Healthy Meal Plans for Athletes

Tap to Read ➤ Parashar Joshi

Here is some useful information regarding nutritious meal plans for athletes. Read ahead to know more about the same.

Important!

Thirst is not a reliable indicator of fluid requirement during exercise. In fact, by the time the athlete feels thirsty, he/she has already lost a great amount of fluid. Hence, to cope with this, an athlete, along with solid diet plan, must also have a hydration plan.

For an athlete or a sportsperson, how well you train and how much you concentrate on your sport practice is of primary importance, there is no doubt about that. But at the same time, your diet and your nutrition also matters tremendously.

An athlete who trains hard on the field, but has a completely lackluster attitude towards diet and nutrition, will certainly not be able to perform to his optimum potential. These days, diet and training go hand in hand and in most cases they are treated with equal importance and priority. On that note, let us move on to healthy meal plans for sportspersons.

Sample Meal Plans

Meal Plan #1

Morning ✜ 1 fresh fruit ✜ 2 cups cornflakes Mid-morning Snack ✜ 2 slices of toasted bread with cheese or tuna ✜ ½ glass fresh fruit juice ✜ 10 whole grain crackers

Lunch ✜ Two slices of bread with peanut butter spread across ✜ A whole grain roll ✜ 6 medium-sized baked potatoes ✜ Carrot and coriander soup Evening Snack ✜ 1 strawberry smoothie ✜ 1 apple

Dinner ✜ Whole wheat pasta with low-fat tomato or cheese sauce ✜ Vegetable salad ✜ 1 cup steamed carrots ✜ Low-fat rice pudding Bedtime Snack ✜ 16 oz. grape juice

Meal Plan #2

Morning ✜ 1 medium banana ✜ 8 oz. low-fat milk ✜ 1 tbsp. jelly Mid-morning Snack ✜ 1 cup oatmeal ✜ 1 slice whole wheat toast ✜ Cereal with skimmed milk

Lunch ✜ 1 cup rice ✜ 2-3 toasted bread slices ✜ 6 oz. lean meat with rice ✜ Vegetable soup Evening Snack ✜ A glass of chocolate milk ✜ 1 orange

Dinner ✜ A sandwich with ham ✜ 1 cup cooked beans ✜ Broiled/ baked lean cuts of chicken breast, salmon or tuna ✜ 1 whole wheat bread with honey or jam Bedtime Snack ✜ 6 fig cookies

An athlete should ensure that a wide variety of food groups is included in the diet plan and consult a dietitian before making the new diet plan a daily routine.