Post-game nutrition recovery for late night games

One of the most frequent questions I get asked by athletes is whether or not it’s ok to eat after a game that finishes late at night.  The common misconception is that dinner should not be eaten after a certain time in the evening.  This does not apply for athletes! If you are on the couch for the night, then yes, eating dinner earlier may be a good choice.  However if you have just finished a tough away game at 10pm it doesn’t matter what time it is, you should be eating after! Sports nutrition recovery principles apply regardless of the time.

Recovery Nutrition

Getting your recovery right helps to set yourself up for the next training session or game, which for most junior basketballers is likely the following day (for example, a late Friday night game, into school basketball the next morning and/or a domestic game in the afternoon).  Friday night recovery food is important!

Priorities:

Refuel carbohydrate stores for energy for the next day

Repair muscle damage to reduce soreness and promote muscle growth

Rehydrate by replacing fluid and electrolyte losses

Revitalise by choosing anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense foods

Key Nutrition Elements:

CARBOHYDRATE - FUEL Rice, quinoa, noodles, potato, sweet potato, pasta, bread

PROTEIN - MUSCLE Meat, fish, chicken, eggs, milk, cheese, yoghurt

HEALTHY FATS - INFLAMMATION Avocado, nuts, fish, olive oil

SODIUM - HYDRATION

ANTIOXIDANTS, VITAMINS, MINERALS Vegetables, fruit, herbs, wholegrains, nuts, seeds

How do we achieve these recovery goals with food? Unfortunately it’s pretty difficult to achieve with the typical take-away options on offer on the drive home.

OPTIONS:

• BYO from home - you’ll need a food thermos and a good cooler bag, but with some planning and organisation it can be done!

• OR bring some nutrient-dense snacks for immediately post-game then have leftovers ready to heat when you get home.

• OR be selective with the type of take-away purchased

The following snack options work well and can be a good start to the recovery process if it’s more than an hour or so before you can get home to eat.

• Chicken and salad wrap

• Sushi rolls

• Pasta or rice dish with chicken or meat and vegetables

• Soup and a cheese roll

• High-protein yoghurt with handful of almonds or cashew nuts, plus berries

• Vegetable frittata

• Home-made sausage rolls

• Up’n’Go or Rokeby Farms smoothie and a piece of fruit

  Even though some of these need be kept hot or cold, there are lots of storage options out there that will keep food at the right temperature for a few hours. The biggest challenge is being organised and thinking ahead of time.  Some options are easier than others!                        

If you get a good snack in during the car ride, then aim for another small meal or snack once you get home. This should be pre-prepared so it can easily be re-heated quickly. I would recommend to eat straight away on arrival home before a shower, as this allow a little bit of time for digestion before heading to bed.

Example leftovers for recovery:

·        Beef and vegetable stir-fry with rice or noodles

·        Pasta or lasagne with chicken or lean meat tomato sauce, add vegetables

·        Home-made souvlaki or burritos or hamburgers

·        Chicken and vegetable curry with rice

        Soup with pasta/noodles/rice and meat/chicken/legumes

Even a toasted sandwich with some fruit, or a fruit smoothie can be a great recovery choice for when you haven’t had time to pre-prepare food and everyone is tired. Kids’ appetites can drop as it gets later and they are more fatigued, so it’s important to make sure they do have something to eat and drink before they fall into bed. 

Yes, the golden arches do tend to call us when it’s a long drive home from a late rep game, and sometimes (or often) that’s where you end up.  However with a little forward planning you can put in place some strategies that become habit for post-game nutrition to help improve energy levels and performance for the rest of the weekend.

Lisa has worked with NBL teams Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix over 10 years and currently works with Basketball Victoria junior high performance programs. She also has two very active children who play a lot of sport, including basketball.

Nuts and Seeds - Compared (and which ones are best for athletes)!

You’ve probably heard the chatter about nuts and seeds being powerhouses of the nutrition world.  Their status has been further enhanced of late with the trend towards plant-based eating.  No doubt about it, seeds and nuts certainly deserve their reputation for packing a decent nutritional punch, and if you aren’t eating them already, here is some info that might get you interested!

So which nuts and seeds are top of the table when it comes to nutrition?  There are so many different options you could include in your snack bowl or tub.  Not all nuts are equal - most nuts are seeds of a fruit (peanuts are seeds of a legume)- but they all have their own unique nutrition make-up and benefits. 

In the past, almonds were always considered right at the top of the tree when it came to best choice of nut – mostly due to their low fat content, at a time when fat was falsely seen as the enemy!  Cashews contain almost identical fat grams to almonds and interestingly the humble peanut is in fact lower fat and higher protein than both almonds and cashews!  These days, however, we tend to focus on more than just the fat and protein content, and look a little more closely at the vitamin and mineral content and associated benefits. 

