spares Lean Muscle in
Obese Subjects.

Does Vitamin C and

E Supplementation
Effect High Intensity
Performance during
Soccer Training?

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that contrib- It is widely documented that exercise training
utes to a multitude of health issues. One weight can increase the formation of markers of oxidamanagement method is manipulating the ra- tive stress. Vitamin C and E are two powerful
tio of carbohydrates and protein in the diet. antioxidant molecules which can affect the forThrough manipulating the diet it is hoped that mation of markers of oxidative stress. Several
a greater maintenance of lean body mass occurs studies have demonstrated the potential ability
while enhancing the decrease in body fat. One of vitamin C and E supplementation of markers
potential tool in this process is the use of whey of oxidative damage in humans. However, very
protein supplementation. Based upon this line few studies have examined the effects of combinof reasoning the present study was designed to ing supplementation with training and how perexamine the effects of whey protein supplemen- formance may be impacted. Therefore the prestation on fat loss and lean body mass. One hun- ent study was to examine the effects of vitamin
dred and fifty eight subjects between the ages of C and E supplementation on markers of oxida20 50 years of age who had a bodymass index tive stress, muscle damage, and performance in
between 30 42 kg/m2 were recruited for this elite soccer players. Ten male soccer players were
investigation. All subjects had their dietary in- randomly divided into two matched groups; 1)
take reduced by 500 kcals per day and consumed 1000 mg vitamin C and 800 mg of vitamin E
a whey protein shake or isocaloric placebo 20 and 2) maltodextrine. All supplements were adminutes before breakfast and dinner each day ministered in a double blind fashion and were
for 12 weeks. Body fat and anthropometric mea- consumed in conjunction with the subjects
surements were taken every four weeks. Both the regular diets. Training loads were identical for
placebo and whey protein groups significantly the three month intervention. There were no
decreased body mass. However, the whey pro- differences in the markers of oxidative stress betein group tended to lose more body fat (+1.19 tween the two treatment groups. However, the
1.52 kg), which corresponded to about 6.1% vitamin C and E group demonstrated significant
of their body fat mass. Since a 5% reduction in reduced markers of muscle damage in response
fat mass has been linked to a reduced disease to the high intensity efforts associated with socrisk in obese patients this finding is considered cer training. Even though less muscle damage
important. In addition to the fat mass loss the was noted there were no differences in actual
whey protein group tended to maintain more performance measures between the two treatlean body mass. Based upon these findings the ment groups.
inclusion of whey protein supplements as part
of a weight loss plan may result in more optimal Zoppi, CC, Hohl, R, Silva, FC, Lazarim, FL, Neto,
JM, Stancanneli, M, and Macedo DV. Vitamin C
losses of body fat when compared to simply reand E supplementation effects in professional
ducing caloric intake.
Frestedt, JL, Zenk, JL, Kuskowski, MA, Ward, LS,
and Bastian, ED. A whey-protein supplement
increases fat loss and spares lean muscle in
obese subjects: A randomized human clinical
study. Nutr Metab (Lond) 5:8. 2008.

Sports
Nutrition
Program

soccer players under regular training. Journal

of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

presented by

3:37-44. 2006.

www.nsca-lift.org/
NSCASportsNutrition/

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

feature

about the
AUTHOR

sports nutrition

Do Athletes Maintaining
Healthy, Well-Balanced
Diets Really Need
Nutritional Supplements

Donovan T. Santas

Donovan T. Santas, CSCS,*D

was named Blue Jays

Major League Strength

& Conditioning Coach
in January 2003 after
serving as minor league
coordinator since 2001.
He graduated in 1999 from
the University of Wisconsin
La Crosse with a B.S
in Exercise and Sports
Science, majoring in
Strength and Conditioning.
He is member of the
National Strength &
Conditioning Association
(NSCA) and sits on the
board of the Professional
Baseball Strength &
Conditioning Coaches
Society (PBSCCS). In the
offseason, he resides in
Tampa, Florida with his
wife, and devotes his free
time to conducting youth
athlete workshops on
strength & conditioning
and sports performance
nutrition.

s a child how many times did you hear: eat your

fruits and veggies!? As an adult, particularly as an
athlete, eating fruits and vegetables is one of the only
significant ways to get some of what the body needs
from its food. Why? Because organically grown, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables represent one of the
only nutritious food sources readily available. Unfortunately, getting your well-balanced daily servings of nutrient-rich food is a difficult task as most commercially
processed foods are stripped of nutritional value and,
worse yet, potentially full of toxins due to overuse of
fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. This combination
of over-processing and contamination not only fills our
restaurants but also our supermarkets with high-calorie
and/or high-glycemic and low-nutrient food options.
Therefore, you have to be more diligent than ever to
make quality food choices. And, as an athlete, to ensure
peak performance and to ward off chronic degenerative
diseases, you need to appropriately supplement a wellbalanced, whole food-based diet for optimal nutrient
levels.
In the world of serious and professional sports, supplements are arguably one of the most misunderstood
and overwhelming topics. Adding to the confusion is
the constant influx of the next best thing products,
making too-good-to-be-true claims. Because athletes
are always looking for an edge, they are often easy prey
for the billion-dollar supplement industry marketing gurus. So what exactly are supplements? Are they
replacements for whole foods, as some manufacturers
would have you believe? By design, supplements should
supplement, filling in the nutritional gaps of a quality
diet. Generally, these nutritional gaps are seen as a lack
of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. However for
athletes, a lack of foods that enhance metabolism and
prevent catabolism are also viewed as deficiencies.

