Properly fueling a student athlete can often seem overwhelming. Long days of school, workouts and practices during mealtimes can make eating frequently challenging. That paired with a rapidly growing body and an athlete trying to increase lean muscle mass by hitting the weight room are all good reasons to end the day with a balanced and nutritious bedtime snack. This snack will give the body a boost of calories and nutrients to help re-fuel tired muscles, reach fitness goals and remain healthy. Sleep serves many purposes, one of which is the process of re-building muscles. Depending on when they eat dinner, an athlete can go anywhere from 10-12 hours without food overnight. This constitutes a “mini fast.” Many athletes are exhausted when they get home from practice and consequently consume far fewer calories than they normally would at dinner. If adequate calories are not consumed, the body may be forced to deplete its stores of glycogen (carbohydrate energy) and be forced to utilize muscle protein to keep the body going thru the night. This may result in slower muscle recovery time (increased soreness) and significantly decreased muscle growth. NIGHT TIME SNACK HABIT. Encouraging a bedtime snack habit can solve many of the above issues. There is more to a bedtime snack than just calories. It is important to consume the right balance of calories to help muscles recover and be ready to hit the gym or field again the next day. A balanced bedtime snack should be a combination of slowly digested protein to fuel muscle growth and carbohydrates to top off muscle glycogen stores. An added benefit of a small balanced bedtime snack is it may encourage a good nights sleep because is helps to keep blood sugar stable. CEREAL BEFORE BED…. COULD THIS HELP YOUR STUDENT ATHLETE?
BEDTIME SNACK IDEAS. Bowl of cereal and milk, topped with berries or 1/2 banana Peanut butter on rice cakes or whole grain crackers and milk Smoothie made with Greek yogurt or whey protein powder and fruit Graham Crackers and milk or grahams dipped in Greek yogurt Granola bar and a glass of chocolate milk Cheese and crackers or fruit Trail mix
Food is fuel and when balanced properly can have a HUGE impact on how your student athlete performs both on the field and in the classroom.
Noreen Gallo MSRD, LD Registered Dietitian Your Forever Nutrition Counseling 603 553-1334
“I first started seeing Christopher Pierce after I sustained a hip injury in 2017. Over the winter months, I was treated by my chiropractor and saw an orthopedic. Neither of them was able to pinpoint the issue. But Chris did. I worked with Chris over the winter months and as a result, not only was I able to get back to running again, but I was even able to run in my first obstacle course race and that Fall I ran my first halfmarathon.Much tomydismayafter thehalf, thehipflaredagainso itwasback to thedrawingboard. During my time working with Chris, I connected with Kathryn Cortelyou – a fellow runner and physical therapist at Balance. Kathryn pointed out something, simply by looking at one of my race photos, which she shared with Chris. The two of themworked together to analyze my running gait and gave me inserts formyshoesthatcorrectedtheproblem.Chrisalsodiscoveredthroughathoroughexamthatalthoughthe pain was presenting in my hip, I was having some compression in my spine causing the pain. He started me on traction and core stabilization exercises and my pain has dissipated. Patient Success Spotlight Sarah T.
Over the summer of 2018, I sustained a high ankle sprain for which I was treated by both Chris and Kathryn. I am happy to say that my ankle is stronger than ever. As one can see by my testimonial above, the therapists at Balance look at the client as a whole. In addition, there is always laughter at Balance which, for someone coming in scared and in pain with an injury, makes a world of difference right away. Even when I felt discouraged, like perhaps we may not figure out the cause to my injury and how to fix it, Chris never did. He never gave up and always told me confidently that we would work as a team and figure this out. His goal has always been to get me back to doing what I love and that has meant more to me than he could ever know. If you need physical healing and are looking for a supportive team unlike any other, go to Balance Physical Therapy. I am forever grateful for the care I have received and the confidence knowing that my physical therapist will always have my back. Literally!”
balance-rehab.com
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