'06-07
Season
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'06-07
Season |
Home | Contacts | Schedule | Gallery | Updates|Tournaments | Wrestling Info | History | Hastings | NHS
Alumni |
|
Nutrition and hydration are 2 important components of wrestling successfully... We hope you take the time to go through the information we have provided:
75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (likely applies to over half of the world's population)
In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.
Even MILD dehydration will slow one’s metabolism as much as 3%.
One glass of water shuts down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.
Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.
Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.
A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.
Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases
the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast
cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.
(and other colon problems many Americans experience every day).
Fluid replacement is probably the most important nutritional concern for athletes. Approximately 60% of your body weight is water. As you exercise, fluid is lost through your skin as sweat and through your lungs when you breathe. If this fluid is not replaced at regular intervals during exercise, you can become dehydrated.
When you are dehydrated, you have a smaller volume of blood circulating through your body. Consequently, the amount of blood your heart pumps with each beat decreases and your exercising muscles do not receive enough oxygen from your blood. Soon exhaustion sets in and your athletic performance suffers.
If you have lost as little as 2% of your body weight due to dehydration, it can adversely affect your athletic performance. For example, if you are a 150-pound athlete and you lose 3 pounds during a workout, your performance will start to suffer unless you replace the fluid you have lost. Proper fluid replacement is the key to preventing dehydration and reducing the risk of heat injury during training and competition.
The best way to prevent dehydration is
to maintain body fluid levels by drinking plenty of fluids before, during,
and after a workout or race. Often athletes are not aware that they are losing
body fluid or that their performance is being impacted by dehydration.
If you are not sure how much fluid to drink, you can monitor your hydration
using one of these methods.
Weight: Weigh yourself before practice and again after practice. For every pound you lose during the workout you will need to drink 2 cups of fluid to re-hydrate your body.
Urine color: Check the color of your urine. If it is a dark gold color like apple juice, you are dehydrated. If you are well hydrated, the color of your urine will look like pale lemonade.
Thirst is not an accurate indicator of how much fluid you have lost. If you wait until you are thirsty to replenish body fluids, then you are already dehydrated. Most people do not become thirsty until they have lost more than 2% of their body weight. And if you only drink enough to quench your thirst, you may still be dehydrated.
Keep a water bottle available when working out and drink as often as you want, ideally every 15 to 30 minutes. High school and junior high school athletes can bring a water bottle to school and drink between classes and during breaks so they show up at workouts hydrated.
Researchers have found that sports drinks containing between 6% and 8% carbohydrate (sugars) are absorbed into the body as rapidly as water and can provide energy to working muscles that water cannot. This extra energy can delay fatigue and possibly improve performance, particularly if the sport lasts longer than 1 hour. If you drink a sports drink, you can maintain your blood sugar level even when the sugar stored in your muscles (glycogen) is running low. This allows your body to continue to produce energy at a high rate.
Drinks containing less than 5% carbohydrate do not provide enough energy to improve your performance. So, athletes who dilute sports drink are most likely not getting enough energy from their drink to maintain a good blood sugar level. Drinking beverages that exceed a 10% carbohydrate level (most soda pop and some fruit juices) often have negative side effects such as abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea and can hurt your performance.
Sodium is an electrolyte needed to help maintain proper fluid balance in your body. Sodium helps your body absorb and retain more water. Researchers have found that the fluid from an 8-ounce serving of a sports drink with 6% carbohydrates (sugars) and about 110 mg of sodium absorbs into your body faster than plain water.
Some parents, coaches, and athletes are concerned that sports drinks may contain too much sodium. However, most sports drinks are actually low in sodium. An 8-ounce serving of Gatorade has a sodium content similar to a cup of 2% milk. Most Americans do get too much sodium, but usually from eating convenience-type foods, not from sports drinks.
grams of carbohydrate/serving X 100 = % of carbohydrate in drink mL of drink/serving
For example, 240 mL (a 1 cup serving) of a drink with 24 grams of carbohydrate per serving would have a 10% carbohydrate concentration. Almost all drinks have the grams of carbohydrate per serving and the volume in mL somewhere on the container.
Drink a beverage that contains a small amount of sodium and other electrolytes (like potassium and chloride).
Find a beverage that tastes good; something cold and sweet is easier to drink.
Drink 10 to 16 ounces of cold fluid about 15 to 30 minutes before workouts. Drinking a sports drink with a 6% to 8% carbohydrate level is useful to help build up energy stores in your muscles, particularly if the workout will last longer than 1 hour.
Drink 4 to 8 ounces of cold fluid during
exercise at 10 to 15 minute intervals.
Start drinking early in your workout because you will not feel thirsty
until you have already lost 2% of your body weight; by that time your performance
may have begun to decline.
Avoid carbonated drinks, which can cause gastrointestinal distress and may decrease the fluid volume.
Avoid beverages containing caffeine
and alcohol due to their diuretic effect.
Practice drinking fluids while you train. If you have never used a sports
drink don't start during a meet or on race day. Use a trial-and-error approach
until you find the drink that works for you.
