Player Nutrition

o       three key words for eating are variety, moderation, and wholesomeness

o       breakfast is the most important meal of the day

o       eat enough (2000-3000 calories per day for active volleyball players)

o       eat a variety of foods for a balanced diet

o       drink enough water (it rehydrates cells and regulates body temperature)

o       2 liters per day without volleyball; 3 liters per day with volleyball

o       any non-caffeinated drink can substitute for water - caffeine is a diuretic, which causes dehydration

o       snacking

o       eat something every 4-6 hours (gorp, power bars, popcorn, dry cereal, raw vegetables, fruit)

o       for quick energy, do NOT eat candy, pop, or anything with sugar

o       eating sugar causes a surge of insulin in your body that removes the sugar from your blood - therefore, the sugar is not available and you end up with a feeling of low blood sugar

Packing a Healthy Cooler

o       water

o       for long tournament days, consider an electrolyte drink such as Gatorade or Power Aid

o       peanut butter & jelly sandwich or stuffed pita

o       energy bars or granola bars (if you only have 30 minutes before a match, you don't want to eat a lot so an energy bar is a good choice)

o       yogurt

o       fruit

o       gorp

Eating Before, During, and After a Tournament

o       the day before a tournament

o       eat a high carbohydrate diet (grains, fruits, vegetables) each of the 2-3 days before a tournament

o       drink an extra 4-8 glasses of water the day before a tournament

o       the morning of the tournament

o       eat a light breakfast (for example, a bagel and banana) at least 2 hours before your first match

o       you can eat a large breakfast if you have 2-4 hours before your first match

o       avoid sugar in your breakfast (on cereal, in drinks, in granola bars)

o       drink 2-3 glasses of water with your breakfast

o       during the tournament

o       have a snack 1 hour before your next match if you have time (200-300 calories, power/energy bars are good)

o       drink 1/2 glass of water 5-10 minutes before each match

o       take 2-3 gulps of water during each time out

o       for quick energy, do NOT eat candy, pop, or anything with sugar

§         eating sugar causes a surge of insulin in your body that removes the sugar from your blood - therefore, the sugar is not available and you end up with a feeling of low blood sugar

§         if you are diabetic, follow your doctor's recommendations

§         NEVER try new foods during a tournament - try them before a practice to make sure they don't upset your stomach when you play

o       after the tournament

o       there is a 2-hour time period after intense exercise that is optimal for refueling your body with carbohydrates, proteins, and fats

o       if you can't eat a solid meal within 2 hours after your tournament ends, try to eat some of the following:

§         a sandwich with low-fat meat such as turkey

§         avoid burgers, ham, and fried foods

§         avoid mayonniase; mustard is OK

§         some cheese is OK, but don't use a lot

·        pretzels

·        frozen yogurt

·        fruit or fruit juice

·        a bagel

o       drink water until you are no longer thirsty, then drink some more (thirst is not a good indicator of dehydration)

Dehydration

o       water rehydrates your body's cells and regulates body temperature

o       drink 2-3 liters of water per day (if you drink 8 glasses of water per day, you will get the rest of the liquid you need from juices/foods)

o       avoid caffeinated drinks like soda pop and coffee

o       caffeine is a diuretic, which contributes to dehydration

o       if you drink a caffeinated drink, drink an equal amount of water to compensate for the dehydration effect

o       cool/cold water is absorbed by your body faster

o       power/energy drinks like Gatorade, Power Ade are only needed if you are exercising intensively for several hours (like running a marathon)

o       during a volleyball tournament, you might need to replace some electrolytes - a CUP of a power/energy drink between matches is probably OK

o       thirst is NOT a good indicator of dehydration - by the time you get thirsty, you are already dehydrated

o       the color of your urine is a good indicator of dehydration

o       if it is the color of apple juice and/or murky, then you are not drinking enough fluids

o       if it is clear, then you are probably drinking enough fluids

o       be aware that some vitamins and medications can change the color of your urine, so take that into account when using the above guidelines