Fueling the Athlete: How to Build a Performance Plate

By Cameron Mottet

What is a Performance Plate?

As a runner, I know how important it is to fuel my body for performance. One strategy I use is building myself a performance plate. A performance plate is a meal that consists of the correct combination of foods based on your training load and activity level. The foods we eat play a significant role in our energy, hydration, and recovery status.

Important Components of a Performance Plate

There are five main components of a performance plate including: whole grains, lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and fluid/hydration. To build a nutritious energy dense meal we will need to include these five important components on our plate.

• Whole grains & energy-enhancing foods: 100% whole wheat breads, whole-grain pasta, brown rice, beans, potatoes, oatmeal, whole-grain cereals
• Lean proteins or recovery/muscle-building foods: chicken breast, fish, turkey, lean beef, eggs, low-fat cheese, tofu
• Fruits and vegetables or antioxidant-rich foods: apples, bananas, oranges, blueberries, strawberries, broccoli, green beans, spinach, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes
• Healthy fat or immunity/flavor-enhancing foods: salmon, nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado, nut butters, oil-based salad dressings
•  Fluid or hydration-promoting beverages: water, low-fat milk, 100% fruit juice

Training Load and Macronutrient Intake

As I mentioned earlier, as a runner, it is important to take into consideration the duration and intensity of my workout throughout the week. My longer and harder runs will require more calories and carbohydrates than my shorter and easier runs.

Light training days where I perform at a low intensity it is recommended to consume 3-5 g/kg/d of body weight in carbohydrates. Moderate training days where the duration of exercise is about an hour it is recommended to consume 5-7 g/kg/d of body weight in carbohydrates. For high training days, or endurance activity lasting from 1-3 h/d it is recommended to consume 6-10 g/kg/d of body weight in carbohydrates. Lastly, for very high duration greater than 4 hours it is recommended to consume 8-12 g/kg/d of body weight in carbohydrates.

Now, I know this may seem very confusing and hard to use, but below I have an easy way to divide up your performance plate based on hard and easy training days.

Hard Training Days

For competition days or harder training days, it is recommended to fill your plate half full of whole grains or other energy-enhancing foods, a quarter of your plate with lean proteins or recovery/muscle-building foods, and a quarter of your plate with fruits and vegetables or antioxidant rich-foods. You will also want to include a larger amount of healthy fats and adequate fluid intake for hydration.

Moderate Training Days

For in-season or moderate training days, it is recommended to fill your plate one third full of whole grains or other energy-enhancing foods, one third full with lean proteins or recovery/muscle building foods, and one third full with fruits and vegetables or antioxidant rich-foods. You will also want to include moderate amounts of healthy fats and adequate fluid intake for hydration

Light Training Days

For offseason, or lighter training days it is recommended to fill your plate half full of fruits and vegetables or antioxidant-rich foods, a quarter of your plate with whole grains or energy enhancing foods, and a quarter of your plate with lean proteins or recovery/muscle-building foods. You will want to include limited amounts of healthy fats and adequate fluids for hydration.

Building Your Performance Plate

The easiest way for me to build my performance plate is to look at these visuals provided by Team USA Nutrition. It breaks down hard, moderate, and easy training days and shows a perfect example of what should be on your performance plate.

References:

• CPSDA
• Team USA Nutrition
• SCAN

Breaking Down the Paleo Diet

By Holley Moates

Have you ever realized that tacking on the word “diet” after some word or phrase instantly makes it more attractive? More promising? Kind of like a mystery – “could this really work?” Even when I hear titles like “the celery juice diet,” my brain instantly wants to know more. WHAT about this particular diet will fix me? After reading The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, Ph.D., I have a few thoughts I would like to share on what this diet looks like from a nutrition perspective. The idea came from the fact that we should be eating what our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate. However, just like the food we grow, we as humans have adapted as well. The 7 key principles of the Paleo Diet according to Cordain are as follows:

1. Eat a relatively high amount of animal protein compared to that in the typical American diet.
2. Eat fewer carbohydrates than most modern diets recommend, but eat lots of good carbohydrates – from fruits and vegetables, not from grains, starchy tubers, and refined sugars.
3. Eat a large amount of fiber from nonstarchy fruits and vegetables.
4. Eat a moderate amount of fat, with more good (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats than bad (trans and certain saturated) fats, and nearly equal amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fats.
5. Eat foods with a high potassium content and a low sodium content.
6. Eat a diet with a net alkaline load.
7. Eat foods rich in plant phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

I will go through each one and provide some insight – mostly from what I’ve learned in pursing an undergraduate degree in Nutrition & Dietetics and half of a Master’s Degree in Medical Dietetics and Dietetic Internship.

1. Eat a relatively high amount of animal protein compared to that in the typical American diet.

First of all, this is just not a correct statement. Americans already consume an average of 90 grams of protein a day, which is on the higher end. YES, our bodies need protein to function and to build muscles. An adequate amount is necessary. A statement in Cordain’s book claims that it is impossible to overeat pure protein. But excess protein can be detrimental to your kidneys (which filter extra protein), can cause dehydration, or it will be stored as fat. Protein in a meal or snack is important because it will help you feel full/satisfied, AND we do need it. However, I believe it should be moderately consumed. The current recommendations for the average person is to eat 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.2, then multiply by 0.8 = that is roughly how much protein you need in a day). Also, as The Paleo Diet fails to mention, eating non-animal sources of protein is great too – milk, yogurt, cheese, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, beans, etc.

2. Eat fewer carbohydrates than most modern diets recommend, but eat lots of good carbohydrates – from fruits and vegetables, not from grains, starchy tubers, and refined sugars.

We need carbs!! Carbohydrates are our primary source of energy in the body. What are carbs? (bear with me) Bread, pasta, cereal, and fruits and vegetables. I won’t go in depth, but Cordain thinks that grains are the worst and I believe he is wrong. Yes, if you are going to eat grains, try to choose whole grains for the extra vitamins, minerals, and fiber, but these foods are rich in vitamins and minerals, and provide the fuel our bodies need.

3. Eat a large amount of fiber from nonstarchy fruits and vegetables.

I don’t really have anything negative to say about this one. Fiber is the BEST. Foods high in fiber are your friend. Fiber consumption can assist in weight control because it promotes fullness after eating, decreases constipation, and can lower LDL cholesterol levels (which is the bad cholesterol). It is found it fruits, veggies, and yes, whole grains. If you are going to eat cereal for breakfast, choose a bran cereal or one with at least 3-5 grams of fiber per serving. Or whole wheat grain bread instead of white. There’s more than one way to get this into your diet – get creative, and choose foods that you enjoy.

4. Eat a moderate amount of fat, with more good (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats than bad (trans and certain saturated) fats, and nearly equal amounts of omega 3 and omega 6 fats.

I can already tell that an RD didn’t write this book, because he commonly names foods as “good” and “bad,” and dietitians often avoid these strong terms in regards to food. Yes, I would agree that trans fats (can be found in processed foods) aren’t healthy for our bodies, and that we should try to keep our saturated fat intake (found in red meat, butter, coconut oil) as low as possible. However, if we label these foods as “bad,” then eating them can increase feelings of guilt, and we never want that. We should try to eat healthier fats, as stated above. One reason these types of fats are important is because, when they replace those saturated fats in our diet, they play a role in decreasing our risk of heart disease. Examples of healthy fats include olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish.

5. Eat foods with a high potassium content and a low sodium content.

It is true that too much salt in the diet can increase your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and kidney problems. Also, it can be surprising to see the amount of sodium on packaged pre-made foods. Potassium intake has been shown to somewhat decrease blood pressure. This mineral can be found in fruits and vegetables (just more evidence that eating more fruits and vegetables is a good idea).

6. Eat a diet with a net alkaline load.

I agree with this one. It is important to eat a mostly alkaline diet to keep the body’s pH level higher. Otherwise the body has to work too hard to bring the pH level up, which puts stress on the kidneys. Examples of foods that are more alkaline include fruits, vegetables, and egg whites. Acidic foods are most dairy foods, meats, and some grains.