The RDA and Optimal

Levels of Intake
When examining nutritional deficiencies you need to be
aware of the void between the Recommended Dietary/
Daily Allowance (RDA) and Optimal Levels of nutrient intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The
RDA suggests standard intake levels to meet the minimum nutrient requirements for the majority of healthy
individuals. In contrast, optimal levels are generally
much higher than the RDA, and are based on what your
body needs to function relative to your activity level
and to avoid chronic degenerative diseases, like heart
disease and cancer. In some cases, optimal nutrient levels can be as much as thirty times greater than the RDA.
Because of strenuous physical demands, athletes consistently require optimal levels of most nutrients. However, to meet the optimal nutrient levels in some cases
would require eating a substantial amount of foods rich
in the needed nutrients. This is just not possible in most
situations. Consequently, adding a high-quality multivitamin and mineral complex to your diet can ensure
optimal levels of nutrients for recovery from intense activities and to boost your bodys immune system.
Another obstacle to filling nutritional gaps is an athletes schedule. Many times fast food, caffeine, and long
gaps between meals are the common daily routine. Athletes need foods that will sustain their energy over long
periods, not create roller coasters of blood sugar highs
and lows. As such, you should always try to avoid highglycemic carbohydrates, regardless of the time of day.
The glycemic index (GI) measures a foods immediate
effect on blood sugar (2). The GI is based on a 1 to
100-point scale with pure glucose at 100. Refer to the
table 1 to view ratings on representative foods. High-GI
foods of 70 or more, like white bread, potatoes, jelly

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

10

Do Athletes Maintaining Healthy, Well-Balanced Diets Really Need Nutritional Supplements

beans, and corn flakes are converted to glucose
quickly (2). While low-GI foods of 55 or less,
such as rolled oats, apples, pasta, and yogurt are
converted slowly (1). Making good quality lowGI carbohydrate choices throughout the day can
maintain your energy levels naturally and eliminate the need for caffeine and other stimulants.
In addition to the GI, athletes should be acutely
aware of the importance of protein in the building and repair of muscle. High-quality protein
sources contain at least twice as much protein as
fat. For example, a meat source with 10 grams of
fat and 20 grams of protein is considered high
quality but another protein source with a 10 to
10 ratio is considered only moderate to low quality. So chunk light tuna in water with 15 grams
of protein and less than one gram of fat is an
excellent source. Conversely, your typical fastfood cheeseburger with 20 grams of protein and
a whopping 50 grams of fat is a poor source.
Although whole foods should be your primary
source of quality calories, due to the demands
of your schedule combined with many of the
obstacles outlined above, the right foods will
not always be accessible. This makes nutritional
supplements a necessary adjunct to your diet.
There are many meal replacement shakes and
nutrition bars marketed to athletes but they are
not all alike. Look for products that are low GI,
low fat, high fiber, and protein rich. Just keep
in mind when supplementing your meals and
snacks that you are striving to maintain a wellbalanced diet that consists of quality proteins,
low-glycemic carbohydrates and a multitude of
fruits and vegetables.

The Use of Supplements

by Athletes
Despite research and supporting evidence that
supplementing a healthy diet is necessary to attain optimal nutrient levels for sports performance, many athletes still avoid supplements
altogether or simply jump from one product to
the next with marketing trends. There are three
primary reasons for this phenomenon:

Table 1

Representative
Food

Glycemic
Index Rating

Glucose

100

Glycemic Index of
Selected Foods

Sucrose
(table sugar)

61

A high GI Value is 70 or more.

Fructose
(fruit sugar)

19

56 to 69.

Cake Doughnut

76

A low GI value is 55 or less.

Bran Muffin

60

Corn flakes

92

Apple

38

Baked Potato

85

Spaghetti

44

Banana

52

Carrots

47

Orange Juice

52

Bagel, white

72

Skim Milk

32

Spinach,
leafy greens

Peanuts

14

An intermediate GI value is

Misconceptions about dietary needs.

