Athena Magazine
for girls
for girls
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| Best Before-Practice Snacks |
| by Laura Tarbell It is 3:30 in the afternoon after school and your lunch period was at 11:15 in the morning. You haven’t eaten in over 4 hours, you have a basketball game, and you’re starving. What should you eat? Let’s start with the foods you should not eat. These foods shouldn’t even be called food because they will do nothing good for your body. Potato chips, corn chips, cheetos, pastries, cookies, sodas, and candy bars are some of the highly processed foods with lots of fat calories and hardly any nutritional value. These “empty calories”- also known as junk food - will make you more sluggish and tired instead of giving you the positive energy you need for sports. |
| Foods with nutritional value that have earned the right to be called food have vitamins and nutrients, are low in fat, and will give you sustained energy. Good carbohydrates help you perform your best and keep your energy level high. Five snacks that are great for energy and are packed with plenty of fuel: |
| 1. Granola Bars - Quakers Oats and Nutri Grain Bars are great 2. Yogurt - low fat or non-fat 3. Protein Bars - Power bar, Cliff, Luna just to name a few 4. Fruit - all fruit, even dried fruit 5. Pretzels |
| Granola Bars, Nutri Grain bars, and pretzels have good carbs that deliver energy quickly to your body. Try to find whole grain products when you can so you get more natural nutrients as well. They are low in fat and heart healthy! Yogurt is a carbohydrate that is nice and light, good calcium, and contains some protein which your body also loves for fuel. Protein bars such as Power bar, Cliff bar, and Luna bars have the whole nutritional package wrapped up in an easy to carry bar. They have carbohydrates, vitamins, and protein. Some of them are organic as well. Fruit is number four on the list and is “naturally good”. Fruit has natural sugar and fiber that your body uses to burn and naturally low in fat. Dried fruit has lots of energy and the same properties as whole fruit. It is less bulky, has a longer shelf life, and is easier to carry around. You just can’t go wrong with any of the above choices when choosing a healthy snack. Make sure you eat no more than 1 ½ hours before practice. If you eat before that you may just be hungry again sooner than you want. If you are someone with a special dietary need such as food allergies or diabetes, you and your parents or guardian should talk with your doctor about a dietary plan before you engage in sports. She or he will tell you what you should be eating so that you stay healthy while playing, or, they may refer you to a nutritionist or dietician that can tell you what appropriate foods you should be having. Remember, food is a fuel for the body. If you don’t fill your tank with enough or with the correct food you’ll run out of gas. Then, you won’t be at the top of your game. Be a smart athlete. Eat well, drink lots of water, and get plenty of sleep. You’ll be glad that you did. |
| POP QUIZ! Answer the following questions correctly, and you'll be a sports snack star! |
| Question #1. A good snack to eat before a practice or game would be: a. Snickers bar b. Bag of spicey cheetos c. Nutri grain bar d. Cheese danish Question #2. Best time to eat before an athletic event is: a. No more than 1 ½ hours before b. Right before practice c. 4 hours before your game d. It’s OK, I ate at breakfast Question #3 If I have a special dietary need, who should I talk to about what foods I should eat? a. My neighbor b. My Spanish teacher c. My coach d. My doctor who can refer me to a nutritionist if necessary. BONUS QUESTION If I’m thirsty during or before an athletic event, it’s a sign that: a. I had too much milk at breakfast b. I may already be a little dehydrated and should drink more water during the day. c. I didn’t have enough root beer at lunch. ANSWERS #1- C #2- A #3- D Bonus- B If you answered all questions correctly then you are on your way to being a smart athlete. If you answered the BONUS question correctly as well, then you are already in good shape for next month’s article on hydration. Good Job! |
November 2007