 WHY
FOOD AND NOT SUPPLEMENTS?
Health
professionals agree that eating a wide
variety of foods is the best way to
obtain essential nutrients.
Supplements are a supplement to - not
a substitute for - nutritious foods in
the diet.
In
general, no vitamin and mineral
supplements should be required if an
athlete is consuming adequate energy
from a variety of foods to maintain
body weight.
Foods
contain a variety of nutrients and
other healthful components (i.e.,
fiber, phyto- chernicals) that may not
be found in supplements. To make sure
you get all the nutrients you need for
health, use the Food Guide Pyramid to
make healthy food choices to fuel your
active lifestyle.
HOW
MANY SERVINGS DO YOU NEED?
The Sports Nutrition Pyramid provides
a range of servings. If you're
physically active, you'll need the
higher end of the ranges. Maintaining
your weight during training is a good
indicator that you're meeting your
energy needs. If you are losing
weight, you may need to increase your
calorie intake. Use this chart to see
what's right for you.
| |
Children, Teen Girls, Active
Women, Less Active Men |
Teen
Boys, Active Men |
Less
Active Women, Older Adults |
|
Calories |
About 2,200 |
About 2,800 |
About 1,600 |
|
Milk
Group* |
3
servings |
3
servings |
3
servings |
|
Meat
Group |
2
servings |
3
servings |
2
servings |
|
Vegetable Group |
4
servings |
5
servings |
3
servings |
|
Fruit Group |
3
servings |
4
servings |
2
servings |
|
Grain Group |
9
servings |
11
servings |
6
servings |
* Older
children and teens ages 9-18 years and
adults age 50 and over need 4
servings.
WHAT
COUNTS AS A SERVING?
|
Milk
Group |
Meat
Group |
1
cup of milk or yogurt
1 ½, oz of natural cheese
(such as Cheddar)
2 oz of processed cheese
(such as American) |
2-3
oz of cooked lean meat, poultry,
or fish
½ cup of cooked dry beans = 1 oz
of lean meat
1 egg counts as 1 oz of lean
meat
2 tbsp of peanut butter or 1/3
cup of nuts
= 1 oz of meat |
|
Vegetable Group |
Fruit Group |
1
cup of raw leafy vegetables
½ cup of other vegetables
(cooked or raw)
¼ cup of vegetable juice |
1
medium apple, banana, orange,
pear
½ cup of chopped, cooked, or
canned fruit
¼ cup of fruit juice |
|
Grain Group |
|
1
slice of bread
About 1 cup of ready-to-eat
cereal
½ cup of cooked cereal, rice, or
pasta |
HOW
MUCH FLUID DO YOU NEED?
Active people need plenty of fluids.
Dehydration not only affects
performance, but can also leave you
dangerously ill.
Here are some tips to stay hydrated:
- Consume at least 8 cups of water or
other caffeine-free liquids throughout
the day
- Consume at least 16 ounces of fluids
two hours before exercising
- During exercise, consume 4 to 8
ounces of fluid every 15 minutes
- To re-hydrate after exercise, drink
at least 24 ounces of fluid |