Fear of banned substances.
Lack of sports-certified products.
As mentioned previously, many athletes are not
aware of the difference between the Recommended Dietary/Daily Allowance (RDA) and
optimal levels. Nor do they know the extent of
over processing and its nutrient-depleting affect
on foods. Also, safety is always a top concern
for athletes. Among those who understand the
need for supplementation, many are scared off
by fear of banned substances. Unfortunately,
this fear is not unwarranted as quality control
in manufacturing of nutritional supplements
has only been loosely regulated since the implementation of the US Dietary Supplementation
and Health Education Act of 1994. As a result
of the act, there are currently no US regulations

that enforce minimum standards of practice, no

requirements for pre-market approval, no postmarket surveillance, and no site licensing or
product licensing required for the manufacturing of dietary supplements in the US (3). This
leaves quality and content basically unregulated,
resulting in a supplement market flooded with
ineffective products due to lack of proper formulation & dissolution properties and products
with contents that do not match labeled ingredients.
In December 2007 the results of a study overseen by Informed-Choice, a nonprofit coalition
of dietary supplements, and conducted by HFL,
a British company, were released to the press.
(1), Of 52 supplements purchased and tested by
HFL, a quarter of the supplements contained
traces of steroids and 11.5% had banned stimulants. This study came out only five years after

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

11

Do Athletes Maintaining Healthy, Well-Balanced Diets Really Need Nutritional Supplements

the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
sampled 240 supplements purchased in America,
revealing 18.8% contained steroids.(1) We can
never be sure if the companies are intentionally
adding banned substances in hopes of boosting
product effectiveness, or if the machinery is just
not properly cleaned between different productions. Regardless, the results are products that
unsuspecting athletes assume are safe additions
to their training and recovery programs, but
could cause positive banned-substance tests.
Over the last decade banned substance testing
has increased at all levels of competition, including high school, collegiate, and professional
sports. This elevated level of testing has made
supplement use a buyer-beware business and
prompted numerous sports organizations to
institute certification standards. For example,
the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) have both adopted a
certification program for supplements that relies
on the independent testing company NSF. NSF
Certified for Sport nutritional supplements
are tested for accuracy in labeling as well as
banned substances. Under NFL and MLB policies, teams can not supply players with uncertified products; however, players are free to make
individual purchases of uncertified products at
their own risk.

Use of only certified products greatly eases athletes anxiety over choosing supplements but it
also greatly limits supplement options. Currently, there are as few as 20 certified products listed
on the MLB approved list and only three multivitamins. Ideally, athletes should not deviate
from certified products; however, due to limited
availability you might elect to take uncertified
products. In that case, it is wise to consume only
those products that have voluntarily followed
the Good Manufacturing Process that reflects
the pharmaceutical model and are considered
pharmaceutical grade as opposed to merely FDA
regulated.
Although athletes should always take a foodfirst approach to their diet, less than adequate
food sources and demanding schedules have created a need for quality supplementation to enhance performance, speed recovery, and prevent
chronic degenerative disease. Yet the quality and
safety of nutritional products will continue to
be a major concern until more stringent production standards are imposed across the supplement industry. Until then, you should make a
concerted effort to use only those products from
companies that are willing to self impose more
stringent regulations and meet certification requirements to set themselves apart from the rest
of the market. Nonetheless, you should always

closely monitor your diet and make whole food

choices that consist of a balance of fruits and
vegetables, low-glycemic carbohydrates, and
high-quality protein.

Reference
1. Associated Press. Study: Quarter of Dietary
Supplements Tested Contain Steroids, Banned
Stimulants. [Press release] (Thursday, December
06, 2007).
2. Brand-Miller, J, Foster-Powell, K. The New
Glucose Revolution. New York, NY: Marlow &
Company. (2006).
3. MacWilliam, L. Nutrisearch Comparative Guide
to Nutritional Supplements. Vernon, BC Canada:
Northern Dimentions. (2007).

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

12

In the Gym
about the
AUTHOR
Kyle Brown is a health
and fitness expert
whose portfolio includes
everything from leading
workshops for Fortune
500 companies and
publishing nutrition
articles in top ranked

Kyle Brown, CSCS

Nutritional Quality vs.

Nutritional Quantity:
Properly Fueling Athletes
for Optimal Performance

fitness journals, to training

celebrity clientelefrom
pro athletes to CEOs
to multiplatinum
recording artists. Kyles
unique approach to
health and fitness
emphasizes nutrition and
supplementation as the
foundation for optimal
wellness. After playing
water polo for Indiana
University, as well as in
London, Kyle became
involved in bodybuilding
and fitness for sport
specific training. Kyle
is the creator and Chief
Operating Officer for FIT
365Complete Nutritional
Shake (www.fit365.com).

