Hockey is a fast-paced sport that demands a great deal of energy from its players. The best way for your body to keep up with this energy is through diet and nutri- tion. Nutrition is a vital component of athletics. Your diet directly affects your per- formance and a healthy one is vital for supporting consistent training. Under- standing the facts about proper diet and nutrition habits is important for achieving a powerful performance.
Food and water can help enhance your strength, stamina, speed and mental performance. Not only does maintaining a healthy body boost your physical per- formance, it also keeps fat away. Excess fat on your body can cause your speed, endurance and agility to drastically decrease. As an athlete, it is best to compare your dietary habits to your performance on the field – tackle each one with the same amount of effort. If you focus more on your performance than your nutrition,it will cause an imbalance and you will likely perform poorly. Taking care of your body in the long run can also help you heal quicker if you ever become in- jured.
By following the right nutritional guidelines, you can provide your body with enough energy for an explosive performance on the rink. The best sources of fuel for athletes come from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. The challenge for players is finding the best ratio of these macronutrients that will allow optimal perfor- mance.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are the best source of energy you can provide your body with for cy- cling. Your body consistently burns carbs through your cycling habits as well as your normal day to day activities so it is very important to provide your body with a diet that is high in carbohydrates. More carbohydrates = more energy. It is important to avoid simple carbohydrates (white bread, candy, etc.) and aim for complex carbohydrates. These carbs can be found in fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Carbs should make up 45-60% of a hockey players’ diet.
A good guideline is to consume 5 to 7 grams of carbs per every 2lbs of your body weight. Here are some great sources for carbohydrates:
*Leafy green vegetables
*Kale
*Broccoli
*Cauliflower
*Onions
*Bell Peppers
*Apples
*Bananas
*Berries
*Tomatoes
*Avocados
*Citrus Fruits
*Whole Wheat Bread
*Whole Wheat Pasta
*Oats
*Bran
Eating a pregame meal prior to playing is a great strategy for fueling your body for optimum performance. Your pregame meal should consist of low-fat foods, as foods high in fat take longer to digest and can make you lag. You can break your pregame meal down into small meals. Start prepping your body for your big game from the moment you eat breakfast. Breakfast is the base meal of your day and many players make the mistake of skipping it.
Start fueling your body with carbohydrates from common breakfast foods such as toast, cereal or eggs. Steel cut oats with fresh berries is another good idea.
Alternatively, you can make a smoothie. For lunch and dinner, it is best to consume grilled meats, vegetables, pasta and a fueling beverage such as a sports drink.
Immediately after performance, or at least within 30 minutes of stopping, you should consume a postgame snack to boost your fluids and carbohydrates. This snack should be a mixture of proteins and carbohydrates. Good examples of a postgame snack include nutritional bars, string cheese, yogurt with fruit, trail mix, rice cakes, pretzels or crackers with peanut butter and a sports drink or water.
After your game or workout, you should eat a postgame meal to refuel your- self. Some good ideas for a postgame meal include steak, rice, salmon, salads, roast beef, potatoes and grilled chicken.
Important Tip: Watch how much caffeine you consume on a daily basis – it can make you hungrier throughout the day. You should also avoid soda. The high content of sugar and carbonation in soda can cause your body to work harder, thus taking away energy you could be utilizing on the field. Additionally, avoid fast food and processed food.
This video by Hockey Tutorial, What to Eat Before Hockey, shows some great examples of what you can eat before, during and after a game.
Stay Hydrated : Staying hydrated is not just important for playing sports. It is important for everyone, every day. Analyzing the playing conditions of the game are is a good way to figure out your hydration needs. If you go too long without drinking water or a sports drink, it is possible to get dehydrated. Left untreated, dehydration can lead to cramping, heat exhaustion, brain swelling, seizures, hypovolemic shock, kidney failure, and in extreme cases it can lead to a coma, stroke or death. The best way to stay hydrated throughout a game or practice is to drink 20 ounces of fluid one to two hours before you start. Drink at least 8 more ounces another 15 minutes before you start. If you’re just working out, drink 8 ounces of fluid every 10 minutes.
If you start to feel a sudden onset of dizziness, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps or a headache, you should stop what you’re doing immediately and hydrate yourself. If you also find that you are not sweating, you may be dehydrated.
Proteins Protein is important for building muscle mass. You must track how much pro- tein you consume very carefully because too much of it can actually lead to dehy- dration. The best guideline is to consume .8 grams of proteins for every kilogram of bodyweight. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of protein and are gener- ally very healthy for your entire body. Most vegetarian dishes contain more than enough protein to achieve this requirement.
The best types of proteins to get are those from dairy sources, such as milk and eggs, because they are complete proteins, meaning that they have enough amino acids to help your body completely recover after a ride. Lean beefs, dark-meat chickens and fish are the best meat sources that contain protein. They also come packed with other important nutrients, such as protein, iron and omega-3 fatty acids, respectively.
Fats
Fats often have a bad rap in the world of nutrition because people mistakenly believe that they are all unhealthy for the body. While some fats, such as saturated or Trans-fats are indeed unhealthy, there are also healthy fats that can actually help you boost your metabolism. Some examples of healthy fats include avocados, olive oil, almonds, other nuts and seeds, all natural peanut butter, flaxseed, tofu, salmon, tuna and an occasional piece of dark chocolate. Healthy fats should make up at 20-30% of your daily diet.
Basic Strength Training Program A great way to build strength that you can use on the rink is through a basic program of strength training exercises. Performing a basic set of strength training exercises is not the cure-all answer for a complete hockey training program. You will still need to perform drills, work your core muscles and develop certain skills such as stickhandling and quickness, etc. but it is a good strategy for spending your time during the off-season. It is best to focus on regular strength training during the off-season and then move closer to more hockey-specific training as the season moves closer. Pair this training program with proper nutrition for optimal results.
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