Fueling Football Players: Easy or Hard?

Next Level Podcast with Host Tavis Piattoly, MS, RD, LD

Podcast Transcript

0:25  Welcome by Tavis Piattoly

1:41  Introduction to Lisa Dorfman

• Known globally as The Running Nutritionist. 
• Former Director of the University of Miami Graduate Program in Nutrition for Health & Human Performance/Professor -Department of Kinesiology & Sports Sciences & Hurricanes Athletic Teams Sports Nutritionist (2003-2013)
• Lisa has nutritionally coached & educated thousands of student athletes, coaches & parents on healthy strategies for achieving optimal health in the classroom, in sport & in life.

5:05  When Lisa discovered a love for football?

• While serving as the Athletic Teams Sports Nutritionist at the University of Miami for a decade, I developed a deep respect for players who invest their whole lives into this.  

7:00  The challenges she sees regarding football players meeting their nutrition needs?

• Consistency and schedule conflicts
• Athletes might be into nutrition one day and not the next.
• Exams, peer pressure, a day off, all get in the way of consistency.
• Getting enough calories at the right time of day, from the right food groups.
• Preparation and recovery
• Getting up too late to eat breakfast, no time to pack a lunch and snacks, busy with classes all day until practice, may not eat all day.
• Absorption 
• If only getting energy from two large meals a day, an athlete can’t possibly absorb all the nutrients in that large meal.
• Getting high quality protein and fat sources.
• Athletes are on a 24/7 schedule of mending and repairing, and then preparing for the next workout.  Even in the offseason and preseason.  It’s all preparation.  It’s a year round sport.

11:41  Nutrition principles football players should consider that could elevate performance.

• Keep it simple, colorful and REAL
• Eat whole, colorful foods
• Drink shakes, baby food 

14:32  Nutrition principles she recommends to players trying to pack on weight and muscle.

• For high school athletes, hormones drive weight gain, so you can only gain so much weight.
• Takes time to build muscle
• Protein 
• 3-4 oz every couple hours throughout the day, served with whole grains and vegetables.
• Limit breakdown compounds in: 
• Fried foods
• Soda
• Processed foods
• Recovery fuel
• Prepare to have something while still on the field, to have something within that recovery window.
• Examples: shake or bar

18:40  Whether specific positions require more calories than others (i.e. OL vs a Linebacker)?

• Goals
• More mass requires more calories.
• Muscle requires calories but it differs from athlete to athlete based on the amount of muscle mass that they have.
• I sit 1:1 with each player and individualize their meal plan to their liking.
• Calorie dense foods to pack in the calories:
• Nut butters, whole milk

22:26  The Pre-Game Meal and types of pre-game meals that are best?

• Keep it plain to avoid GI distress
• Avoid the “F” words: fiber and fat
• Fruit juice, smoothie, no apple with skin on
• Fiber is great, but not on game day
• Don’t need much fat on game day
• Plain carbohydrates with protein are important on game day
• Turkey, ham or roast beef sub (go light on the veggies), chicken and rice, eggs and toast, pasta, baked potatoes.
• Protein will even out the energy levels and keep an athlete satiated longer.
• Don’t stuff
• 3-4 hours prior to the game, have a substantial meal
• For a pre-game kick, have a 250-300 calorie bar an hour before the game.
• Fluid
• A couple bottles of fluid up to about 45 minutes before game time.
• Get rid of access in the gut

26:50  Her recommendations to help athlete’s hydrate with the right type of drink?

Fluid needs: half your weight in ounces, then divide by 8oz to get cups.

• Urine color: should look like lemonade 
• Water
• Some athletes cramp up because it’s hot outside.
• Need some electrolytes
• Electrolyte rich sports drink that are not excessive in sugar
• Lite sports drink, or a lite sugary drink
• Too much sugar will damage the gut and teeth and potentially cause weight gain.
• 100% Fruit drinks that are lower in sugar
• Milk (not right before the game)
• Lactose free
• Tea (not sweet tea)

32:20  Sports Supplements for Football and Supplement Safety Practices?

• What I always say is, supplements supplement a whole food diet.  I see too much attention and energy spent on supplements and not enough attention to the diet. The diet has to come first. 
• There’s a place for bars, shakes and mass gainers, but meals come first.
• BCAA: Leucine is especially important for rebuilding the muscle and healing
• Safety_Proceed with caution
• Look for certification agencies specific to sports (NSF, Informed Choice)
• Caffeine: some energy drinks contain way too much. 
• Not good for the heart.
• Negative associated behavior when consuming high caffeine drinks
• Increases risky behavior
• Consult a dietitian to discuss which supplement is going to help you best
• Creatine: critical in regenerating energy, but not the place to start.
• Nitric Oxide may have a valid benefit in the ability to perform better, feel better and go longer during a workout.
• Beet juice, spinach

39:00  Her new great eBook on Performance Nutrition for Football Players: Gain the Advantage and why she wanted to create it?

• It’s my way of giving back to the athletes that spend their whole life in sport.
• I want to help prevent injury and illness and keep the athlete on the field.
• Athletes are misguided by friends, parents and coaches.

41:55  Topics discussed in the Ebook?

• Season specific
• What do you do differently preseason, season and postseason?
• Position specific
• What is different for a lineman versus a receiver?
• Goal specific
• Lose weight or gain weight?

42:52  Where you can purchase Lisa’s eBook?

• www.myfootballnutrition.com
• Twitter: #atmyfootballnutrition