Having a
proper nutrition is a very important part for professional hockey players. To
learn more about our nutrition, we did a food journal in health class using myfitnesspal.com.
After
recording my nutrition for one week, my observations were that I am eating much
more since I came here to OHA. Here my body needs more energy, because we have harder
workouts than in Germany more often.
Also, I noticed
that my nutrition changed, for example I am eating much more salad, but less junk
food and sweets, because here I have much better opportunities to eat healthier
food.
To begin,
the nutrition of a hockey player has special requirements, also with special
needs on game days.
Secondly,
my own observations and goals will be shown.
After a
conclusion, there will be additional diagrams and the sources.
Firstly,
hockey players have special needing of nutrition, especially, when they are
playing on a higher level; The reason for this is , that food influences your
whole body and you are doing nourishment the whole day long, while training is
mostly not longer than two or three hours.
The most
important part of a diet, especially for athletes, is hydration. Humans can
only survive 2-4 days without water, because our body is made to 70% of water.
Else it is
important, that the eaten food is well balanced. Special look should be taken
at carbohydrates, fat, proteins and sodium.
Before doing
sports, athletes should eat food, which is rich on carbohydrates (noodles,
other (whole) grain products…) to get energy.
after workout/practice I eat food high in
protein (meat and other animal products) to (re)build and regenerate muscles.
My goals
to drink minimum 3 liters a day. When you are dehydrated, it will decrease your performance up to 20%. Less soda, drinks with sugar and soft drinks should be drank. But sometimes, sport drinks with sodium can be helpful, when there is less sugar in it, to cover the salt sweatened out.
Eat often whole wheat products, brown rice, because it contains more fiber than other products.
increase protein intake by eating animal products, which contain complete proteins (all 8 essential amino acids) and vegetables, fruits and nuts (lacking one or more essential amino acid)
2 portions (ex: one handful/apple size) of fruits every day. Suggested are 5 to 6 portions of fruits and vegetables.
2 portions (look above) of salad every day
Minimum 1 portion (large handful) of cooked vegetables
Fried food, fast food etc. only once per week
Maximum 1 little portion (little bowl or 200 grams) of sweets/ desert per day
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the body’s energy source. Your meals on one day should
contain about 60% Carbs. Per day, 3-4.5 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight are recommended.
However, it is suggested that athletes should consume three hours before an intense practise or game 200-300 grams of Carbs.
Fats
Most of the
fat that you eat should come from unsaturated sources: polyunsaturated fats and
monounsaturated fats. In general, nuts, vegetable oils, and fish are sources of
unsaturated fats.I find out ,that my fat intake is higher that it should be…
there are 2 types of fats that we eat.
Bad fats
Trans fats
.These fats occur naturally in meat, but their main dietary source is packaged
baked products such as cookies, cakes, breads, and crackers, as well as fast
foods and some dairy products. Trans fats were artificially created in the
laboratory to provide cheap alternatives to butter.
Food,that I
eat and contain Trans fats : French Vanilla coffee (1,5g)
Saturated
fats. There are about 24 different saturated fats. Not all of them are equally
bad for your health. The saturated fat found in butter, whole milk, cheese, and
other dairy products. Some saturated fats have been linked to a higher risk of
heart disease.
Food,that I
eat and contain Saturated fat : Protein bar (5g), Mac and Cheese (10g)
Healthy
variations -Eat good fats instead of bad fats. Or eat food higher in protein
because I need higher protein intake.
Instead of Mac and cheese eat meal like
chicken wrap,chicken with rice, or pasta with vegetable sauce.
Monounsaturated fats are found in foods
such as canola oil, peanut oil, olive oil,nuts and avocados. These foods have
been shown to lower cholesterol levels, and increase your “good” cholesterol,
helping to keep your heart strong and disease-free. Healthy monounsaturated
fats also help to keep you satisfied for longer after eating.
Food,that I
eat and contain Monounsaturated fats : Almonds (16g) , Cashews (7g), Peanut
butter (3,5g)
Polyunsaturated fats also have
benefits directly linked to heart health. Add polyunsaturated fat to your meals
by eating foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, trout,
canola oil, safflower oils, walnuts, soybeans, flax seeds and chia seeds.
On my
training days, before workout in gym or ice practice I would eat food
containing mostly Carbohydrate for energy boost ,because it is the main
nutrient that fuels exercise of a moderate to high intensity.
After
workout/practice I would eat food high in
Protein because it is used to maintain and
repair body tissues, that means it helps your muscles recover and grow.
Gameday Nutrition
On a gameday, or even before and after hard practises, a nutrition should be different from other days.
A very good meal plan would be:
2-4 hours before game time, the meal should include about 75-80 percent of Carbohydrates and 20-25 percent of proteins. Carbohydrates are very important at this point to get energy.
Very good are Pasta, bread, bagels, rice, juice. Nothing fat or sweet!
1.5 hours and less before the game, hydration is most important. Drink about a half bottle.
During and right before the game, the motto is: Water, water, water!
Immediately after the game to two hours after, it is very important, what you eat, because it will influence, how well the body recovers again. Here a lot of proteins must be eaten.
My Observations
After one week of studying my nutrition, I saw, that I have to get much more variety into my meal plan. So, I am eating a bagel with butter and jam every morning. Instead, I could eat Oatmeal with fruits.
Also, I have to eat more proteins, drink more water and eat less sodium.
On gamedays, I have to eat more carbohydrates and less protein.
|
|
Fat (g)
|
|
|
Sugar (g)
|
2,380
|
298
|
79
|
119
|
2,300
|
89
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
My average ratio instead right now is:
Calories
(cal)
|
Carbs (g)
|
Fat (g)
|
|
|
Sugar (g)
|
2,725
|
321
|
83
|
86
|
3,910
|
89
|
Weekly
datas of different values
Carbohydrates:
Fat
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/what-eat-before-during-after-exercise?page=2