In my last blog, I talked about the most important meal of the day … breakfast.

And a great question came in from a reader. 

Q: How soon after you wake up should the first meal be consumed?  Is it okay to do a cardio session before eating breakfast or is it better to eat it before?

A: There is no “set” time frame, but I would recommend fueling your body with nutrients within the hour after waking.  There are times that I wake myself up because I’m so hungry; others, I’m not as hungry until 30 or 40 minutes after I wake up.

What is more important that a specific time frame is actually fueling before any time of physical or mental activity.  If you’re going to hit the iron and trying to focus on improving your physical performance, you need to eat something.  Likewise, if you’re just heading off to school for the day and won’t train until later, you still need to get food into your body before you try to focus.  Your brain feeds off the nutrients you give it.

As for the cardio session prior to eating breakfast … I still prefer putting some nutrients in your body.  It was popular to “fast” before morning cardio to burn more fat, but that theory went out the window and lacks any scientific rationale.

Remember that “breakfast” doesn’t have to be a sit down, 3 course buffet that you may imagine.

Here are some quick, easy ideas that will fuel your physical and mental performance.

·      String cheese with fruit

·      Homemade smoothie

·      Raw nuts with fruit

·      Greek yogurt with fruit

·      Natural Peanut butter and an apple or banana

·      Rolled oats with fresh fruit

·      Hardboiled eggs and fruit

·      Whole grain English muffin, slice of tomato and an over easy egg

·      Scrambled eggs in a whole grain tortilla

Moral of the story – eat soon after getting out of bed.  Never try to do any physical or mental tasks without fueling your body first.

The other day I was talking to a group of Division 1 swimmers.  The coaches wanted me to talk about a single nutrition strategy that could really help her athletes perform at their peak.  The topic was up to me.

Thinking I would talk about supplements or maybe recovery nutrition, she was surprised when my entire talk was about how breakfast can make or break your day, and therefore your performance.

I was in front of roughly 75 athletes.

I first asked how many of them ate breakfast that morning.  4 athletes raised their hands.  I then asked what time their first meal was and most said around noon, for lunch.

This was after a grueling 2+ hour morning swim workout (6-8 AM).  Most of them had morning classes.  And they had dry land practice in the early afternoon.

I explained to them that if you’re not eating breakfast, there is no way you will perform at your peak. 

Breakfast literally means “break the fast” – you’ve fasted, your muscles are hungry, your brain is hungry, but now you’re asking both to perform.

The immediate answer I heard from many athletes was that “I don’t have time.”

It doesn’t take time to get some quick nutrients in your body—here are 5 simple ideas:

·       a piece of fruit and string cheese

·        yogurt

·        peanut butter and banana

·       make a quick smoothie

·       handful of nuts and dried fruit

These 5 ideas take less than 2 minutes to “prepare” – but will feed your body right.  Fuel your body right to perform at your peak.

This coach soon understand why I picked breakfast as my topic of choice.  It’s like the foundation of a house – without it, the house will crumble. 

I was talking to a soccer coach the other day.  His team is consistently at the top of the ranks – losing only 1 game all season.  But now he is trying to get them ready for a major tournament, where they’ll not have to play just 1 game each day, but 2.

40 minute halves, with a 5-7 minute halftime.

2 hour break.

And repeat. 

This tournament will determine the state champion.  They obviously have a lot on the line.

Here’s his question – what should my athletes be eating/drinking between play and also during the break?

This question comes up often – whether it’s a double header for baseball, a soccer tournament, or triples with football practice.

This doesn’t allow for much recovery time, like you’re used to.  Therefore fueling your body properly – meaning what you eat and drink – can make or break your performance. 

Let’s start with the most effect “warm up” -- Breakfast

It is recommended to consume a 200-500 calorie carbohydrate-rich breakfast two to four hours prior to an event. This will help you to have more energy to get through your practices or competition.
•    Whole wheat bagel or toast with peanut butter
•    Bowl of cereal with low-fat organic milk
•    Smoothie with frozen fruit and milk
•    Greek yogurt  with fruit
•    Oatmeal and scrambled eggs

Halftime Ideas

Since there’s not much time for digestion, these foods need to be quick and easy – cut up fruit works wonders, as do sports drink to get some quick acting carbohydrates into your working muscles.

Between Game Meals/Snacks

Make sure that you have some quick, high energy snacks to eat between games to maintain your energy levels. Even when there is a concession stand, it is usually low-quality fuel for athletes so planning ahead and packing these snacks to have on hand is always a good idea!  Try these ideas.

•    Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
•    Trail mix (for example: raw almonds with dried cranberries)
•    Energy bar like a Clif Nectar, Lara Bar, or Pure Bar
•    Fresh fruit

Hydration and Sports Drinks

Whether the sun is sweltering down in the middle of an afternoon softball game or it is your second practice for the grueling three-a-days for football, hydration is a hugely important and often overlooked factor in these types of situations. Sports drinks are critical to replenish fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat. They also provide energy which can help maintain blood sugar levels between meals/snacks. Do not wait until you are thirsty since this means you are already dehydrated.

