Whether you’re taking your team to play in another city or in another country, you’ll undoubtedly face many nutritional challenges. Making good choices while you are on the road can greatly impact the outcome of your competition.
You have learned how to energize and hydrate properly from
POWERCOACH™, but how do you make it work when you are on the road? Here are some easy guidelines that can help players make healthier food and beverage choices wherever you may go.
When eating out, it is often very tempting to splurge on foods you would not normally select. Athletes should focus on taking in adequate carbohydrates and moderate amounts of protein, without adding too many higher-fat foods. You will want to pay particular attention to fat and fibre when it is close to competition time. Too much of either can weigh you down, and can contribute to a game ruining upset stomach. Plan ahead and stick to these guidelines to make sure your body is properly energized and best prepared to beat the competition.
In General:Caution:The following terms generally mean the food is prepared with more fat — not a good thing, particularly if it is close to game time: au gratin, butter sauce, creamed, creamy, crispy, fried, gravy, Alfredo sauce, cheese sauce, creamy sauce, special sauce, and pan-fried.
Green Light:The following terms generally indicate that the food is lower in fat, and are healthier food choices in general when eating out: broiled, steamed, poached, garden-fresh, in its own juice, tomato sauce, marinara sauce, roasted, wood-fired, stir-fried, and grilled.
BreakfastTips:
- Instead of butter, spread your toast with low-fat cottage cheese, jam, or jelly
- Ask for low-fat cream cheese with your bagel
- Look for low-fibre cereals with fat-free milk (but watch out for high-fat granolas)
- Enjoy fat-free or low-fat yogurt with a bowl of fresh fruit or blended as a smoothie
- Hot cereals such as oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat, or cream of rice with honey can warm you up on a cool morning
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Croissants or sweet rolls |
Pancakes, waffles, or French toast with syrup and a little butter, fresh fruit |
| Fried eggs (over easy or sunny side–up) |
Omelette, hard-boiled eggs, or scrambled eggs |
| Bacon or sausage |
Lean ham or back bacon |
| Croissant, pastry, muffin |
Bagel with low-fat cream cheese |
Foods by CuisineAmerican/CanadianTips
- Avoid dishes with lots of cheese, sour cream, or mayonnaise
- Instead of fried chicken or seafood, choose baked, boiled, or grilled shrimp, fish, or chicken
- Choose bread or pita pockets over croissants
- Enjoy a side salad with your sandwich, with light dressing
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Cream soups |
Broth-based soups with lots of vegetables, such as chicken noodle soup |
| Tuna salad or chicken salad sandwich |
Turkey, chicken, or lean beef sandwich |
| Buffalo chicken wings |
Peel-and-eat shrimp |
| Fried chicken sandwich |
Grilled chicken sandwich |
| Chicken-fried steak |
Veggie burger or turkey burger |
| French fries, poutine, or mashed potatoes with gravy |
Baked potato, mashed potatoes without gravy, or rice without gravy; limit butter and sour cream |
| Creamy coleslaw |
Steamed vegetables or tossed salad |
| Ice cream or hot fudge sundae |
Non-fat yogurt, fruit cup, sherbet, or fruit ice |
ItalianTips
- Enjoy pasta as a main entree rather than an appetizer
- Ask your waiter to hold the cheese and the bacon
- If you order pizza, choose thick-crust cheese pizza with extra veggies instead of meats
- Choose pasta primavera, or pastas with tomato, clam, marsala, or piccata sauces instead of sauces with lots of meat, cheese, and cream
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Fried calamari |
Minestrone soup |
| Cheese- or meat-filled pastas or casserole-type dishes |
Pasta primavera (with garden vegetables) or pasta with white or red clam sauce |
| Pasta with butter or cream sauces (such as Alfredo sauce) |
Pasta with marsala sauce (made with wine) or marinara sauce (made with tomatoes, onions, and garlic) |
| Scaloppine or parmigiana (floured, fried, and baked with cheese) dishes |
