Tag: nutrition

Q&A Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By

I am not sure if this is a stupid question to ask but … will my performance improve if I actually start eating well?? I eat not so great foods, small amounts of fruits and basically no vegetables. If I really eat better will it help me improve? I already have an erg time in the top girls, so I am not really bothered by it unless 1, I start getting worse and other girls getting better, or 2, it’s really going to help me with my performance. I came to you as you are great at giving advice!!

Not stupid at all. This is actually a really good question that at some point I think all high school rowers ask themselves.

Related: What do you eat before you row? Why do you prefer coxing?

Short answer: The improvement you see to your rowing performance is indirect. Where you’ll really see improvements will be in your overall health and fitness, which will then lead to additional gains that can improve your rowing stamina, strength, etc.

Long answer: Your body needs healthy foods to run efficiently. If you eat unhealthy stuff, you’re most likely not getting the nutrients you need, you’re probably tired and sluggish, your energy levels are low, and you have an unnecessary layer of fat on you that you otherwise wouldn’t have. The last one is the biggest thing that people tend to be aware of when they’re exercising and wondering why they still don’t see any muscle. The phrase “abs are made in the gym but revealed in the kitchen” is so true. You can exercise and workout all you want, but unless you’re eating a healthy diet, no one is ever going to see all the work you’ve been putting in. Maintaining a healthy diet helps you last longer during practice or races and recover faster from them, as well as helping to increase your muscle mass. If you’re eating foods low in nutrients, you’re not getting any of those benefits. Fruits, vegetables, lean meats, etc. are essential parts of a rower’s (or any athlete’s) diet, so adding them into yours can only help you.

Related: So this might sound funny but why am I always hungry?I I’m a high school girl and I began rowing about a year ago so while I have my general bearings, I’m still learning something new about the sport everyday and I was just curious. Ever since I’ve started rowing I’ve noticed that I have a much bigger appetite than when I participated in other sports. Is it just cause I’m a growing teenager or is this every rower?

Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight is about 70% what you eat and 30% how much you exercise. If you replaced the not-so-good food you eat with healthier options, think about how the gains you would make. Last longer, recover faster, build more muscle…if you’re one of the top rowers now, who’s to say that with a little diet tweaking you wouldn’t be THE top rower? Your diet is definitely not something to get complacent over, so don’t assume that swapping out a candy bar for an apple won’t make a difference. You should be aware of what you’re eating and how it impacts your performance, both positively and negatively. If the other girls start getting better and you get worse, that has little to do with your diet. That’s more about strength gains and technique adjustments. Having something not-so-great is OK every once in awhile but not all the time. Cliche as the phrase has become, moderation is key.

Coxing Q&A Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By

What do you eat before you row? Why do you prefer coxing?

Some good stuff to eat before practice is food that has a good balance of carbs and protein – a bagel with peanut butter or a PB sandwich, yogurt, a bar of some kind, a banana, etc. If you’re eating RIGHT before practice (like 30 minutes or less), stick to fruits and vegetables, stuff that is easily digestible. 2-3 hours beforehand (i.e. around lunch time) you can eat PB+breads … that stuff takes longer to digest so you don’t want it sitting in your stomach right when you get on the water. The carbs and stuff from that will give you a good energy boost when you get out there though.

Once you’re off the water make sure you drink some water, chocolate milk (it helps with muscle recovery), etc. After you finish rowing, if it’s been a hard workout and you’re like, physically dead, you’ll need to eat something high in carbs to replenish the glycogen in your system. You’ll also need to replenish the electrolytes you lost through sweating. If eating solid food makes you sick, try Gatorade or another high-card drink. You shouldn’t wait to eat after you get off the water. A few hours after you get off, try and eat a solid meal that’s fairly high in carbs so you can continue to replenish your system. Orange juice, pasta, raisins, bananas, and bagels are all good post-workout choices. Don’t forget about the protein too…chicken is a good addition to your post-workout dinners. Peanuts are a good snack for right when you get off too.

Part 2 of your question … why do I prefer coxing. Coxing to me is just as intense as rowing is but instead of it being physical, it’s mental. I love strategizing and coming up with race plans. I love all the pressure there is on the coxswains to execute everything perfectly. Rowers only have to worry about one thing – getting from point A to B as fast as possible. Coxswains are responsible for getting out on the water on time, going through warmups, making sure the boat understands the race plan, making sure they know what this call means and what that call means, getting to the line on time, getting the best point possible so you have to do minimal adjusting when the race starts, steering a straight course, etc. There’s SO much mentally that goes into coxing and that is what I love about it.

As much of a team sport as rowing an eight is, I really think of coxing as being an individual sport in itself. When I cox, I’m hypersensitive to everything that’s going on around me but at the same time, I’m in my own little bubble, almost inside my own head. In that split second before I make a call to adjust the rate, start the sprint, take a 10, etc. I go through 10 different scenarios in my head as to how it could play out, is this the right spot to do this, what if it doesn’t work, are our catches together, is this going to mess with our timing, can they pull this sprint off and walk from 2nd to 1st, etc. There’s SO much that I love about coxing but the mental aspect of it is definitely one of the greatest parts of being a coxswain.

Q&A Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By

Best athlete diet tips? Not like losing weight but like eating healthy because I’m having a hard time doing it and getting my mom to buy that type of food and stuff.

Talk to your mom. Explain to her that you’re an athlete, which hopefully she already knows, and because of that you need to be eating healthier foods. The amount of exercise you’re getting through practice, in addition to regular daily living, puts a ton of stress on your body. The only way your body can deal with that kind of stress if by ingesting foods that will help repair the damage done through exercise as well as continuing to fuel it properly so it’s got enough energy to get you through your activities. Ask to go shopping with her so you can pick out the foods you want. Educate yourself on what foods would be good to get, that way when she asked “why do you need that” you can give her a REAL answer, instead of “I donno, it looks good”. If the costs are an issue, offer to contribute $20 or $30 towards your part of the groceries. Do what you have to do to make her understand that this is important to you and you want her support in eating a healthier diet.

