Meal Prepping

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As a student, an athlete, and a tutor, I have a very tight schedule that leaves me very little time to relax, let alone, prepare food on a daily basis. Luckily, the sports program at Texas Tech University provides their athletes lunch at the Alumni Center. They provide a nutrient-dense lunch that usually consists of a lean proteins of various chicken and fish entrees, as well as, vegetable slides like steamed kale and jasmine rice. Even though I have a busy day I can depend on having a proper lunch in the middle of the day.

As great as that is, my teammates and I struggle to find the time to make a proper dinner after a rigorous practice. With a long day of classes and practice, we are left tired and needing to study in the evening. This makes preparing dinner the last thing we want to do if time is so limited. As result, some of us depend on unhealthy take-out options or scavenge frozen foods. A way I believe all student-athletes could benefit all student athletes is practicing how to meal prep.

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Meal prep takes:

• Planning
• Grocery Shopping
• Cooking

(Active)

One of the ways to start meal prepping is planning what to make for meals. Student-athletes should take time out of a day where there is free time to plan for meals that they will look forward to eating at the end of the day. Student-athletes should make a list of the meals that they want to be made and list the ingredients that they will need.

From there, student-athletes will need to make their way to the grocery store and find their ingredients.

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Last but not least, student-athletes will have to allot some of their time to cook. There are various ways to meal prep. It is up to the student-athlete if they want to cook for just the evening or enough the whole week. I personally favor cooking a couple of different meals and make enough of one meal for a couple of dinners. I typically make my two different meals over the weekend along with a salad. There are numerous ways to cook, my personal favorite method is using the Insta-Pot pressure cooker. It is effortless, taking little to no time, and most important of all, it makes healthy and appetizing foods.

Meal prepping and cooking takes practice. At first, it may be a day project in itself. However with practice, making meals will become more efficient in saving time than picking up take-out. I myself is still trying to figure out the balance of meal prepping, but each time I make a meal in my Insta-pot I have instant gratification that I do not have to worry about what I need to get for dinner.

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For more great information on meal prepping check out:

://www.active.com/food-and-nutrition/articles/a-beginner-s-guide-to-meal-prepping

Negative effects of an Improper Diet for Student-Athletes

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I remember a semester where it was impossible for me to eat lunch before practice. I had class from 8:00-1:20 and practice at 2. By the time I was out of class, it was too late for me to eat a full lunch without the dire consequences. Such actions like skipping a meal, can be detrimental to a student-athlete’s performance during practice or competition.

Improper eating habits can affect performance:

• Eating too little before a workout
• Improper hydration
• Not having an overall healthy diet

As mentioned before, I was dealing with a double-edged sword where I was faced with the choice of eating a full lunch before practice or spare the cramping, bloating, and possible throwing up by skipping to eat all together. Neither of which is healthy to allow a student-athlete to practice optimally. The problem with not eating before a workout is the athlete will be more prone to fatigue and it can be counterproductive it the fact they will lose on whatever the worked out (Active). The body will start to become low in carbohydrates to use as our primary source of fuel and will move to fats and proteins. For athletes, fats and proteins are vital to our muscle mass and recovery.

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It is so easy for anyone to become dehydrated. For athletes it is all too common to become dehydrated throughout the day and especially during and after practice. Some easy ways to stay hydrated throughout the day include:

• Having a water bottle always on hand
• Drink throughout the day
• Replenish water that was sweated off during workout
• Replenish electrolytes
• Eat foods like fruits and vegetables that contain high water content

Dehydration can become deadly for student-athletes. When a student-athlete is practicing while dehydrated, common outcomes can be dizziness, fainting, heat-shock, and fatigue. Therefore, it is imperative to constantly drink water and replenish electrolytes before, during, and after working out (Harvard).

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Eating junk foods that are high in calories, sugar, and fats are obviously not healthy for a student athlete diet. Junk foods are ‘empty calories’ that are highly processed and do not contain much nutritional value, unlike nutrient dense foods as discussed in a previous blog post. Student athletes who primarily eat fast-foods, processed meats or snacks, or sugary drinks will more often than not see a decline in physical performance on the field, track, or gym. The body will start lacking essential nutrients that are provided by nutrient dense foods which will negatively effect the way the body reacts to high physical demands. Student-athletes could lose lean muscle mass and gain undesired weight, which of course, can have a negative impact on their athletic performance (Healthywa).

