Eat Healthy for Prevention!

If you can follow these rules each and every day, you will be on
your way to optimizing your nutrition and your performance. These
are 5 easy steps to being on top of your nutritional game.

1. COME BACK TO EARTH!!! Try to choose the least processed forms
of carbohydrates. If you give your body efficient fuel, it will perform
better. Fruits, veggies, and whole grains (whole wheat bread, brown
rice, and whole wheat pasta) will give you more stable energy levels than
more processed foods like chips, soda, white bread, and candy.

2. Eat BREAKFAST every day! The longer you wait to eat breakfast,
the longer you will be running in a low gear! Eating breakfast jump
starts your energy levels and your metabolism.

3. Eat smaller portions more often, spread evenly across the day.
No excuses — you should be eating 5-8 meals/day! You should be
combining protein, carbs, and healthy fats at each of your meals! Just
think 3 for 3. The 3 nutrients every three hours. An easy way to make
sure you do this is to pack snacks from home and keep them in your
locker and your back pack! If you stay fueled all through the day, you
will have better performance at practice and games.

4. Stay HYDRATED!! Dehydration = Decreased Performance! Drink
at least ½ your body weight in ounces of water per day. Make sure to
think before you drink! Stick to mainly water and every once in a while
100% fruit juice. Use sports drinks only before, or after activity!

5. Include a LEAN PROTEIN source with each meal. When choosing
your lean protein sources, just think “the less legs the better!” Fish
have no legs and are a lean source of protein. Chickens and turkeys have
2 legs and are great sources of protein if you take off their skin and don’
t fry them. Finally, when choosing any products that come from cows
and pigs (animals with 4 legs) you need to be more selective. Choose
lean red meats, low-fat dairy, and lean pork products.