THE ATHLETE’S KITCHEN: Latest Nutrition Information For Soccer Players
Soccer News: Looking for the latest sports nutrition news? Below are just a few highlights from the more than 3,000 research studies presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting in Boston, 2016. And, yes, peppermint oil seems to be able to improve performance…
Here is the nutrition news you want to know:
As we age, we lose muscle. Eating protein prior to sleep is a nutritional strategy that helps curb overnight muscle loss. When healthy 71 year-old men added resistance exercise in the evening, and then consumed 40 grams of bedtime casein, the overnight muscle-building response increased 31% compared to men who did not do evening exercise.
Sounds like the older we get, the more we should lift weights at night and then eat casein-rich cottage cheese? Just a thought.
Soldiers who ate a protein-rich diet but not enough calories lost muscle during 4 days of hard military training.
If you are doing intense training, you want to be sure to consume not only adequate protein but also adequate calories.
UCAN is a cornstarch supplement touted to increase fat burning and provide steady energy – Does it work?
In a study with trained cyclists who consumed either UCAN or sugar (glucose) before and during 1 hour of biking followed by intervals and then sprints, UCAN increased fat burning—but the cyclists did not perform any better.
Can peppermint oil enhance performance? Yes.
Peppermint, as well as perhaps other types of mint may have performance-enhancing effects. According to a study with weight lifters — who took either peppermint oil or a peppermint flavored placebo 15 minutes before a 3-repetition max test.
The Results of the Peppermint study? Those who used the peppermint oil were able to perform better. Their back squat increased from 268 to 284 lbs. and upper body strength from 218 to 246 lbs. This is preliminary research and stay tuned for more info.
Here is another thought: Nutrition is one way to enhance performance. Training muscles is another way. Ever think of training your lungs?
Training lung muscles improves performance.
Did you know that after three weeks of training their respiratory muscles, college basketball players were able to perform better?
Do you burn many more calories by standing at a desk instead of sitting at your desk? No. Just standing increases energy expenditure by less than 10 calories per hour. But you might be less likely to gain weight if you include a brief 2-minute walk every 30 minutes. For example, you could walk to a printer down the hall, or take the stairs to use the upstairs bathroom.
Read this: If you think the more you exercise, the more weight you will lose, think again!
Overfat middle-age adults who participated in a 12-month study saw no additional weight loss if they exercised for 250 minutes/week, as compared to those who exercised for 150 minutes. This suggests a compensatory response that thwarts fat loss.
A healthy body all depends upon what you do and what you eat. No real short cuts but here are some newsworthy tips:
Don’t like your body shape? Lifting weights can help you improve your body image. But please focus on being toned and muscular – not thin.
If you plan to go “on a diet,” you want to focus not only on eating less and exercising more, but also getting adequate sleep. Being sleep deprived can reduce your desire to exercise and eat well.
A survey with college women reported exercise helped them feel strong, energized, more powerful, determined, balanced, content, inspired, and unstoppable. Yes, those are the right reasons to exercise—as opposed to just burn off calories.
Athletes face many nutritional challenges, including reaching weight goals, having limited time to eat, and fueling during travel. If you need some help with managing your sports diet, choose to get help from a qualified sports dietitian — as opposed to family, friends or even perhaps a coach. The referral network at SCANdpg.org can help you find a local expert.
Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD has a private practice in the Boston-area (Newton; 617-795-1875), where she helps both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes create winning food plans. Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook, and Food Guide for Soccer are available at nancyclarkrd.com. For workshops, see www.NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.
SIDEBAR: Nutritional and medical advice changes with new discoveries and interpretations. Always check with your medical provider and/or nutritionalist for what is best for you and your family. And research and read information on nutrition! Of course, result will always vary…
Sports nutritionist Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD has a private practice in the Boston-area, where she helps both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes create winning food plans. Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook, and Food Guide for Soccer, as well as teaching materials, are available at www.nancyclarkrd.com.
For online and live workshops, visit www.NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com.