Sources

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-staying-hydrated

https://www.active.com/food-and-nutrition/articles/10-tips-to-eat-like-a-pro-athlete/slide-6

https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/J_M/Junk-food

Complete Foods for a Student-Athlete

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Most people tend to think that all of us eat healthy for every single meal. However, that is far from the truth.  I have seen my teammates on both ends of the spectrum of eating a strict diet with only lean proteins and specific sources of carbohydrates to teammates eating nothing but sugary and fatty foods as they walk up to the starting line. I find it funny seeing the two extremes compete with each other on a daily basis and ironically watch a teammate with a diet consisting of Ho-Ho’s and Kool-Aid sometimes beat the teammate counting every carb and type of fats and proteins they eat.

As amusing as that is, that does not mean that all athletes can eat whatever they want and expect performing at the colligate level. Student athletes are at crossroads for what they can eat. With proper guidance from a sports nutritionist, they can further excel in their talent and hard work during practice and competition.

Athletes burn a ton of calories and they need to be replenished. Depending on the rigor, a typical student athlete needs to consume about 2,400-3,000 kcal/day for males and 2,200-2,700 kcal/day for females (UWhealth).

We get our calories from 3 macronutrients; Carbohydrates (4kcal/g), Protein (4kcal/g), and Fat (9kcal/day).

Even though we can get the macronutrients from any food, it is the kind of foods that are important to maintain a healthy diet. Student-athletes should eat nutrient-dense foods that contain a variety of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Nutrient-dense foods also contain sufficient amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals (Harvard).

https://www.uwhealth.org/health-wellness/eating-for-peak-performance/45232

It is important for student-athletes to eat the proper kinds of foods and avoid empty-caloric foods that are high in sugar and fats. Fried foods should be kept at minimal so that the athlete will not be bogged down by the high fat content.

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All athletes alike use carbohydrates as their main source of energy and eating the proper sources of carbohydrates like whole grains, pastas, fruits and vegetables will further excel their performances. Fruits and vegetables like blueberries and cherries contain antioxidants, dark leafy greens can vital vitamins such as vitamin A, K, and B6, bananas can contain an abundant amounts of electrolytes like potassium. Additionally, ark leafy greens can also contain minerals like calcium and potassium (Fishertitus).

It is important that they eat fats that contain high in monounsaturated fats and contain essential fats like omega-3s that are easily digestible like nuts, avocados, and olive oil (Fishertitus).

Proteins are important for athletes’ recovery and growth. Milk, chicken, salmon, and beans are great sources of lean proteins. Salmon can provide further nutrients in omega-3s, while milk can provide calcium (Fishertitus) Beans and legumes are low in fats and provide adequate amounts of carbohydrates.

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Nutrient-dense foods are imperative to a high performance athlete because it provides a complete set of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, complex carbohydrates from enough energy, lean proteins for a speedy recovery and growth, and fatty acids that are essential for our energy consumption and health.

Sources

https://www.fishertitus.org/health/best-foods-for-athletes

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/add-more-nutrient-dense-foods-to-your-diet

https://www.uwhealth.org/health-wellness/eating-for-peak-performance/45232

My Diet Experiences As a Busy Student-Athlete

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While my sister and I grew up, our parents made us very proactive in extracurricular activities. We constantly were involved with something after school, especially sports like soccer or basketball. With all the running around my parents did for us, I did not realize that we always had food made at home almost every night of the week. We typically had a salad or some vegetable as a side with a grilled or baked protein that over all made well rounded dinner. Afterwards, they made our lunch consisting of a sandwich, veggie, fruit, a snack and a cookie. I look back, I wish could replicate how my parents prepared food for my sister and I while attending college. I am impressed with my parents in the fact they were able to juggle their work, my sister and I, and maintaining errands and the house while having a healthy dinner made at the end of the day. I am constantly busy with classes, tutoring as work, and athletics to where I will eat when I can and whatever is available. Now, I am not saying I eat unhealthy, I find myself having to pick up something to eat more often or that I am on a low budget for groceries not allowing me to make the same foods back at home.