o many athletes are hung up on finding that magic The basic premise is that certain foods are optipill, powder, or potion to give them a competitive malforhuman consumption. We ate a particular way
edge. They spend hundreds of dollars monthly on the for roughly all but the last 10,000 years of our over
latest fad supplements, yet their nutritional foundation 2.7 million years of human existence and our bodies
is pathetic at best. They use exercising for hours a day have not adapted to processing these new man made
as a justification for their sub par nutritional intake of or genetically modified convenience foods. On the
processed carbohydrates and convenience foods. Their other hand, our bodies adapted to an omnivore diet of
bodies may look fit on the outside, which further justi- healthy lean meats, veggies, a little fruit, healthy oils,
fies this rationalization. However, if more athletes put and nuts and seeds (3).
the same effort into being properly fueled as they do Now that we are in the 21st century, how do we apply
into training for their sport, their performance would this prehistoric optimal way of eating into our chaotic,
increase exponentially (1).
modern day lifestyle? A good rule of thumb is if it
There is a really big difference between nutritional qual- does not spoil quickly, do not eat it. Look for fresh,
ity and nutritional quantity. Nutritional quantity is raw, organic foods that can be sourced by nature not a
what most people focus on. They think they know what laboratory. As an athlete, if you put the same respect
is healthy because they look at the nutrition facts panel and effort into fueling your body as a race car crew does
for the number of calories, grams of protein, carbohy- into fueling its car or a racehorse team does into nourdrates, and fat. They first look at the calories and if it ishing its horse, you will have the competitive edge you
is some relatively low number like 200 or less they will are looking for.
think it is acceptable. Next, they look to see if the protein is over 10 grams, the fat is less than five grams, and
References
the carbohydrates are less than 10 grams. If it meets 1. Coyle, EF. Fat metabolism during exercise: New
these rough criteria they will deem the product as
concepts. Sports Science Exchange #59, 8(6) 1996.
healthy. Instead, they should be focusing on the nu- 2. Ha, E, Zemel, MB. Functional properties of whey, whey
tritional quality of the product. What ingredients make
components, and essential amino acids: Mechanisms
up the calories, grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat
underlying health benefits for active people (review).
Journal
of Nutritional Biochemistry. May;14(5):251-8.
and how will their bodies utilize these ingredients?
The key is to look at the history of nutritional degeneration (what did we do before we messed everything up)
and what the rest of the animal kingdom is doing successfully. Most humans disassociated themselves from
the source of where food comes from and are ignorant
to how food serves as a source of fuel in their bodies.
For example, protein is not just for building muscles
but it provides you with sustained energy (2).

2003

3. Cordain L. Implications of Plio-Pleistocene Hominin

Diets for Modern Humans. In: Early Hominin Diets: The
Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable. Ungar, P
(Ed.), Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 363 83.
2006.

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

13

Training Table
about the
AUTHOR
Debra Wein is a faculty
member at the University
of Massachusetts Boston
and adjunct lecturer
at Simmons College.
Debra is the President
and Co-founder of
Sensible Nutrition, Inc.
(www.sensiblenutrition.
com), a consulting firm
established in 1994 that
provides nutrition services
to athletes, individuals,
universities, corporate
wellness programs and
nonprofit groups. Debra is
certified as a Specialist in
Sports Dietetics (CSSD)
through The American
Dietetic Association.
Her sport nutrition
handouts and free weekly
email newsletter are
available online at www.
sensiblenutrition.com.

Kathy Palmer has a

degree in exercise science
from the University of
MA Boston, performed
her internship at
TuftsUniversitys Friedman
School of Nutrition in the
Children In BalanceDept
and has worked with
Sensible Nutrition
since2005.

Debra Wein, MS, RD, LDN, CSSD, NSCA-CPT,*D and Kathy Palmer

Does Your Diet Pass Muster?

n order to achieve top performance, athletes require

an appropriate quantity of energy (calories) and various nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins,
and minerals) as well as the correct balance or quality
of these nutrients.

Table 1

Calorie Requirements by Age (1)

The five tenets of good nutrition include

AGE

Adequacy. A diet which contains enough of the

essential nutrients.

Children

CALORIE RANGE

Sedentary / Active *

Balance. A diet which contains a good proportion

of nutrients. No overemphasis of one food group or
another.

2 3 years

Calorie Control. A diet which contains the correct

amount of calories to maintain ideal body weight.

4 8 years

1,200 / 1,800

9 13

1,600 / 2,200

14 18

1,800 / 2,400

19 30

2,000 / 2,400

31 50

1,800 / 2,200

51+

1,600 / 2,200

Moderation. A diet which enables you to eat any

food in reasonable-size portions.
Variety. A diet which contains different types of
food to prevent boredom.
To be sure you are achieving adequacy and calorie control, you need to be sure that your caloric intake is appropriate. Table 1 lists the different calorie needs for
sedentary and active individuals for each age group. For
more specific target and suggested energy intake levels
for each age/gender group for go to The Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Energy Levels For Proposed Food Intake Patterns (1).
To maintain your current weight, choose the amount
suggested. To lose weight, decrease your calorie intake
by 300 500 calories each day. For weight loss above
20 pounds, calories can be limited further as long as the
total number of calories is not too extreme. To increase
your weight, add an additional 300 500 calories daily.
Once you have decided on an appropriate calorie level, refer to table 2 for specific amounts of servings to
choose from each food group.
To track your intake over time or to simply look up the
nutritional content of a specific food, refer to any of
these sites:
www.mypyramid.gov
www.thedailyplate.com

