Healthy Foods for Athletes
Healthy Foods for Athletes lists three components of a healthy diet, gives examples of each component, along with their recommended serving size. Along with this, it lists some healthy eating tips and a two day example of a healthy meal plan.
Eat slow digesting carbs: Portions:
Sweet potatoes/yams Meals: Both of your closed fists together
Rolled oats Snacks: One closed fist
Brown rice Carbs: Size of one closed fist
Whole wheat bread/wrap Protein: Size of one flat palm
Whole wheat pasta Fats: Size of thumb
Barley Veggies/Fruits: unlimited
Beans
Green vegetables
Bran cereal
Include protein throughout the day:
Tuna (any fish)
Chicken breast
Lean ground turkey/beef
Lean sirloin/top round
Eggs
Turkey bacon/sausage
Regular bacon
Deli meat
Soy/tofu
Greek yogurt (Plain)
Eat fat sources (watch quantities):
Almonds
Walnuts
Avocados
Sunflower seeds
Olive Oil
Fish Oil
Flax seeds/oil
Natural Peanut Butter
Organic Butter
Cheese (watch amount)
Healthy Eating Tips:
1) Have a meal or small snack every 3 to 4 hours. This fuels your metabolism and helps prevent binges and blood sugar crashes.
2) Combine protein (meat, fish, beans, nuts, eggs, dairy) and fiber (whole grains, fruits, vegetables) at every meal. When eaten together, these foods take longer to digest than simpler carbohydrates, so you stay fuller, longer.
3) Get up, move around, and drink water often. This daily meal plan has a wide range of calories (from about 1,550 to 2,100); if you’re active you can go toward the higher end of the range. (Find your daily caloric intake based on your age, weight, and activity level).
Example Meal Plan
(This is to show you an example-don’t need to follow)
DAY 1
Breakfast
• 2 Scrambled Eggs (182 cal, 12g protein, 13g fat, 2g carb) w/ 2 Tbsp. Salsa (8 cal, 0g protein, 0g fat, 2g carb)
• 1 piece whole-wheat toast (75 cal, 3g protein, 1g fat, 13g carb) with 1 Tbsp. jam (56 cal, 0g protein, 0g fat, 13g carb)
• 1 large peach (68 cal, 2g protein, 0.5g fat, 17g carb)
• 1 cup Coffee w/ 2 Tbsp. 2% milk (52 cal, 3.3g protein, 2g fat, 5g carb)
AM Snack
• 1 whole celery stalk, cut into spears (10 cal, 0.5g protein, 0g fat, 2g carb)
• 1 large carrot, cut into spears (30 cal, 1g protein, 0g fat, 7g carb) served with 1/4 avocado and 1/4 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt for dipping (84 cal, 3g protein, 6g fat, 8g carb)
Lunch
• 4 oz. grilled chicken breast (184 cal, 25g protein, 3g fat, 0 carb)
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries (23 cal, 0.5g protein, 0g fat, 5g carb)
• 1/2 cup steamed spinach w/ salt and pepper (21 cal, 3g protein, 0g fat, 3g carb)
• 1/2 cup brown rice, steamed (109 cal, 2g protein, 1g fat, 23g carb)
PM Snack
• 1 oz. roasted, salted almonds (169 cal, 6g protein, 15g fat, 6g carb)
• 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt (43 cal, 4g protein, 0g fat, 7g carb)
Dinner
• 4 oz. broiled salmon w/ salt and pepper to taste (228 cal, 24.5g protein, 14g fat, 0g carb)
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pasta (87 cal, 4 g protein, 0g fat, 19g carb)
• 1 cup steamed broccoli (55 cal, 4g protein, 0.5g fat,6g carb)
• 1/2 cup sautéed red peppers/onions w/ 1 Tbsp. olive oil (195 cal, 2g protein, 13g fat, 16g carb)
Dessert
• 1 oz. dark chocolate (174 cal, 2g protein, 11.5g fat, 16g carb)
• 1/2 cup blueberries (42 cal, 0.5g protein, 0g fat, 11g carb)
• 1 cup fat-free milk (83 cal, 8g protein, 0g fat, 12g carb)
DAY 2
Breakfast
• 1 cup fat free vanilla yogurt (86 cal, 8g protein, 0g fat, 14g carb)
• 1/2 cup blueberries (42 cal, 0.5g protein, 0g fat, 11g carb)
• 1 slice whole-wheat toast (76 cal, 4g protein, 1g fat, 13g carb) w/ 1 Tbsp. Almond butter (98 cal, 3g protein, 9g fat, 3g carb)
• 1 cup orange juice (112 cal, 0.5g fat, 2g protein, 26g carb)
AM Snack
• 1 medium apple (95 cal, 0.5g protein, 0g fat, 25g carb)
• 1/2 cup 2% milk cottage cheese (97 cal, 13g protein, 3g fat, 4g carb)
Lunch
• 1/2 cup light tuna, canned in water (97 cal, 0g protein, 1g fat, 0g carb) w/ 2 Tbsp. light mayo (97 cal, 0g protein, 10g fat, 2.5g carb) and w/ 2Tbsp. chopped tomato and 2Tbsp. capers (8 cal, 0g protein, 0g fat, 1.5g carb)
• 16 Wheat Thin crackers (129 cal, 3g protein, 4g fat, 20g carb)
• 1 medium orange (69 cal, 1g protein, 0g fat, 17.5g carb)
• 2 cups of baby leaf spinach (20 cal, 2g protein, 0g fat, 4g carb)
PM Snack
• 1/3 cup pistachios in the shell (229 cal, 8.5g protein, 18g fat, 11.5g carb)
• 1 cup fat-free milk (83 cal, 8g protein, 0g fat, 12g carb)
Dinner
• 4 oz. 95% lean ground beef (141 cal, 22g protein, 5g fat, 0g carb) cooked in a non-stick skillet with salt/pepper to taste; served with 1/4 sliced avocado (56cal, 1g protein, 5g fat, 3g carb); 2 Tbsp. salsa (8 cal, 0g protein, 0g fat, 2g carb); 2 whole wheat tortillas (216 cal, 8g protein, 1g fat, 60g carb)
• 1 cup green beans (44 cal, 2g protein, 0g fat, 10g carb) with 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil (60 cal, 0g protein, 6g fat, 0g carb)
Dessert
• 1 cup fat free chocolate pudding (186 cal, 4g protein, 0g fat, 42g carb)