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My Typical Schedule During the School Week

• 6:30 A.M Run
• Class from 8:00-12:00
• Tutoring and Lunch (variable on the day) 12:00-2:00
• Practice 2:00-4:30
• Tutoring 4:30-6:00
• Study 7:00-11:30

I am usually on campus from 8:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m everyday of the week. I still make the effort to have breakfast, lunch and dinner, every day. I start my day with granola or a cereal with 2% milk, an apple or banana, and a fig bar. I try to eat about three hours before practice at 2. I am very lucky that there is an athletic dinning hall were they prepare us a rotating buffet of various foods. They have plenty of health options and foods that are geared towards our physical needs. This is usually my biggest and more well-rounded meal of the day. I usually have a lean protein like chicken or fish that they prepared with two different sides that are vegetables and I also make a salad from the salad bar. What I eat for dinner can be variable. After practice or work I need to start studying right away for my classes. That means I need to eat quick. I try to food prep over the weekend however sometimes I get tired of eating the same food over and over again or I do not have anything prepared. About once a week, I am in a rush to get to studying and I pick something up on my way back home.

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My schedule is not unique, many of my own teammates struggle with the exact same dilemma. Some of teammates mention in conversation that they have to skip a meal due to being busy at the time. During the next few blog posts we will explore what foods are healthy for student athletes to eat, why a diet geared towards student athletes are important, and meal prepping.

Blog Summary

Why did you choose this topic?

I chose this topic because as an athlete since childhood, I have seen how my performance has been affected by my various diets throughout my life. I have seen my teammates both eating healthy and unhealthy and perform at various degrees and I want to see how diets effect us.

Who is your target audience?

My audience is geared towards student athletes of any sport.

What makes your blog different? Why would someone want to read it?

This blog is different in that I am going to be talking about how student athletes with busy schedules eat healthy and unhealthy foods and become BIG 12 Champions, National Champions, and future Olympians. I will discuss the difficulty that student athletes have when it comes to making healthy meals due to their intense schedules everyday. People will read this because it will correct a wrong assumption that all student athletes who perform at a competitive level eat healthy.

What is your goal for this blog? Ex. Share recipes, entertainment, expert advice etc.

This blog’s goal is to shed light on foods that are healthy for student athletes and what the negative effects are for improper eating habit and how their diets can affect their athletic performance. I want to help find a solution to eating healthier despite living busy lives.

What are your ideas for “future” posts? In other words, where do you go from here?

I will blog my diet and discuss how I feel about my own diet before and during college and the difficulties I have making dinner and how I can improve it, . Next, I will blog about what are nutrient dense foods I believe it is important to know certain kinds of foods that contain essential kinds of nutrients for a healthy student athlete diet. I will then discuss improper diet practices and its possible affects such as hydration and eating junk food habitually. Lastly, I will discuss how we can improve our diet with healthy meal preparation. I have notice with myself that when I make meals in advance they are healthier and feel better later in the evening with a well balanced meal.

About Me

Hello, my name is Steven Duran and I am on the Texas Tech University Track and Field Team. I have participated in athletics since my early childhood and started running competitively since middle school. As a student athlete, I am familiar of what kinds of foods and eating habits are healthy. However, the tasks of everyday life from school to track to work, I find it hard to eat consistently and as healthy as possible. As a Nutrition major, I want to help improve other student-athletes as we expand in this blog made for discussion and creativity in healthy meals.

Why do this?

• This blog is to explore the ways student athletes eat and what foods are the healthiest for pre and post-workouts.
• I want to rethink of how athletes like me can make healthy foods fast and inexpensive.

Mission Statement

This blog is to explore the ways student athletes eat and what foods are best for them. Not every athlete follows a healthy diet due to various reasons, yet they still compete at a high level. This blog will discuss the difficulties of eating healthy as a student athlete and find a solution to eat proper athletic diets and improve athletic performance.