1,000 / 1,400

Females

Males
4 8 years

1,400 / 2,000

9 13

1,800 / 2,600

14 18

2,200 / 3,200

19 30

2,400 / 3,000

31 50

2,200 / 3,000

51+

2,000 / 2,800

*Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the

light physical activity associated with typical dayto-day life. Active means a lifestyle that includes
physical activity equivalent to walking more than
3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition
to the light physical activity associated with typical
day-to-day life. For more strenuous activity, add
the total calories burned during your activity to
that total.

www.prevention.com
www.sparkpeople.com
www.calorieking.com (monthly or yearly fee)

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

14

1 cup

1 cup

3 oz eq

2 oz eq

2 cups

3 tsp

165

Fruits

Vegetables

Grains

Meat and Beans

Milk

Oils

Discretionary
calorie allowance
171

4 tsp

2 cups

3 oz eq

4 oz eq

1.5 cups

1 cup

1200

171

4 tsp

2 cups

4 oz eq

5 oz eq

1.5 cups

1.5 cups

1400

182

5 tsp

3 cups

5 oz eq

5 oz eq

2 cups

1.5 cups

1600

195

5 tsp

3 cups

5 oz eq

6 oz eq

2.5 cups

1.5 cups

1800

267

6 tsp

3 cups

5.5 oz eq

6 oz eq

2.5 cups

2 cups

2000

290

6 tsp

3 cups

6 oz eq

7 oz eq

3 cups

2 cups

2200

362

7 tsp

3 cups

6.5 oz eq

8 oz eq

3 cups

2 cups

2400

Daily Amount of Food from Each Calorie Group

Table 2

410

8 tsp

3 cups

6.5 oz eq

9 oz eq

3.5 cups

2 cups

26000

426

8 tsp

3 cups

7 oz eq

10 oz eq

3.5 cups

2.5 cups

2800

512

10 tsp

3 cups

7 oz eq

10 oz eq

4 cups

2.5 cups

3000

648

Reference

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

1. Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, Energy Levels For Proposed Food Intake
Patterns. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/MyPyramid/DevelopmentMaterials/
FedlRegNoticeSept2003/table2.pdf, accessed September 7, 2008.

15

11 tsp

3 cups

7 oz eq

10 oz eq

4 cups

2.5 cups

3200

Does Your Diet Pass Muster?

NOTE: If you require calories beyond 3200, simply find two tables that equal your caloric requirement and eat the recommended servings. For instance, for 4000
calories, double the suggested servings for the 2000 calorie recommendations.

1000

CALORIE LEVEL

training table

Ounce of
Prevention
about the
AUTHOR
Jason Brumitt is an
instructor of physical
therapy at Pacific
University in Hillsboro,
Oregon. He is a board
certified sports physical
therapist, an athletic
trainer, and a certified
strength and conditioning
specialist with distinction.
He may be reached at
jbrumitt72@hotmail.com.

Jason Brumitt, MSPT, SCS, ATC/R, CSCS,*D

Recognizing Disordered
Eating Habits in Athletes

ecent publications in the sports medicine literaAppropriate Responses to

ture have highlighted the prevalence and severity
of eating disorders. Left untreated, eating disorders will Suspected Disordered Eating
cause serious detrimental health effects and possibly What should be done if you suspect that an athlete has
lead to death. Many coaches, athletic trainers, and ad- an eating disorder? The National Athletic Trainers
ministrators may be familiar with the classic eating dis- Association published this year a position statement
order diagnoses of anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia regarding the identification and management of athnervosa (BN), but may be less familiar with the signs letes with disordered eating. The authors of the posiand symptoms associated with disordered eating. An tion statement recommend first that the athlete who is
athlete may possess signs of disordered eating that over suspected of having an eating disorder be approached
time evolve into AN, BN, or a third condition known and questioned by an authority figure. The authority figure, such as a coach, athletic trainer, or teacher,
as an eating disorder-not otherwise specified (1).
should have a good relationship with the athlete. More
Disordered eating is also associated with the female aththan likely the athlete will deny having an eating disorlete triad, a medical condition consisting of low energy
der. If the signs and symptoms still suggest a problem,
availability, amenorrhea, and osteoporosis (2). While a
he or she should be referred to an appropriate physician
majority of the literature explores the prevalence of fefor a medical evaluation (1).
male eating disorders or the female athlete triad, male
athletes may also be at risk. The prevalence of disordered eating in female athletes has been estimated to Additional Reading
be as high as 62%, whereas as a surprising 33% of male Each athletic program should implement a disordered
athletes may demonstrate behaviors associated with eating management protocol in order to help facilidisordered eating (1). The purpose of this article is to tate the appropriate care for at risk individuals (1). One
present the signs and symptoms associated with disor- tool that may help an athletic department design and
dered eating. Due to the severity of these conditions, implement policies and procedures is the National Athrecognition of at risk athletes by a coach and/or an ath- letic Trainers Association position statement on idenletic trainer with the subsequent referral of the at-risk tifying and managing athletes with disordered eating
(1). This publication may be accessed for free at: http://
athlete to an appropriate medical provider is crucial.
www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=p
ubmed&pubmedid=18335017.

