October 11th, 2019

THE SPORTS NUTRITIONAL ROAD MAP©
TO THE SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES!
By, Dawn Weatherwax, RD,CSSD,LD,ATC,CSCS,METI

Even though I am discussing the Sports Nutritional Road Map© to the Summer Olympic Games it also applies to all athletes, of all ages, to achieve their personal bests!
The first step is to reevaluate the previous year. Make any notes that you would have done differently and what was successful.
Next phase is to retest or test for the first time.  It is difficult to meet performance goals if you do not have a starting point.  Many athletes of all ages believe the magic is in the training.  If you train hard then you will have a successful outcome.
Those who believe that all aspects of training will accomplish their goals will not come close to maximizing their full growth, health and performance.  Did you know 75% of all athletes do not eat enough or consume the wrong mixture of foods and fluids at the wrong times to maximize performance (1, 2)? Sleep, Nutrition, Hydration and Recovery are imperative to all your health and performance goals.

The Sad Truth
The majority of athletes believe their nutrition is above average when in truth they are well below normal standards (4).   So the first step is believing that food, hydration and recovery does matter.

Testing
To assess your personal requirements you need to do some testing. If possible I highly recommend at least these five tests.

1. Metabolism Testing:  Know how many calories you burn at rest.  That means how many calories you burn if you just slept for 24 hours.  This measurement allows you to customize a more accurate menu plan to meet the health and performance goals throughout the year. Some of the biggest error athletes make is not increasing their energy (calorie) needs as their training increases or others overeat or eat whatever they want because they burn a lot.  BIG MISTAKES!

 
    2.  Body Composition Testing:  Know how much lean weight to fat weight you have.  Total weight on
          a scale cannot even come close to setting accurate health and performance goals for the short and 
          long term.  It also helps guide your performance team on what needs to be worked on (6, 7).
 
     3.  MuscleSound®:  This measures     how many carbohydrates (glycogen) you currently have within
          the muscles.  You will be surprised how many athletes are chronically low.  This device has been a        
          game changer in my office, especially for monthly follow ups.  This guides me if my athletes need
          more fuel or what we are currently doing is optimal.  Also I have been doing pre and post competition
          readings so we know how much fuel they are using and how to replace optimally.  Like I said…..GAME
          CHANGER! 
 
    4.  Nutrition Assessment: This is a detailed nutrition consult to see what you are currently eating,
         when you are eating it and how much. It can also include food allergies, intolerances, sensitivities, any
         gut issues, fluid intake, sodium intake, stress, sleep, family and medical history, reviewing any blood
         work, supplements and medicines and any past or current injuries and pains (8).

    5. Blood Work: Most athletes should do a minimum of yearly blood work ups.  Just because they are
        young doesn’t mean they are in optimal standings. You will need to work with a Sports Dietitian or
        medical professional who is up to date on optimal lab values for athletes.  One of my many pet peeves
        is…”Everything is normal” I have no idea what that means.  Always get a copy of your labs.  Normal
        does not always equal optimal!  I want optimal!  Here is an online resource known as
        www.athletebloodtest.com.  (Use code: SportsNutrition2Go if you would like a 15% discount).  They are
        very thorough on the tests and explanations. I have found it very useful for my client base.

There are definitely more tests that can be done, but I believe these are the main ones for everyone in sports to do.

Sports Nutritional Road Map©
Now it is time to set goals based on everything collected and start a Sports Nutritional Road Map© that meets these goals.  The nutrition is always being adjusted to match training, body composition, blood work, energy levels and any other factors to customize.  The ones that usually get the best results are those who follow up on a weekly to monthly basis.  Anything outside of the nutrition piece gets referred back to their coach, strength coach and any other individual part of their performance team.  It is imperative to have a team approach to maximize your efforts.

In Closing
As you set goals for your next season or Olympic Dreams, make sure you have a sports nutritional road map as part of your success.  Just training hard lacks the vision and goal setting needed to optimize growth, health and performance!




REFERENCES

1. Burkhart SJ, Pelly FE. Dietary Intake of Athletes Seeking Nutrition Advice at a Major International Competition. Nutrients. 2016;8(10):638.
2. Hinton, P, Sanford, T, Davidson, MM, Yakushko,O, and Beck, N. Nutrient intake and dietary behaviors of male and female collegiate athletes. Inter J of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 14: 389 – 390. (2004).
3. Von Rosen P, Frohm A, Kottorp A, Fridén C, Heijne A. Too little sleep and an unhealthy diet could increase the risk of sustaining a new injury in adolescent elite athletes. Scand J Med Sci Sport. 2017;27(11):1364‐1371.
4. Andrews A, Wojcik JR, Boyd JM, Bowers CJ. Sports Nutrition Knowledge among Mid-Major Division I University Student-Athletes. J Nutr Metab. 2016.
5. Raysmith BP, Drew MK. Performance success or failure is influenced by weeks lost to injury and illness in elite Australian track and field athletes: A 5-year prospective study.J Sci Med Sport. 2016 Oct;19(10):778-83.
6. Rodriguez NR1, DiMarco NM, Langley S; American Dietetic Association; Dietitians of Canada; American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Position of the American Dietetic Association, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and athletic performance. J Am Diet Assoc. 2013 Dec;113(12):1759.
7. Heyward, VH, Wagner, DR. Applied Body Composition Assessment. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. (2004).
8. Jenner SL, Trakman G, Coutts A, et al. Dietary intake of professional Australian football athletes surrounding body composition assessment. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2018;15(1):43.