.​Good hydration is a key part of every athlete’s training and competition plan. But even something as basic as hydration can get a contemporary tweak! Here are three new ideas I came across this week:
Tracking Teen Water Intake - At Greater Atlanta Christian School in Georgia, the Spartans Strength Progam has developed a metrics program that started out with a focus on hydration. They set a hydration goal for each athlete based on 0.5 ounces of water per pound of body weight plus an additional 18-24 ounces/day for athletes in-season, training more than 2 hours/day, or who are heavy sweaters. This total was then divided into a set number of 16 ounce water bottles. Student athletes charted how many water bottles they consumed each day and compared their intake to the goal. Initial results showed an average of only 3.25 bottles per day. By the third month of the program, the average was up to 7.75 bottles per day, which met or exceeded the recommendation for most athletes. This simple method of measuring by counting the number of water bottles consumed led to improved hydration and the athletes reported feeling better.

 
Are you one of the many people who enjoy iced tea as a summer refresher?  Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but did you know it can also provide some health benefits?  
Tea contains flavonoids – anti-oxidant compounds that are beneficial in protecting cells and tissues from the damage that can lead to chronic disease.  Black tea and green tea are made from the same tea leaves, but for black tea the leaves are fermented. White tea is from the same plant, but is grown and processed slightly differently.  All teas (including decaffeinated types) contain the flavonoids epigallo catechin-3-gallate (EGCG), epigallo catechin (EGC), and epicatechin. ​
 
Iced tea is often enjoyed as a change from soda. Commercially bottle iced tea is widely available. Look for a tea with no added sugar to save calories.  (​Tea itself has no calories.) Sweetened teas often have about the same calorie and sugar content as soda.  Some brands, for example Honest Tea, are more lightly sweetened. Be careful about portion sizes. Bottled/canned iced tea sometimes comes in large containers, so the total calories and sugar content may be more than you expect.  When comparing containers, remember to multiply the calories per serving by the number of servings per container. Everyone loves the "bargain" of a big can of ice tea for 99 cents, but each can contains several servings and as much as 17 teaspoons of sugar!

You can brew your own tea using boiling water and loose tea or tea bags.  This can then be chilled or poured over ice to make iced tea.  You can also make sun tea by leaving a container of water with tea bags sitting in the sun. The FDA does not recommend this popular method, however, because sometimes undesirable bacteria can develop in sun tea. The FDA recommends using the boiling water method or allowing tea to steep in the refrigerator rather than the sun. 

 If you make your own tea you can flavor it with lemon or fresh mint sprigs for a refreshing calorie free drink.  If you prefer a sweetened tea you can add sugar, honey, or an artificial sweetener and sweeten to your taste.
 
There are many powdered iced tea mixes, including those that make single servings. Some are sweetened with sugar and some with artificial sweeteners. They may have various food additives or artificial colors in addition.

You may have heard that caffeine has a dehydrating effect, but studies have not shown this to be a significant issue. So it is OK to use iced tea as part of your summer hydration plan. Sip and enjoy!

​copyright 2016 Kathleen Searles, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN

Rowers are back on the water, even though we expect snow in the next few days! As a rower, you train hard, and need to support your training with good nutrition and attention to hydration.

Carbohydrates are a key fuel for rowers. One study looked at how carbohydrate intake affected performance.

​Did you know that the average soccer player covers 5-7 miles during a game? This is definitely a sport with high energy expenditure! That means that you should do some planning around food and fluids. Fueling properly and staying hydrated will help you play well through the end of the game.
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About 1-4 hours before your game you should have a meal that includes plenty of carbohydrates.  Foods like pasta, fruit, cereal, potatoes, rice and vegetables are usually well digested and can top off your glycogen stores. (Glycogen is the fuel that your muscles use. You will really call on your glycogen stores as you get into the later minutes of the game.) 

If you're on the cross-country team you are participating in one of the most popular high school sports in the US. You may find it challenging to meet your nutrition needs as you try to balance a lean physique with adequate fueling and hydration. Here are some tips to help you get your best performance:

Every Day:

• Eat a generally healthy diet with lean proteins, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy.

Warm days continue into fall, and even after cooler weather arrives athletes and active people need to be sure to keep up their fluid intake. Here are some easy tips to help you personalize your hydration.

1.       Weigh yourself before training or competition and again afterwards. For every pound lost, drink 16 – 24 ounces of fluid. So if you lose 1.5 pounds, you would need to drink 24 – 36 ounces of fluid.