The weekend tournament schedule is filling up. Whether you are in a 2-match guarantee or 5-match guarantee, you must watch your athletes for their nutritional intake. We all know how hard it is to find good food at a tournament. Greasy hamburgers, hotdogs, nachos and soda pop followed by a candy bar for dessert may be fine for the spectators but if you want your athletes performing to the best of their ability, you'd better find a better source of food and fluid.
There are a lot of common misconceptions about athletic nutrition.
First, sugar is NOT good for energy. Yes, the brain gets a short-term "sugar high" that lasts only a very short time. But, this is followed by a long-term "low" when energy levels and concentration fall off. Sugar has been shown to be a depressant. I highly recommend to our players that they stay away from candy, and soda pop during the season.
Second, caffeine is a stimulant but it also restricts fluid absorption by the body. In hot weather, this can literally be a killer. Most soft drinks are full of caffeine (Dr. Pepper has more than a cup of coffee). In addition, there is a long-held belief that carbonation is not good for the "wind." I happen to agree with that. It absorbs oxygen.
Third, at least for Wrestling, I don't believe in "loading" carbohydrates. This helps if you are running the Boston Marathon, but in a 3 or 6 minute wrestling match where half the time is spent sitting in the stands, whatever advantage there might be will probably be lost.
Drink lots of water, especially in hot weather. Drink about 2 cups (16 oz.) of cool water about 2 hours before a match or practice. Drink 1 to 2 cups water 15-30 minutes before the event.
Eat lightly before a match. Eat light sandwiches (turkey, chicken, etc.) rather than hamburgers or hot dogs. Tuna is good. A few cheese cubes (4 or 5, not the whole package) provide calcium, a little fat for energy, and full feeling without being bulky.
Eat bananas. This fruit is high in potassium, which is lost through sweat and exertion. This will help prevent leg cramps. Don't "chow down" and eat the whole bunch, but 1 banana approximately 1 hour before or right after a game will help keep the body in balance.
Eat oranges. This helps replace electrolytes and carbohydrates without giving you a "full" stomach.
Try to maintain a normal eating schedule. I know how hard this is. That's why I said "try." Breakfast should consist of dry cereal and milk and maybe a piece of toast or muffin or eggs and breakfast meat if the athlete is carbohydrate intolerant. Stay away from pancakes, French toast, or other heavy foods. These sit in the stomach and can cause stomach aches and nausea. Lunch and dinner, especially if a game is to follow, should be light with some protein (meat), vegetables or fruits, and calcium (cheese or milk).
Save heavy meals and junk
food for the post-tournament celebration.
DON'T'S:
Bulky foods, high-fat foods, or gas-forming foods (like chili or nachos) are a big no-no. As an example, if a taco stand is the only food around, have a crispy taco with meat, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes. DO NOT eat a bean burrito.
Popcorn is NOT a food group. You can have a handful after a game to help replenish your salt levels, but don't scarf down a bag right before or during the match.
Don't drink soda pop.
Don't drink sports drinks that are high in sugar. Read the label. You are better off with ½ an orange and a bottle of water.
Save the candy for the fund-raiser. Sell it to your opponents but don't eat it yourself.
Stay away from caffeine. This means soda pop, some sports drinks, iced tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, and chocolate.
With a little planning,
we parents and coaches can ensure that our players get the food and nutrition
they need to compete. When we are in a rush to get to the match on time,
it is a pain to pack the cooler with the food the kids need, but if you want
your player to perform at his/her peak, it is worth getting up 30 minutes
earlier. Benching a good player because he thinks he's about to throw up
or did not make weight is not fun, especially when you find out he consumed
a Frito chili pie, a bag of popcorn, a Snickers bar, and a large Coke between
matches. Younger kids have no idea what is good for them. As parents and
coaches, we have to let them know and stand firm. That means, don't eat that
greasy hamburger in front of them while they are eating a couple of slices
of turkey thrown between 2 pieces of bread.
Generally speaking, the less processed a food is, the better. For example, it’s better to eat a baked potato than instant mashed potatoes. Better to eat a white meat turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread than store-bought turkey potpie.
How often you eat is important, too. Most of us were raised with the idea that we should eat three times a day, with the last meal being the largest. Bad! Much better to eat five or six times a day. Actually, most of us do eat more than three meals, we just call it “snack” on healthy foods, not the so-called snack foods like chips, nuts, ice cream, and other high fat or high salt items. And keep the last meal of the day a light one.
A National Cancer Institute survey of women aged 19 to 50 showed that those who eat their largest meal in the evening tend to take in more fat overall than those who have big lunches or breakfasts.
When you eat what you eat can be important, too. Starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and rice are an important part of a healthy diet, but try to limit or eliminate them from your last meal of the day. The method of cooking is as important as food selection. For example, French fries contain much of their calories as fat as compared to just a trace of in a plain baked potato.
Remember that calories do count, not only fat. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’re doing your body a favor by eating no-fat cakes or cookies. Check the calorie content as well as fat. And remember that “no cholesterol” does not mean “no fat.”
When sautéing, try wine, no-fat chicken or vegetable broth instead of oil. Choose your fats carefully. Olive oil, flaxseed oil and canola are among the best.
Drink lots of water throughout the day. We often eat when our
bodies are really asking for water. Plain water is great -- it helps remove
toxins from the body, fills you up, and keeps your skin moist. Have a glass
of water within a half-hour before every meal.