The Lacrosse Player’s Most Important Meal of The Day

We have partnered with John Collis the executive director of CSI Athlete (www.csiathlete.com)  to bring you a series of sports nutrition / performance articles.  Today's article focuses on how to replenish your bodies nutrients after a workout / practice /game.  We hope you find it helpful.

The BR Staff

What is the most important meal of the day? Obviously Breakfast...wrong. Lunch? Incorrect. Dinner? Negative.

The most important meal of the day is not breakfast, lunch, dinner or even snacks; it is the meal you immediately eat after your workout. As an athlete, the meal you eat within 30-60 minutes after your workout is your window of opportunity. This critical meal allows your body to replenish, recover and grow.

Think of your body as a nutrient sponge. After a hard workout / game or practice, you have just rung out your sponge (your fatigued body) and you are now dropping yourself into a bucket of water (your post-workout meal). If this analogy doesn't motivate you to make sure you eat the right nutrients immediately after your workout, then consider a negative one: Visualize that same squeezed out sponge sitting on a bed of hot asphalt, dried out, brittle and cooked. This visual should help you understand what is going on when you wait too long to fuel your body after your workout.

So what is an ideal post-workout / post practice / post game meal?  While the total caloric and nutrient amount will vary from athlete to athlete, the ratios of each should be rather similar. A balance of unrefined, complex and simple carbohydrates, protein, and health promoting fats is the foundation of your post-workout meal. Ingesting a 2:1 ratio (workout) of carbohydrate to protein, with 20-30 grams coming from protein will help replenish glycogen stores and promote muscle repair.

A few Examples of a quick and powerful post-workout meal for a Lacrosse player who has just worked include:

• Turkey Sandwich on 100% whole grain bread, packed with greens (spinach, kale, romaine, etc.) tomatoes, shredded carrots, Olive Oil and Vinegar.

• 2 Hard-boiled eggs, handful of almonds, a bag of raw veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers and hummus.
• Pita wrap of brown rice, beans/legumes with grilled onions, mushrooms and squash.

Choices such as the above examples will provide your body with the nutrients needs to keep your Lacrosse engine burning strong, all season long. Make the most of your hard work by making sure to fuel your body with the nutrients needed to maximize your performance, day in and day out.

For more information on Sports Performance, please visit us at CSIathlete.com