NEDA TOOLKIT for Coaches and Trainers
Coach’s guide to sports nutrition
By Andrea Kurilla, RD, LD, MPH and Marcia Herrin, EdD, MPH, RD
Coaches play an influential role in the way his or her athletes think about nutrition, body weight and the way they
eat. When presenting nutritional messages avoid judgmental statements such as “good” or “bad” food. Emphasize
that “all foods fit!” Athletes should never restrict their eating or be advised to eat only low-fat or fat-free foods,
count their calories or lose weight. Keep information simple and remind athletes that proper nutrition is intended
to support the body’s basic physical needs, prevent illness and injury, speed recovery between workouts, maintain
a healthy body weight and composition and improve performance.
Nutrition for physical activity
Athletes do not always experience the hunger cues
telling them to consume enough calories to compensate
for their level of exercise. Remind athletes that:
• They must have at least three meals and
supportive snacks throughout the day. A pre-
event meal is recommended 3-4 hours before
the event and a small snack can be consumed
within an hour before exercise. Many athletes
do best with three meals and three snacks a day.
• Glycogen is the stored form of energy and
primary fuel of muscles during intense activity.
The body makes glycogen from carbohydrates
found in foods such as complex carbohydrates
(e.g., breads, bagels, granola bars), calcium-
rich foods (e.g., milk, yogurt, calcium-fortified
orange juice), and fruits.
• Food choices before and after activity need to
be tailored to individual tolerances.
Eating before practice/competition
• Athletes need to remember that food and drink
consumed before exercise is a source of readily
available energy. Performance is compromised
when energy stores are low.
• Recommend that an hour before exercise,
athletes eat a snack that is primarily
carbohydrate (grain, fruit or dairy) but also
includes a small amount of protein, and that
they drink at least 7-16 oz. of water, juice or
sports drink.
Eating after practice/competition
• After exercise, muscle and liver glycogen stores
need to be replenished in order to repair and
provide energy for future exercise. A post-
event snack should be consumed within 30
minutes of the activity, if possible, followed
by recovery snacks and meals for 4-6 hours to
replenish glycogen stores.
• Adding protein after exercise helps repair
muscle, particularly after high-intensity
exercise. • Repairing muscle and restoring glycogen is
most important when athletes have more
than one training session per day or the next
training session is within eight hours.
Snack ideas for before and after practice/
competition The pre-event and post-event meal and snack should
be rich in carbohydrates. Some athletes may benefit
from a small amount of protein as well.
Snack ideas:
• Bagel or toast with peanut butter (honey or jam
can be added on top of but not as a substitute for
the peanut butter)
• ½ cup oatmeal with milk or nuts
• Yogurt with fruit
• 1-2 cups chocolate milk
• Granola or energy bar containing nuts, if possible
• Yogurt and granola
• Dried fruit and nuts mix
Meal ideas:
• Pasta with meat or meat sauce
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
Hydration Adequate hydration is critical for cooling the body and
maintaining normal physiological functions. Our bodies
are more physically stressed during exercise, and
impaired performance (i.e. decreased heart pumping
capacity, slowed pace, less endurance) may result.
Hydration can counter these impairments.
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