Marsala and piccata (made with lemon) dishes |
| Pastries such as cheese cake |
Italian ices, sorbet, gelato |
MexicanTips
- Ask for low-fat sour cream, or use salsa to add flavour
- Choose Veracruz or other tomato-based sauces rather than cream or cheese sauces
- If you order a tostada or taco salad, don’t eat the fried shell
- Go easy on the sour cream, cheese, and guacamole
- Go easy on the fried tortilla chips
- Ask for extra soft corn tortillas and sides of rice, black beans, or tortilla soup
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Flour tortillas |
Corn tortillas, low-fat flour tortillas |
| Nachos |
Grilled shrimp |
| Carnitas (fried beef or pork) or chorizo (sausage) |
Grilled fish or chicken |
| Refried beans |
Frijoles a la charra, black beans, borracho beans, and rice |
| Full-fat sour cream and cheese |
Salsa, pico de gallo, cilantro and sliced tomatoes |
| Quesadillas (filled flour or corn tortilla, usually fried) |
Chicken, shrimp, or lean beef fajitas (marinated meat grilled with onions and green peppers, served with tortillas) |
| Chalupas and tacos |
Taco salad or fajita salad without the tortilla shell |
| Flautas (fried flour tortillas stuffed with shredded meat); burritos (filled flour tortillas); chimichangas (fried burritos) |
Chicken or beef enchiladas (filled corn tortillas) with red sauce |
Submarine and other sandwich shopsTips
- Pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, mustard, low-fat Italian dressing, vinegar, and ketchup add flavour without a lot of added fat
- A fruit smoothie is a refreshing way to enjoy some good-for-you carbs
- Choose healthful side items, such as apple slices, yogurt, or a side salad
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Meatball, tuna salad, or chicken salad sandwich |
Lean meat (chicken breast, turkey, roast beef, lean ham, or veggie) sandwich with lower-fat cheese (Swiss or mozzarella) |
| Croissants or thin sandwich bread |
Sub roll, French bread, or pita bread (sub rolls have more carbs than regular sandwich bread) |
| Potato chips |
Pretzels, baked potato chips |
| Milkshake |
Juice or low-fat or fat-free milk |
ChineseTips
- Choose entrees with lots of vegetables
- Substitute chicken for duck, when possible
- Skip the crispy fried noodles on the table
- Jum (poached), kow (roasted), and shu (barbecued), are all healthy ways of preparing foods
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Egg rolls or fried wontons |
Wonton, egg drop, or hot-and-sour soup |
| Fried entrees |
Boiled, broiled, steamed, or lightly stir-fried entrees, steamed dumplings |
| Dishes with fried meats |
Dishes with lots of vegetables |
| Dishes with cashews and peanuts |
Dishes with water chestnuts |
| Fried rice |
Steamed rice |
| Crispy fried noodles |
Sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, plum or duck sauce |
JapaneseTips
- Ask that sauces be served on the side
- Avoid foods that are fried, battered, or breaded
- Add healthy carbs with steamed rice
- Use ponzu, rice-wine vinegar, wasabi, and ginger for flavour
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Vegetable tempura (lightly battered and fried vegetables) |
Steamed vegetables |
| Tempura |
Stir-fried, steamed, roasted, or broiled meat or seafood entrees (for example, chicken or beef teriyaki) |
| Mayonnaise-based, cream cheese–filled, and butter-sautéed items |
Sushi (raw or cooked seafood with vegetables and rice) |
| Tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlet) |
Nabemono (one-pot dishes, including yosenabe); shabu-shabu (sliced beef and noodles cooked and served at the table); sukiyaki (beef and vegetables cooked in sauce) or udon (hot noodles and broth) |
| Chawan mushi (chicken and shrimp in egg custard) |
Sumashi wan (clear soup with tofu and shrimp) |
Middle Eastern/MediterraneanTips
- Ask for salad dressing and sauces on the side
- Phyllo pastry dishes are usually full of butter, so skip them
- Most desserts are high in fat and sugar. If you want to splurge, split one with a teammate
- For added healthy carbs, ask for extra pita and rice
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Meat-stuffed appetizers |
