The Importance of Timing

After yesterday's talk about whey protein and an earlier talk about breakfast, I think it's important to explain when and where we should eat meals. It's a long post, so get comfy.

As athletes, it is recommended to eat more, smaller meals throughout the day. This way we have a more constant level of energy instead of looping back and forth from super energetic to about to pass out. So then when do we eat 5-6 meals every day? Hold on baby birds, I'll feed you...

First there's breakfast. I recommend this meal be one of the first things you do every day. This isn't always comfortable or doable. I did not eat breakfast before practice my entire 4 year college stint. This was because I did not have time to digest my food all the way down to a comfortable level before getting on the court. For this meal, I recommend giving yourself 30-40 min before activity to digest.

The next important time to eat is after any sort of practice. This includes lifting and competition. In order to properly recover and build muscle, dietitians are recommending to eat within 30 min after exercising in a ratio of 3:1 carbs:protein. As I've stated in other posts, this ratio is to first replenish the fuel for our body and then rebuild our muscles. Ideas for this recovery meal include: Gatorade, whey protein mixes, milk, granola bars, a lean sandwich, or cereal. Remember, eat small portions. We aren't trying to "get full," we are trying to refuel. This takes practice and willpower.

Lunch is necessary. It's also my favorite meal of the day. It should be timed to be around the middle of the day. I'm not going to get specific into what foods should go into a lunch. You guys know what you do and don't eat and what you should and shouldn't eat. My tip is, look ahead through your day and see when you probably will get hungry. Don't get stuck having to eat real quick and get a greasy fast food meal. Pack a lunch or give yourself enough time to hunt down the healthier option.

I think of dinner as a preparatory meal. This meal is usually after the day is done and there are no more practices to worry about (I know this isn't always the case so plan accordingly). I like to fill my plate with half veggies and then another half carbohydrate source with a little protein mixed in. Examples include: Linguine with a chicken breast on top in red sauce with a salad on the side, or rice, cooked salmon, and asparagus. The reasoning behind your choices here is to give your body something nice and well made to fuel the beginning of the day tomorrow (or to fuel you for the game that night). A lot of time athletes skip breakfast, eat a small lunch and then double up on a gigantic dinner. This is unhealthy in that it forces your body into an uncomfortable metabolism. Plus, it only hurts your recovery time more by not spreading meals out.

Snacks before bed are actually encouraged. Especially if you are like me and can't eat before practice. This gives you a great time to fill up on something that will be there in the morning. Ideas here include healthy fat foods like peanuts, trail mix, or popcorn.

Where you eat your food is a minor note, but try not to eat in front of the television as this leads to overeating. Also, don't distract yourself from eating. I understand being in a rush, but give food its respect and time of day too.

Now, I think I should tell you that we all have different Calorie needs everyday. It can depend upon our sport, our age, our size, our disability, etc. For this reason, start to understand your body. Keep mental notes on how foods make you feel 30 min later. If Taco Bell makes you feel crappy for 2 hours after eating it, I wouldn't recommend it before exercise or games. I would choose a different option or a smaller portion. Also, I think that our population of athletes with disabilities have very different levels of metabolism. You must consider this in timing your foods, e.g. some of you with lower metabolisms (digest food slowly) need to add more time after meals before you start exercising hardcore.

So please don't wait to eat after exercise (30 min!), and please try to fuel up on awesome food throughout the day. As this article states, “Establish eating habits and patterns first. The quality of the food can be changed later."