Eating healthy in general…

First and foremost, don’t skip breakfast. I know it’s tempting sometimes but don’t do it.

Ideally, you should try and aim for 5-6 meals a day. Try and eat a good assortment of foods throughout the day so that there’s never any point where you’re like “I’m starvinggg”.

If you get a craving for a Reeses, eat the Reeses. Don’t deprive yourself but know when to cut yourself off.

Eat a small snack before your practice(s), especially if they’re in the morning, so that you can kick start your system. After practice, have a good breakfast/lunch/dinner to replenish your body.

Remember, you are what you eat, literally. What you eat becomes your organs, skin, muscles, etc. As an athlete, think of what you want your body to be made of. What will give it the necessary nutrients it needs to allow your performance to be at it’s optimum level?

To save time, I took a screenshot of a mock training/nutrition program I had to make over the summer. This was made with collegiate athletes in mind who are training over the summer for competition, but for the purpose of sharing appropriate foods to be eating, this does the trick. Hopefully it’ll give you a good idea of some healthy foods to eat.

https://i0.wp.com/farm9.staticflickr.com/8064/8240293104_cf5e71c4b6_b.jpg?resize=1024%2C684

Bottom line is, if it’s an important to you, you’ll figure out at way to make it happen. If it’s not, you’ll find excuses. Don’t let your mom be an excuse. Have a (mature) conversation with her and help her to see where you’re coming from and why this is important to you.

Q&A Rowing Training & Nutrition

Question of the Day

By

I know it’s silly but staying a lightweight is consuming me. Literally every moment of the day I’m thinking of ways to be smaller and I hate myself for even worrying about this so much, like 123 is a FINE weight but at the same time … I hate being like this. It’s really worrying and I’m not eating as much anymore and I just need advice.

There’s two qualities that indicate an athlete’s potential to be a lightweight rower: they have to meet the weight standards, obviously, but they also need to be mentally tough. It’s tougher than being a heavyweight rower in nearly every aspect for exactly the reasons you stated … it consumes you if you aren’t careful. Monitoring your weight, watching what you eat, preparing for weigh-ins – all of that is constantly on your mind.

It’s not silly. If it’s literally all you’re thinking about, that’s serious. I’m obviously not a nutritionist or anything like that, but I’ve studied it and sports psychology enough to know the signs of eating disorders. If you’re frequently preoccupied with thoughts about your weight or how to be smaller and you’ve started to lower your intake of food, that sounds like you are dangerously teetering on the edge of an eating disorder.

123 is a good weight, especially for a lightweight rower. Even if you had a reason to worry about your weight, you’ve got seven pounds to play with. What made you start worrying about your weight to begin with? Did a coach or teammate say something to you or was it just the “lightweight” title that pressured you? What was your diet like before you started worrying about your weight? What was your exercise routine like? Before you do anything, I think you need to ask yourself WHY this is bothering and consuming you much. What triggered it? If you can isolate that, then you can take the necessary steps to feeling better.

Think about your diet and what you can change to make it healthier so you feel less guilty when you eat. Most importantly though, you must eat. This is not an option or a suggestion. Athletes put an incredible amount of stress on their bodies through exercise and performance and you simply cannot perform without the proper fuel. You’re just inviting on injuries, colds, etc. if you don’t have an adequate diet that is providing the necessary nutrients that you need to survive, let alone thrive as a rower. Try and add some small snacks to your diet throughout the day – apple slices and peanut butter, smoothies, chicken salad, tuna and crackers, yogurt, etc. Have a solid breakfast when you wake up so that when lunchtime rolls around, you aren’t starving (leading you to overeat). Make SMALL changes to your diet by adding in more nutrient dense foods. Try and get your intake back up to an acceptable caloric range (it should never be less than 1200 calories).

You have to remember that you’re an athlete. The likelihood that you are 123 pounds of flub is slim to none. You are more than likely 123 pounds of mostly muscle, owed to the fact that you’re constantly working out and strength training. Muscle is denser and weighs more than fat. Keep that in mind. You DON’T need to lose any weight. Do you maybe have some fat that you could lose? Sure, who doesn’t? Don’t let that put you in a negative mindset though. For a lightweight rower, you are at a solid weight.

If you’re really having a hard time with being a lightweight, talk to your coach, your parents, your school counselor, your coxswain, or just a friend on the team and explain what you’re feeling. Explain that it’s taking a toll on you and it’s making you uncomfortable. If you’re limiting your food intake, you’re going to have a serious drop in energy, which means you’re not going to be able to go as hard as everyone else on the water. You’ve got to maintain your strength. If that’s not something you can do without the constant mental toll, maybe being a lightweight isn’t for you. If it’s not, that’s OK too. Talk to your coach about what your options are. To hang with the heavies at your weight you’ve got to have some really solid erg scores, which can be difficult for a lightweight simply because of the difference in power you’re able to generate, but it is still an option. Talk to your coach though and see what he/she says. Do not let them write you off. If they value you as a member of the team, they should already be picking up on the fact that something isn’t right and they should listen to your concerns.

Don’t ruin this opportunity by worrying about something as insignificant as your weight. In the grand scheme of things, when you look back on your time as a lightweight, do you want to remember worrying about a number on a scale? You can’t attain any kind of success if you’re letting something as meaningless as this distract you, especially when you’re already well below the weight standard.