I was interested to do some comparisons, so I got onto Foodworks (and USDA for hemp seeds) to put together a summary table below that lists the key macro- and micro-nutrient values for common nuts and seeds.  The amounts listed are per 30g of nuts, which is the recommended serving size – around a small handful for an adult.  The nut or seed with the highest amount for each nutrient is highlighted in yellow in that column.

Depending on your specific nutrition needs you may prioritise different types of nuts or seeds.  For example, if iron is a nutrient of focus for you, then cashews, chia seeds and pumpkin seeds are a great choice.  Walnuts, chia seeds and flaxseeds are the highest for  omega-3 and chia, almonds and flaxseeds highest in calcium.

The most interesting thing I noted was that the winners for each nutrient category seemed to mostly come from different nuts or seeds – there wasn’t one that was king of the castle for all nutrients (other than one exception - let’s talk about hemp seeds). The stats appear to say it all – amazing nutrition capabilities but unfortunately hemp seeds are a no-go for elite athletes.  Although hemp seeds are now legal for sale in Australia, there is a potential risk that they may contain trace amounts of THC that could be detectable via WADA/ASADA testing – a banned substance in competition.  

Interestingly, seeds overall fare strongly when it comes to vitamins and minerals compared to nuts, but are often easily overlooked. Why not try adding a few more seeds to your day:

-        Add to porridge, home-made muesli

-        Roast and add to salads - like sunflower seeds in Roasted Carrot and Kale Salad with Grilled Chicken and Lemon Dressing.

-        Make some snack balls or slices – try my Almond Balls recipe which is packed with sunflower and sesame seeds

-        Add to smoothies (eg. almonds in my Recovery Smoothie recipe)

Don’t feel you need to always choose raw with your nuts and seeds – a little roasting and salting is fine (depending on overall salt intake) and for some athletes salt can be helpful for hydration (speak to an Accredited Sports Dietitian for more info).

And don’t worry about activating them either – your body has the digestive equipment to devour and conquer all manner of nuts and seeds – although some people may have intolerances to certain varieties, and nuts and seeds can cause bloating and stomach upset if you over-do it. 

Nuts and seeds can sometimes seem expensive, but if you stick to small serves and choose a combination of different types they can play an important role in keeping you healthy and well, and need not break the bank.  For example, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds and peanuts are on the less expensive side, so use these as a base and add smaller amounts of the others that may be more pricey.

If I really had to pick my favourites for athletes, here they are below:

Almonds  - Protein, Fat, Fibre, Vitamin E, Calcium

Cashews – Protein, Fat, Iron, Zinc

Walnuts – Omega-3 and decent vitamin/mineral content across the board

Peanuts – special mention – highest protein and lowest fat of all nuts!

Chia – Fat, omega-3, fibre, calcium, iron

Flaxseed - Omega-3, fibre, potassium, magnesium, calcium

Pumpkin seeds – Protein, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc

If you are an athlete not subject to drug testing, then hemp seeds are also a useful addition for their nutritional value and benefits.

Overall, different nuts and seeds are rich in different nutrients.  So the real key is to mix up your intake for a great variety of nutrients, as well as flavours, texture and enjoyment.

For more nutrition updates I would love you to send you my free newsletter every month or two, please leave your details on my website Thoughts page. I am also on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter.

Why junior athletes are not small adults when it comes to body composition

I am fortunate to work with many talented young athletes and teams where performance is a strong focus.  I enjoy seeing young athletes learn, progress and improve – but I am also acutely aware of the potential negative aspects of a high performance environment for kids and adolescents.  I watched one of the ‘The Mighty Ducks’ movies over the weekend with my family and it was a great reminder of what junior team sport is all about – teamwork, friendship and fun (as well working hard, together!).  Those who have an influence on junior athletes can play a role in either helping or hindering development and performance, and the importance of enjoyment should be given due attention, even (or especially) within an increasingly competitive environment. 

Many junior athletes experience significant, and sometimes unbearable, pressure to perform.  Pressure can come from various sources, both internal and external, with a focus on performing at their best, beyond basic genetic ability.  This is where body composition (both muscularity and/or leanness) can become a focus, and for some this experience is far from fun.

Discussions around body composition – how much body fat or muscle an athlete has – and its impact on performance are an accepted part of professional senior sport.  Fortunately, sports dietitians are no longer known ONLY as the ‘fat police’ in teams, and there is more of a focus on nutrition for fuelling, recovery, injury management and performance strategies. However team dietitian’s will still have a role in measuring, monitoring and setting goals with senior athletes around weight and body composition - it’s just not the priority focus that it was previously.  In fact many athletes don’t like having measurements done and there are processes at many professional sporting clubs to support this. Thank goodness the days are (mostly) long behind us where player weight and skinfolds are posted up on the wall at AFL clubs alongside the 2km time trial results, in full view of all passers by.  Naturally, in a competitive sporting environment, the first thing people want to know is who came first….or last.  However, being the leanest or the most muscular person in a team does not necessarily translate to being the best player.  This is particularly true for young junior athletes – in fact the role of body composition for sports performance at a junior level is often of very low significance.

