NUTRITION Build your
athlete plate to support your training session
What you eat from day to day should be closely related to how much you train
By Shawn Hueglin and Nicole Miller
ot all days are created equal for a volleyball player when it comes to training and physical exertion. One day may include 2-3 hours of practice, weight lifting and yoga while the next could be an off day with very little training at all. How much training an athlete does in a single day, as well as the intensity of that training, greatly impacts both the macronutrient balance and quantity of foods needed.
N
The United States Olympic Committee sport dietitians in collaboration with graduate students at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs created three “Athlete Plates” to assist athletes in altering their meals to support daily training needs: easy, moderate and hard.
When looking at the plates below, notice that protein needs are similar for each meal, while starchy carbohy- drates increase and the non-starchy vegetables decrease as the intensity and duration of activity increases. Car- bohydrate sources like fresh fruit as well as servings of fat also increase as your training increases in duration or intensity.
KEY FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN BUILDING YOUR ATHLETE PLATE
• Training Intensity — When evaluating whether
it’s an easy, moderate or hard day of training, look fur- ther than just the amount of time spent practicing. It’s possible that a 90-minute practice at a high intensity could count as a hard day while a 2 ½ hour practice of skill work and limited aerobic exercise would only be a moderate day.
• Position Demands — The position you play and whether you’re a starter or a sub are two other factors. A go-to outside hitter probably gets more court time than a reserve setter, so keep that in mind when select- ing foods and evaluating your carb intake for a specific meal.
• Individual Goals — Consider your personal performance goals. Athletes who are looking to change
CHOOSE YOUR PLATE: The USOC has developed three distinct Athlete Plates for specific needs.
56 | VOLLEYBALLUSA • Digital Issue at
usavolleyball.org/mag
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