Last weekend I was in Atlanta, Georgia, competing in the world’s largest cheerleading competition (Cheersport Nationals) with the Brock University cheerleading team. We drive 17 hours and get two opportunities to perform our two minute and thirty second routine- every second counts.
It is important for any athlete to make sure they are consuming "the right" foods before a workout, game, event or performance. Before going grocery shopping I did some research on the types of foods we should be eating the day before and after competition day and found that:
Before competition..
It is important to eat high carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta, whole grains, vegetable and fruit. These carbohydrates give you a quick burst of energy, but must be consumed 1-4 hours before the workout because they will drop quickly, leaving you feeling tired.
After competition..
This is the time to consume replenish what you lost during your physical activity by eating protein. Yes, i said protein, not all protein comes from chickens.
Did you know that farmers who raise chickens for the purpose of selling them as food refer to them as broilers. These chickens are brought up in confined dirty spaces, that lead to outbreaks of disease in the chicken. Mmmm, doesn't that sound healthy. (click here for more information)
This is also a good time to replace carbohydrates and any potassium or sodium that has been lost.
With all of the above research in mind, me and the girls I was rooming with, decided to make steamed vegetables with seasoning, quinoa (mother of grains) and meatless chicken breasts. To add some additional flavor, warm up some pasta sauce and drizzle it over your dish.
The idea of meatless chicken may seem odd at first, but take my word- it is delicious. PC's blue menu meatless chicken breast contain 24 grams of protein- which is more then their real chicken breast- as well as other vitamins including iron, B12, Potassium and Calcium.
Quinoa is something you should be including in your regular diet. It is a complete protein, meaning it includes all nine essential amino acids. In later posts ill try different quinoa recipes.
That's all for this week, feel good about what you eat- bon appetite!
Interesting comment- who are these supplements "always" being advised by? What kind of supplements are you encouraging and why do you suggest supplements oppose to natural sources of protein?
ReplyDeleteI've had quinoa (granted, it was in a prepared salad made at and bought from Zehrs ...) and found it to be excellent. Can you buy quinoa anywhere, or do you have to go to a specialty store?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it, and yes quinoa can be purchased at almost any grocery store- it is usually found in the health food section of the grocery store. I usually buy mine at bulk barn, it's much cheaper and you can decide how much of what kind you want.
ReplyDeleteKatie - I love this post!!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Quinoa. When I first read that it was a "superfood" I was skeptical...but it is so much more filling, and stays with you longer, than rice. I was also surprised to find a Quinoa recipe for breakfast last month -- but surprisingly, it was great!! :)
Oh that sounds great- if you want to do a guest post about it on my blog let me know, I would be curious to hear about it.
ReplyDeletegreat information. It is important for people to understand what foods their body needs to function. Its important when cutting something out of your diet that you are replacing it with the proper food that will give you the nutrients you need. Love the blog but it makes me hungry!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info Katie. I'm always looking for ways to spice up my post-workout meal. I've grown tired of the same old lean meat I seem to be eating everyday. So now I have something new to try!
ReplyDelete