•    Make sure you have a hydration plan and stick to it!
•    Drink 16 oz (2 cups) of fluid 2 hours before practice or game.
•    Drink 8 oz (1 cup) of fluid 10-20 minutes before practice or game. (In very hot or very cold weather you need 12-20 oz 10-20 minutes prior to practice or game).
•    Drink about1 cup every 10-20 minutes during exercise, or as often as possible (particularly during the hot summer months)
•    After practice or game drink 20 oz for every pound of weight lost. Ideally, complete rehydration within 2 hours of exercise.

As always, make sure the foods you choose before, during, and after play are those your body is used to – the last thing you want to introduce are new foods, which you don’t know how your body will handle when trying to perform. 

Recovery nutrition is a hot topic in the sports nutrition world.  In a nutshell, it means what you eat/drink post workout, post game, or post event. 

Why is it so “hot?”  Because this meal can truly help take you to the next level …

… or, if not planned appropriately, will allow your competition to overpower you. 

Here’s the deal.

Picture your muscles as a soaking wet sponge that’s full of water.  When you’re well fueled, your muscles, like that wet sponge, are full of stored carbohydrates.  Stored carbohydrate is called glycogen.

Glycogen is used during your workout.  So now imagine yourself walking into the weight room to train.  Your muscles are full of glycogen and you’re ready to tear through that iron, packing on serious strength.  During the workout, your muscles become “drained” of their energy as you’re giving it your all.  The fuel tank is emptied.  The “sponge” is dry.

Likewise, when you wring out a wet sponge, you wring out all the water, it becomes dry, and it’s then ready to take up as much water as it can. 

Your muscles are the same, except instead of water in this example, they store glycogen.  When you use all the stored glycogen in your muscles, the “pump is primed” to take up as much as you can and store it for later use. 

The faster you can refuel, the better.  And after a workout, every minute that passes makes that “window of opportunity” smaller and smaller, making it more difficult to adequately refuel your hard working muscles. 

Therefore, here’s what you do.

As soon as you’re done with your workout, practice, or game … get food in your body.

My personal favorite “recovery nutrition” product is low fat chocolate milk.  It’s quick.  It’s easy.  It’s effective.  In a nutshell, you want a combination of carbohydrates and protein.  Chocolate milk gives you exactly that combination of carbohydrates and protein that you need.  Try 8-16 oz within 30 minutes after your workout.

Give it a try after every single workout and watch your performance improve.

 

You want to perform better -- run faster, cut quicker – and, let’s face it, with beach season upon us, simply look better.

Grasping at straws, you turn to a heavily marketed fat loss supplement.  What does that do for you?  The goal is that coveted six pack, but the result may not be what you’re looking for.

In early May 2009 the FDA put out a recall for the popular fat loss supplement, Hydroxycut, due to 23 reported cases of liver damage.

This came on the heels of a March 20th nationwide alert by the FDA, which identified 72 total “natural” weight loss products that were tainted with active pharmaceutical ingredients.  

This is surely dangerous from a health perspective, but also for performance – tainted supplements with ingredients that are banned by a governing body (NCAA, NFL, etc) surely could ruin a season. 

Don’t be sidelined by overhyped fat loss supplements.

Here is the real formula for guaranteed fat loss – each meal should contain:

Lean protein + fruit and/or veggies + healthy fats + high fiber grains.

Add in the best training and you’re guaranteed to be successful.
 

Carbohydrates get a bad rap.  And sometimes for a good reason!  But not always – carbohydrates from broccoli ain’t even in the same ballpark as those from soda, cookies, or candy.  But they are all lumped as one cohesive group – carbohydrates.  Here’s the truth.

Under Armour is all about performance.  Without a proper diet, including adequate carbohydrates, optimal performance it’s impossible.  Rather than focusing on the blanket recommendation “carbohydrates” however, I suggest focusing on fiber, not carbs. 

Carbohydrate based foods with zero fiber are junk. 

Think fiber, not carbs!

What I mean by this is focus on the fiber content of the carbohydrate based products you eat instead of the carbohydrate content.

Rules of thumb:
1.    All carbohydrate based products should have 3+ grams of fiber/serving
2.    All cereals should have <10g sugar/serving

These are pretty simple and very straightforward, but check out your pantry.  What is lurking behind those doors? 


On the flip side, fruits and veggies, grains, oats, etc are all incredible for you.  Including healthy doses in your diet on a regular basis will allow you to perform at your peak.

While there are certain times when simple carbohydrates (low in fiber) are preferred, like during or after an intense, longer workout, in general, keep that focus on fiber!

What can easily trick people, are the “hidden” sugars in foods – the many names for the simple, junky ingredient.  While people know to look for the term “sugar” and avoid that, sugar also goes incognito on food labels and often “hides” under the following disguises; don’t be fooled, these are all junk! 

Talk about throwing you for a loop – so it’s not just “sugar” that you have look for.  If you see those above, run for the hills!

This is why we suggest foods that have less ingredients; the less ingredients, the better!  Once companies have to start adding ingredients, you know sugar will be thrown in the mix.