Signs and Symptoms

of Disorder Eating

Athletes who have eating disorders may demonstrate

many physical or psychological characteristics (1 3).
These behaviors include changes in eating habits (unnecessary dieting, not eating, secretive or ritualistic
eating habits), changes in exercise behaviors (excessive
exercise or unnecessary exercise), depression, restlessness, substance abuse, and issues related to body image
(critical about ones own body appearance and feelings
of being fat) (1).

References
1. Bonci CM, Bonci LJ, Granger LR, Johnson CL, Malina
RM, Milne LW, Ryan RR, Vanderbunt EM. National
athletic trainers association position statement:
preventing, detecting, and managing disordered eating
in athletes. J Athl Train. 43(1): 80 108. 2008.
2. Nattiv A, Loucks AB, Manore MM, Sanborn CF,
Sundgot-Borgen J, Warren MP; American College of
Sports Medicine. American College of Sports Medicine
position stand. The female athlete triad. Med Sci Sports
Exerc. 39(10): 1867 1882. 2007.
3. Nattiv A, Callahan LR, Kelman-Sherstinsky A. The female
athlete. In: Ireland ML, Nattiv A, eds. The Female Athlete.
Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders: 223 235. 2002.

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

16

feature

about the
AUTHOR
Amanda is the director
of performance nutrition
and research at Athletes
Performance (www.
athletesperformance.com)
and Core Performance
(www.coreperformance.
com). She earned her
bachelors degree in
Nutritional Science from
the University of Arizona
and Masters degrees in
both Sports Nutrition and
Exercise Physiology from
Florida State University.
Amanda works directly
with the AP Performance
Nutrition Team to
help create year-long
systems of success
for all AP athletes and
coordinates the companys

nutrition

Ten Simple Things

to Remember for
Optimal Nutrition
Amanda Carlson, MS, RD, CSSD

utrition is something that affects everyone. Everyone needs fuel and everyone needs nutrients.
Yet everyone eats for completely different reasons. As
an athlete on the field or as an athlete competing in
the game of life, putting thought behind what goes
into your mouth can do wonders for health, but most
importantly performance. The thought process behind
choosing the right foods or combinations of foods seems
to be the most paralyzing for most athletes. There are so
many different opinions, ways of doing things, answers
to weight loss, answers to weight gain everywhere you
turn that it can become confusing to a point where acting on good intentions seems to halt. By no means do
I want to downplay the complexity of nutrition, but
what does all the science matter if behavior does not
change? In working with athletes over the years, we
break down our methodology into 10 Rules to Live
by that can be simplified to five categories: eat clean,
eat often, hydrate, recover, mindset. These five categories will allow us to assist out clients in streamlining
their healthy eating efforts.

performance research.
Amanda delivers both
educational seminars and
individual consulting to
a variety of professional
and elite sports
organizations, state and
national conferences. She
contributes to sports and
fitness based publications,
sits on various advisory
boards for sports nutrition
education development
and position papers, and
has edited sports nutrition
books and educational
texts.

10 Rules to Live By:

1. Come Back to Earth. This simply means to choose
the least processed forms of foods, specifically carbohydrates, when building the majority of your
meals. Typically the less processed the foods and
the closer the food that you are eating is to its natural state, the better it will be fore you. An easy way
to do this on the carbohydrate side of things is to
simply look at the label and the amount of fiber
that is in the product. If the product has at least
three grams of fiber or more per serving, it is a good
choice. If it does not have that amount of fiber, put
it back and find something that does. According to
the American Heart Association, Americans eat an
average of 15 grams of fiber per day, which is far

below the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

of 14g per 1,000 calories consumed) that is recommended (5). The total intake of carbohydrates in
general should be based on size and activity level.
Typically this will range from anywhere between
3 10g of carbohydrates per kg body weight with
the lower end (three grams) representing the light
training recreational athlete to the upper end (10g)
representing the endurance athlete in a heavy training phase. In the real world, if you feel energized,
recover fully, are at a healthy performance weight,
and are performingyou are probably eating the
right amount of carbohydrate.
2. Eat a Rainbow Often. The vitamins and minerals
that our bodys need naturally come from the foods
that we eat, specifically fruits and vegetables. Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables in a multitude
of colors will help to ensure that you are getting
the variety of nutrients that you need. Gone are
the days of the 5 a Day campaign. It has been
replaced with simply, More Matters. Some of the
best fruits based on their total anti-oxidant capacity per size are blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, granny smith apples, sweet cherries, and black plums. In terms of vegetables, the
Harvard school of public health is a bit more general in its guidelines by recommending to reach for
stewed tomatoes, dark leafy greens, and anything
that is rich in yellow, orange, and red color. It all
sounds so simplistic, but still the average American
only consumes about three out of the five to 15
recommended servings per day. The athlete needs
the nutrients in these foods to enhance recovery,
serve as intermediates in energy production, and
an improved immune system.