Appetizers with rice, eggplant, tabouleh (vegetable salad) |
| Fried calamari |
Dolmas (rice mixture wrapped in grape leaves) |
| Baba ganoush (eggplant appetizer) |
Tzatziki (yogurt and cucumber appetizer) or hummus (chickpea dip) |
| Moussaka (lamb and beef casserole) and other cream- or cheese-based entrees |
Roast lamb, chicken, or beef shish kebab; couscous or bulgur wheat with vegetables or chicken |
| Gyro |
Chicken shawarma |
| Spanakopita (spinach pie with egg and cheese) |
Plaki (fish cooked in tomatoes, onions, and garlic) |
| Pastries, such as baklava |
Fruit |
Fast FoodTips
- Pickles, onions, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and ketchup add flavour without the fat
- Steer clear of fried fish sandwiches
- A baked potato can be a healthy option, but have it with low-fat sour cream instead of butter, full-fat sour cream, or cheese
- Beware of topping burgers with cheese, special (mayonnaise-based) sauce, and bacon
| INSTEAD OF: |
TRY: |
| Danish |
Bagel |
| Jumbo cheeseburgers |
Grilled chicken, sliced meats or even two regular hamburgers with lettuce, tomato, and onion |
| Fried chicken or tacos |
Grilled chicken or salad bar (but watch out for high-calorie dressings and ingredients) |
| Fried chicken pieces |
Chicken fajita pita or grilled chicken wrap |
| French fries or poutine |
Baked potato with vegetables and low-fat or fat-free sour cream |
| Potato chips |
Pretzels, baked potato chips |
| Milkshake |
100% fruit juice or a smoothie made with low-fat or fat-free milk |
Team MealsYour team may find it helpful to call ahead to a restaurant to plan a team buffet with a predetermined menu. Better yet, have it catered to your hotel to limit the choices players can make to all-healthy ones! With a little planning, players and parents can bring various foods right to your playing venue, to set up your own potluck picnic. This gives the players more rest time, and saves the team from long lines at the local eatery when they’re trying to get in a meal before the next game.
Packing ListDon’t forget to pack your sports nutrition favorites. You can’t count on the local food market to have what you need. Make sure to pack up energy bars, sports drinks, gels, and recovery products to get your team the nutrition it needs for champion results.
We suggest:
- POWERBAR® SPORT bars (41–45 g carbs and 8–10 g protein per bar)
- POWERBAR® FRUIT ENERGIZE bars (42 g carbs and 6 g protein per bar)
- POWERBAR® PROTEINPLUS™ bars (37–39 g carbs and 23 g protein per bar)
- POWERBAR® RECOVERY bar (30 g carbs and 12 g protein per bar)
- POWERBAR® RECOVERY shake (50 g carbs and 7.5 g protein per 20 fl oz)
- POWERBAR® GEL Carbohydrate Electrolyte Blends (27–28 g carbs)
Disclaimer:
The scientific information found on the powerbar.com website is derived from the following sources unless otherwise stated:
American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2007;39:377–390.
American College of Sports Medicine; American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada. Joint Position Statement: nutrition and athletic performance. American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, and Dietitians of Canada. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2000;32:2130–2145.
Burke L, Dean V, eds. Clinical sports nutrition. McGraw-Hill Companies, Australia, 2006; 415–453.
Currell K, Jeukendrup A. Superior endurance performance with ingestion of multiple transportable carbohydrates. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008;40:275-281.
Jeukendrup AE, Moseley L, Mainwaring GI, Samuels S, Perry S, Mann. CH. Exogenous carbohydrate oxidation during ultraendurance exercise. J Appl Physiol 2006;100:1134-1141.
Asker Jeukendrup, Michael Gleeson: Sport Nutrition, An Introduction to Energy Production and Performance, Human Kinetics 2004
Expert Panel:
Trent Stellingwerff PhD, BSc, Senior Research Scientist – Performance Nutrition, Nestlé Research Center
Christopher D. Jensen PhD, MPH, RD Nutrition & Epidemiology Researcher
Tricia L. Griffin RD, CSSD, POWERBAR Sports Nutritionist
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