7. Eat foods rich in plant phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

I think this last principle is great. Phytochemicals are compounds in plant foods that play a role in preventing diseases. Examples of phytochemicals are flavonoids (found in fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and tea), which have been shown to reduce heart disease risk and death.  Vitamins and minerals help our bodies function (our eyes, blood, bones, etc). And how do we get these? Eat from all the food groups! Antioxidants are species in the body that fight reactive species in the body, which are thought to contribute to aging and the development of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Antioxidants are in foods such as berries, nuts, dark chocolate, and veggies.

If someone came up and told me they were on the Paleo Diet, I wouldn’t necessarily be alarmed. However, I don’t ever recommend eliminating whole food groups. Remember, that it is possible to consume too much protein and go easy on yourself if you eat less healthy foods sometimes. Keep in mind that the word “diet” often implies that this food plan is temporary. Our goals for health should focus on long-term implementations; on how can we be healthier for the rest of our lives.

Winter Eating: What’s in Season?

By Lindsey Matulis

Is it just me or does the produce section of your grocery store feel a little sad in the winter compared to the warmer months? The rest of the year the aisles are lit up with vibrant fruits and vegetables, and they become harder to track down once the cold hits. Cooking with produce in the winter might seem intimidating due to a lower availability of popular fruits and vegetables. However, learning what foods are available and how to use them can be very cost effective.

Source: kidstir.com

So what’s in season in the Midwest during the colder months? Cabbage, squash, turnips, and carrots are harvested in the summer through November, but are readily available throughout the winter due to their ability to be stored in the cold months. Similarly, onions, potatoes, and parsnips are readily available from storage. Coincidentally, many of these vegetables make great soup ingredients. However, squash, turnips, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes (our root vegetables) all can make delish dishes with a simple seasoning and roasting. Pepper, olive oil, and a touch of salt are a great starting point to season with. However, other seasonings such as garlic powder, red pepper flakes, cayenne powder, dill, and rosemary can pair nicely with different vegetables. It’s worth experimenting to find a seasoning combination you love.

To roast root vegetables, wash them and cut them into chunks. Toss them in oil and seasoning, then spread them out on a sheet pan. Put them in the oven at 425F and check every 5 minutes to check on browning and tenderness. Cooking times will vary based on the vegetable, but the general rule of thumb is that they should be soft enough to easily stab with a fork and have some browning. You’ll get a feel for how long each vegetable needs in the oven and be able to set a timer the next time you roast them. You can find a general guide to roasting vegetables here: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017703-roasted-vegetables

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017703-roasted-vegetables

While not in season in the Midwest, other produce that you’ll find readily available in the grocery store aisles include staples such as apples, pears, grapes, bananas, and tomatoes. They aren’t in season in the Midwest, so they’ll typically be shipped from areas with warmer climates, such as California and Mexico. Additionally, advances in storage and genetic modification technology can lengthen the growing season and storage length for some crops.

Additionally, you can find many of your favorite fruits and vegetables in an affordable manner all year round. Just check the canned goods and frozen sections! Frozen produce is often just as nutrient dense as their fresh cousins, or even more nutrient dense in some cases. Frozen berries are often known for their use in smoothies, but they can make a wonderful addition to baked goods. The key is to thaw them out and drain off the excess juices before adding them to the batter. You may want to add a little less water or milk to the recipe as the fruit will provide some extra moisture.

If you choose to use canned vegetables, look for labels that advertise low sodium or no salt added options. This way you can season the vegetables how you like and control how much sodium is in your dish. Similarly, it’s a great idea to look for fruits canned in water or juice rather than in syrup. These options will tend to be significantly lower in sugars. If you use a fruit canned in syrup or a canned vegetable that is not low in sodium, you can rinse off the fruit/vegetable to lower the amount of sugar or sodium in it.

Source: tasteofhome.com

Sources:

https://www.thespruceeats.com/midwestern-seasonal-fruits-and-vegetables-2217161

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017703-roasted-vegetables