nscas performance training journal www.nsca-lift.org volume 7 issue 5

17

Ten Simple Things to Remember for Optimal Nutrition

3. The Less Legs the Better. Protein is a critical part of the diet for the athlete and the
active person, specifically the type and the
amount. When focusing in on the type of
protein, typically the less legs the animal has
before you actually consume it, the better
the source. Fish, turkey, and chicken rank
high. You need to be more selective with
dairy, red meat, and pork products. Low-fat
dairy, lean cuts of pork and beef, and grass
fed four legged animals are best. For people
who are active in both strength and endurance training, more protein is needed; however, the constant debate always appears as
to how much protein people need. Research
suggests 1.2 to 1.7g/kg for both strength
training and endurance athletes (7). Meeting the upper level of protein needs while
decreasing calories is important to maintain muscle mass while trying to lean out.
Protein also has a higher thermic effect
meaning more calories burned, which can
further help the leaning out effort (8). Protein can help to increase the satiety of meals
and should also be included as part of your
recovery meal or snack. Splitting the total
protein intake over the course of the day
by including some in each meal will help to
ensure absorption and utilization.
4. Eat Fats That Give Something Back. Diets too low in fat can be detrimental to active people; however, diets too high in fat
(as with anything) will lead to increased
fat accumulation. It is recommended that
20 30% of the total calories come from
fat. The best types of fats to include are raw
nuts, seeds, olive oil, nut butters, and fatty
fish. The forgotten fats in the US are the
essential fatty acids, specifically the omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids help with
decreasing inflammation and due to their
essential nature, must come from the diet.
You should consume fish high in omega 3
two to three times per week. Those who do
not consume fish regularly may want to
consider supplementing with fish oil.
5. Three for Three. Eating consistently maintains energy levels (blood glucose), keeps

Eat Clean

Eat Often

Hydrate

Recover

Mindset

the body in a fed state, and prevents mood

swings and binging. Keeping the body fueled will prevent extreme hunger, which
will make healthier food selection easier.
Combining the three main nutrients (carbohydrates, protein, fat) every three hours
(hence the three for three) will keep you fueled and keep you on track. Planning out
meals and snacks ahead of time will ensure
that you stick with your fueling regimen.
Keeping healthy snacks, bars, and ready
to drink meal replacements with you at all
times will ensure you have fuel on hand to
keep you going.
6. Eat Breakfast Everyday. There is a lot of
debate on this in the literature, but I still
believe that eating breakfast everyday is
critical and find it to be an absent habit for
most of us. There isnt enough time, Im
not hungry in the morning, and its too
complicated are all things that I hear come
out of the mouths of athletes and in my
own brain at times. Breakfast does not have
to be buckwheat pancakes and an egg white
omelet. Breakfast could be a blend of yogurt, flax, whey protein, and frozen berries
or whole wheat toast, peanut butter, and a
banana. Eating breakfast will give the body
the fuel it needs, jumpstart the metabolism,
and set people up to consume the number
of calories they should be eating throughout the day.
7. Hydrate. Dehydration = Decreased performance. The 2007 American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM) position stand
on exercise and fluid replacement states
that the goal of drinking while exercising
is to prevent a 2% loss in fluid and an ex-

Table 1
Performance Nutrition
Assessment
(5 = Great; 1 = Not So Great)

treme disruption of electrolyte balance. (1)

However, we need to ensure that we are hydrated before we step onto the field or into
a training session. A case study performed
at Athletes Performance in 2008 on NFL
combine preparation athletes found 98% of
them to be dehydrated (by means of urine
gravity) prior to their am training session.
This resulted in a quick review of the athletes
hydration. When we think of hydration we
need to think of it in terms of all day and
during training. We recommend drinking
oz to 1 oz per pound of body weight per
day. Fluids should consist of primarily water and other naturally low or non caloric
beverages, followed by 100% fruit juices
(depending upon calorie requirements).
This is a good range that helps people reach
baseline recommended fluid intakes of
2.7L/day for women and 3.7L/d for men.
In order to prevent dehydration during exercise, it is recommended by the ACSM to
create an individual approach to minimizing fluid loss during training by weighing
in and out of sessions and tracking how
much fluid is consumed. A general place
to start as recommended by the National
Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) is to
drink 17 20oz prior to exercise, 7 10
oz every 10 20 minutes during exercise,
and 17 24oz for each pound lost during
exercise (3). During times of intense activity, extreme temperatures, and long duration, a carbohydrate electrolyte beverage is
optimal in addition to water because it is
imperative to replace both water and salts
lost from sweat. The fluid replacement is
critical for those training two or more times