1.    Focus on fiber. 
2.    Focus on quality. 
3.    No one ever got fat from eating too many fruits and vegetables!!
 

My name is Chris Mohr and I am proud to be the Performance Nutritionist for Under Armour’s TNP Training Council.  I am the owner of Mohr Results, Inc, a nutrition consulting company created to improve the performance of individuals from all walks of life; from elite athletes to soccer moms, and everyone in between. 

An athlete myself, I am a finisher of the 2008 Louisville Ironman – I talk the talk and walk the walk.  I am a nutrition consultant to the University of Louisville Athletic Department, was the sports nutritionist at the University of Massachusetts and work with a variety of nutrition companies throughout the country. 

The difference between good athletes and elite athletes is the right training,  dedication, and determination – all fueled by optimal performance foods to power through workouts and win games.  Knowing what it takes to create great athletes, Under Armour pulled together an elite team of coaches throughout the world, making sure to include performance nutrition as part of the unparalleled total package.  Our goal as a Council is to make you a better athlete!

I lecture extensively throughout the country, both to athletes and trainers and coaches working with athletes.  I am the author of a sports nutrition book, and have written over 500 articles for a variety of fitness publications, including Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Fitness, Self, and am a Nutrition Advisor for Men’s Fitness Magazine.  I also help spread the word about nutrition through the media outreach I do – I have appeared on the Montel Williams Show, worked with Chef Emeril Lagasse, was the nutrition consultant for a book with LL Cool J, and am working on a project with Fitness Celebrity Denise Austin.

As a lifelong student, I earned BS and MS degrees in Nutrition from The Pennsylvania State University and the University of Massachusetts, respectively.  I earned a PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Pittsburgh, am a registered dietitian, and a board certified specialist in sports dietetics.  I bridge the gap between academics and performance – where science meets reality – to provide you the absolute most critical information on performance nutrition. 
 

Vegetarian lifestyle can lend itself well to being a great.  In fact, Pro Bowler Tony Gonzalez eats almost exclusively like a vegetarian. 

Here’s the deal – the biggest concern for most athletes if they decide to be a vegetarian is getting enough protein.

It simply takes smart planning, though, to make sure you’re taking in enough – beans, cottage cheese, yogurt, tofu, soy milk, nuts, and even grains all provide protein.  The key is to make sure you eat different sources regularly to get the benefits from all the different sources of protein.

It’s also important to focus on the vitamins and minerals you’re eating.

Eating a variety of foods is key:

-A mix of different sources of protein for B vitamins, iron, and other nutrients.

-A variety of fruits and vegetables for a ton of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C and A, fiber, and other antioxidants too.

-Whole grains, for the fiber and slow digesting carbohydrates that will boost performance.

Remember, though, French fries, pizza, and soda all count as vegetarian foods.  Be smart about your intake and you can continue to perform at your best AND grow muscle. 

That takes extra calories, protein, and other nutrients; all of which you can get with a well planned vegetarian diet!

 

The Ancient Greek Olympians were reported to have eaten a whole cow before competing in sports.

Protein has always been a hot topic of debate among athletes – is there really a need for higher intakes  to achieve peak performance?  If so, how much do we need?  When should we eat it?  What is the best type?

There is certainly a lot of confusion around this nutrient.  Here’s the 411.

Protein is crucial for rebuilding, repair, and recovery. 

Athletes need more than non athletes.  In fact, athletes need approximately double that of non athletes. 

Ideally each meal of the day should include some protein. 

In terms of timing – in addition to including some protein with each meal, it’s particularly important to do so immediately after training and even a little beforehand. 

There is no “best” type of protein; ideally we want a mix of sources of protein to give us the best bang for our buck. 

Here are a few examples to make sure you’re on track:

•    Non fat or low fat milk
•    Yogurt
•    Seafood
•    Chicken or turkey breast
•    Lean red meat
•    Whey protein
•    Eggs
•    Nuts
•    Beans

Making sure at least some of those are part of a regular diet will ensure you’re on your way to peak performance!

So remember these three things.
1.    Include some protein with each meal.
2.    Make sure protein is part of your post training meal
3.    Include a variety of protein sources for the best results.


Until next time,

Chris

When it comes to eating for optimal performance, there’s nothing fancy about it.  In fact, here are 10 rules to follow.

1.    Always eat breakfast.

2.    Eat the freshest ingredients available – that means avoiding packaged items.

3.    When possible, use local, organic ingredients.

4.    Focus on food quality, not just quantity.

5.    Eat calories, don’t drink them – avoid soft drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened fruit juices or teas and instead drink water and unsweetened tea.

6.    Focus on fiber, not carbs – aim for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving of carbohydrate based foods.

7.    Include a lean protein with each meal.

8.    Enjoy healthy fats, but reduce your intake of saturated and trans fats.

9.    Include snacks regularly throughout the day – raw nuts, fruits, vegetables, cottage cheese, cheese sticks, or yogurt are all fantastic.

10.    Avoid letting your body “run” on empty – instead, make sure you always plan ahead and prepare foods to keep you well fueled throughout the day.

Many people overcomplicate nutrition.  Following these very simple principles can literally make or break your performance during practice and on game day.