Kids and adolescents are not just small adults and need to be acknowledged and treated as such.

The problem

Awareness at the elite level has improved over the years with regard to individualisation of body composition goals and recognition that it is just one of a number of factors that contribute to performance.  However this understanding has not necessarily translated to junior ranks (although many clubs and sporting organisations are doing a great job in this area).  Whether due to increased competitiveness in sport, impact of social media, or other factors, these can all have a significant impact on those individuals who are susceptible to having concerns around body composition and body image.  Both boys and girls can be affected - don’t be fooled that this is only a problem for 15 year old females. Although discussing all of this does bring back memories of myself at that age (as pictured in my junior rep netball team) and dealing with my own stuff when it came to pressure to improve my performance, look a certain way and feel good about myself.

Why is it a problem?

Many factors can contribute to body composition and body image issues.  Some are inherent to an individual, but we cannot ignore external factors such as media, social media, societal factors and culture, and pressure from peers, coaches, sometimes family members or others with influence. 

‘Comparison is the thief of joy’- this quote always sticks in my mind when I think about teenagers these days who do a lot of sport.  Comparison to images on social media and comparison to their sporting idols, as well as their team mates and opponents. 

Realistic goals

I meet many adolescent males who want to be built like an elite AFL or NBL/NBA player  - NOW!  I would pretty much guarantee that adult elite athletes did not have the same amount of muscle mass or level of leanness when they were 16 that they do when they are 25 years old. We need to consistently remind young athletes of this.  Bodies are designed to grow and develop throughout adolescence and teenagers develop at different rates.  The only person you should be comparing yourself to is you.  Easier said than done, but the goal is to get the best out of your own performance.  Sometimes the anxiety associated with striving to achieve a body composition that is unrealistic at a particular age/stage can have a significant negative impact on performance and increase injury risk, which then increases the risk of young talented athletes dropping out of sport due to disordered eating or mental health issues.

IMPORTANTLY - junior athletes should not have weight or body fat measured as part of being involved with their sport. Many sporting organisations (including the AIS and AFL teams) now have clear policies on this, as measuring is generally not required for juniors and there are risks associated. There may be individual situations where a young athlete may work with a doctor and a sports dietitian (and possibly a sports psychologist) to discuss individual needs and goals, but this is private and individualised.

Too much focus on body composition

For many sports, you can’t get away from the fact that body size and composition has an impact on performance. For some sports, a bigger body size may be advantageous for performance – for example in basketball.  As young athletes progress to higher levels and competition gets tougher, there may be a greater need to consider body composition, however great care should be taken with regard to sensitive messaging around body composition for junior athletes.  A wide range of bodies can be elite competitors – it’s important to remember that.

Junior athletes need to progress according to their stage of growth.  Young male athletes are often desperate to gain muscle mass, and although they feel like it is super important right now, there is really no rush.  A smaller junior athlete may rely on their speed and agility as their performance strengths – just because team mates that may be at a more advanced stage of growth and have more muscle, this may not be the best goal for them. Goals should be tailored to individual needs and support existing strengths and genetic potential, and it can be beneficial to seek professional opinion and support, particularly when there are specific needs and sensitivities.

Nutrition for junior athletes

When an overall healthy eating strategy is adopted, with consideration of sports nutrition principles applied to training and competition (and individual growth stage and hunger!), body composition will often work itself out where it is meant to be.  For those junior athletes who may need some extra support, an Accredited Sports Dietitian can assist individuals and their families to make nutrition choices to support their training, competition and day-to-day needs while also considering their growth, health and well-being.

Lisa has worked with individual junior athletes and teams for over 25 years and currently works with Basketball Victoria junior high performance programs. She also has two very active children who play a lot of sport!

For regular nutrition updates, you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for nutrition updates and practical performance nutrition ideas.

Intermittent Fasting for Athletes

Image courtesy of www.afl.com.au

Intermittent fasting is by far the diet that I get asked about the most. The word ‘diet’ is often associated with a short-term fad, however intermittent fasting (IF) has indeed become a way of life rather than a quick fix for many individuals. But is this approach suitable for athletes?

Last year I was interviewed for an AFL article on this very topic, as a number of senior AFL players were reportedly pursuing IF as a high performance nutrition strategy.

The link to the article is below - it doesn’t cover every aspect of IF so please get in touch if you are interested in more individualised advice to suit your needs, as everyone is different. Am I a fan of IF? It depends……

Why You Can’t Meet Jack Viney for Breakfast as published on www.afl.com.au

Don’t forget, you can follow me on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn for nutrition updates and practical performance nutrition ideas.