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Ten Simple Things to Remember for Optimal Nutrition

per day in order to maintain performance at
subsequent training bouts.
8. Dont waste your workout. Even with the
plethora of research available on the benefits
of post workout nutrition, I still see athletes
and workout warriors skipping the recovery
meal or snack. The mindset of many still
involves a hesitation to consume calories
after just burning them. In order to optimize the benefits of a training session and
jumpstart recovery for maximal gains, it is
critical to consume a post workout recovery meal that blends both carbohydrate and
protein within 45 minutes after training.
This recovery meal should contain a repletion factor of 1.2 1.5g/kg bodyweight that
combines both carbohydrate (1.0 1.2g/kg
bodyweight) and a blend of whey and casein protein (0.3 0.4g/kg bodyweight) in
a ratio that ranges from 2:1 to 4:1 depending upon the intensity and duration of the
training. By consuming this snack, meal,
shake, or bar that hits your protein and carbohydrate requirements as quickly as possible after training, glycogen repletion, lean
body mass gains, performance on a subsequent training bout and immune function
will be optimized (2,4,6).
9. Supplement wisely. There are so many
supplements on the market that it becomes
difficult to decipher which ones are needed.
Supplements should compliment the diet
and a mentality of food first supplement
second should be employed; however, there
are a number of situations that warrant a
basic supplementation protocol. Those who
do not get the recommended three servings of fatty fish per week should consider
supplementing with an Essential Fatty Acid
supplement. Those who do not get the calcium they need, especially female athletes,
should consider a calcium supplement. Supplements that reach beyond that scope can
be taken, but should be chosen only after
an evaluation with a doctor and dietitian.
When choosing any supplement, make sure
that it has a Good Manufacturing Practice

Table 2

Time

Meal

5:00 AM

Wake-up

5:15

Whole wheat toast w/peanut

butter, yogurt

6:00 7:15

Workout

7:30

Post Workout Shake w/

Carbohydrate and Protein

9:30

Oatmeal w/berries and walnuts,

egg whites scrambled with
veggies, low fat cheese and olive
oil

12:30 PM

Turkey sandwich on whole wheat

with large spinach salad and low
fat dressing

3:30

Plum w/raw almonds

6:30

Grilled salmon, brown rice,

steamed veggies, large green
salad w/low fat dressing

9:30

Low fat cottage cheese and c

berries

(GMP) symbol, is free of banned substances, and has accuracy in labeling. Utilizing
websites such as consumerlab.com, nsf.org,
and informedchoice.org can be very helpful.
10. Get back in the kitchen. In a world of convenience, travel, and life on the go, we turn
to restaurants, fast food, and quick food
for our nourishment. Restaurants, regardless of the type, do not take into consideration your calorie needs or your health
when deciding upon their menu. Eating
out is tricky as the majority of items are
oversized and have significantly more fat
and calories than similar dishes made at
home. At the end of the day, if you really
want to maximize your body composition,
hit your nutrient and calorie goals, and just
eat cleaner, you are your best ally. The more
you can prepare your own food, the more
control you will have in the nourishment
of your body.

Sample Perfect Day

Nutritional Plan

We simplified this further by breaking the 10

Rules down into 5 categories: Eat Clean, Eat
Often, Hydrate, Recover, and Mindset. Each
category represents a very important piece when
it comes to fueling the body for performance
and for health. In order to stay on track, we ask
our athletes and clients to gauge how they are
doing with a simple Performance Nutrition
Assessment on a daily basis (table1). We have
them rank on a scale of 1 to 5 each of those 5
categories. This daily check point serves as a
time to reflect on how well they are nourishing
their body despite the busy nature of life.
When it comes down to nutrition, there is not
one answer, one magic pill, one supplement,
or one tip that will give you the results you are
looking for. It involves taking the 10 tips above
and creating Perfect Days (table 2) and mastering the consistency of implementing the strategies listed above into daily life until it becomes a
habit. So, how are you doing?

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Ten Simple Things to Remember for Optimal Nutrition

References
1. American College of Sports Medicine. Position
stand: Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci
Sports Exer, 28(1): i vii. 2007.
2. Berardi, JM, Price, TB, Noreen, EE, Lemon
PW. Postexercise muscle glycogen recovery
enhanced
with
a
carbohydrate-protein
supplement. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 38(6):1106
13. 2006.
3. Casa, DJ, Armstrong, LE, Hilllman, SK, Montain,
SJ, Reiff, RV, Rich, BSE, Roberts, WO, Stone,
JA. National Athletic Trainers Association
position statement: Fluid replacement for
athletes. Journal of Athletic Training, 35(2): 212
224. 2000.
4. Coyle, E.F. Timing and method of increased
carbohydrate intake to cope with heavy training,
competition and recovery. Journal of Sports
Sciences, 9(suppl.)Spec No:29 51; discussion
51-2. 1991.
5. Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes
for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty
Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
(Macronutrients). National Academies Press.
2002.
6. Ivy, JL, Katz, AL, Cutler, CL, Sherman, WM, Coyle,
E. Muscle glycogen synthesis after exercise:
effect of time of carbohydrate ingestion. Journal
of Applied Physiology, 64, 1480 1485. 1988.
7. Manore, A, Barr, S, Butterfield, G. Position Stand
of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians
of Canada, and the American College of Sports
Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance.
Journal of the American Dietetic Association,
12: 1543-1556. 2000.Phillips, S. Dietary Protein
for Athletes. Appl. Physiol. Nutr. Metab, 31: 647
654 2006.

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