USA Rugby: Nutritional Camp Guidelines



USA Rugby: Nutritional Camp Guidelines

10 RULES:

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, regardless of hunger levels

2. Get lean protein at every meal

3. Eat healthy fats every day. Avoid all hydrogenated (trans) fats and fried foods…all the time.

4. Pre-, during, and post-training/game nutrition is actually one big meal, and it is the most important meal of the day

5. Go to bed, but not without protein. This includes sleep at night, as well as naps during the day (naps are to be encouraged).

6. Eat vegetables at every opportunity.

7. Drink water all the time. Drink green tea some of the time. Drink anything with high fructose corn syrup NONE of the time.

8. Eat these foods at least 3 times per week/at camp:

• Lean red meat

• Salmon

• Omega 3 eggs

• Low fat plain yogurt

• Protein supplements

• Spinach

• Tomatoes

• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage)

• Mixed berries

• Oranges

• Mixed beans

• Whole oats

• Mixed nuts

• Avocadoes

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Green tea

• Liquid exercise drinks for pre and post-training/game nutrition (should have carbs and protein)

9. Use supplements intelligently, not as a crutch or to make up for inattention to diet.

10. Food is a drug, and sports nutrition is a performance enhancing drug. Therefore, accept that being professional about rugby means being professional about nutrition. Folks who eat to beat and focus on what they do to their insides are usually pleasantly surprised by what they see happening on the outside.

• For more information, to provide feedback or to ask a question on nutrition/supplements, go to

• For information on combining protein, carbs, and fats into meals, see this free “recipe finder” at Runner’s World:

• For direct questions, email Adam at highperformancenutrition@

1 Adapted from: Competitive Sports Nutrition: Do you eat? Or do you Eat to Beat? © Adam Russell

Meal Guidelines: these are three tables that help guide your decision-making and focus for each part of the day depending on whether you are training, playing, or recovering/preparing. Blue days are training days; Red days are game days; and White days are either recovery days or preparation days (getting ready for a game the next day). If necessary, you can re-arrange the schedule, but not if it violates the 10 rules.

|Training Day |

|Time |Purpose |Focus on |Avoid |

|Breakfast |Halt muscle loss due to| |Foods that are high in both fat and|

| |sleep; fuel up and |• Whole grains and oatmeal |sugar; fried foods; foods high in |

| |rehydrate; align |• lean protein like eggs, yogurt, |salt; not getting enough protein |

| |circadian rhythms to |cottage cheese |(can lead to blood sugar crash) |

| |local time |• water/green tea; | |

|Training |Provide energy, | |Powerbars, powergels, or drinks |

| |maintain hydration, |• A 6% solution with electrolytes, |that are above 6% (hard to absorb |

| |blunt break down of |sugars and amino acids |and can dehydrate) |

| |muscle tissue |• Drinking at every opportunity | |

| | |(even if only a sip) | |

|Post-training |Restore muscle fuel, | |Fat and high salt, which slow |

|(within 15 minutes|provide tools for body |• Water |absorption of needed nutrients |

|of end of |to rebuild tissue, |• Recovery shake with carbs/amino | |

|training) |re-hydrate |acids, like chocolate milk or | |

| | |protein in Accelerade/Gatorade | |

|Lunch |Continue to recover; | |Not getting enough protein; foods |

| |take advantage of |• Full spectrum of carbs, protein, |that are high in fat and sugar; |

| |anabolic environment |and good fats |fried foods; failing to drink |

| |from training stimulus |• Eat a “rainbow” of vegetables, |enough water |

| | |grains, lean protein, fruits, and | |

| | |good oils/butter | |

| | |• Water/green tea | |

|Training |Provide energy, | |Powerbars, powergels, or drinks |

| |maintain hydration, |• A 6% solution with electrolytes, |that are above 6% (hard to absorb |

| |blunt break down of |sugars and amino acids |and can dehydrate) |

| |muscle tissue |• Drinking at every opportunity | |

| | |(even if only a sip) | |

|Post-training |Restore muscle fuel, | |Fat, fried, and high salt, which |

|(within 15 minutes|provide tools for body |• Water |slow absorption of needed nutrients|

|of end of |to rebuild tissue, |• Recovery shake with carbs/amino | |

|training) |re-hydrate |acids, like chocolate milk or | |

| | |protein in Accelerade/Gatorade | |

|Snack (within 90 |Keep blood sugar levels| |Fat, fried, and high salt, which |

|minutes of end of |steady, take advantage |• High protein |slow absorption of needed nutrients|

|training) |of training stimulus, |• Complex carbs | |

| |and avoid over-eating |• Good fats (mayo, butter, oils) | |

| |or making poor choices |• Nuts, sandwiches, smoothies, etc. | |

| |at dinner | | |

|Dinner |Get body ready to sleep| |Typical American mistakes at |

| |and provide nutrients |• Full spectrum of carbs, protein, |dinner, such as eating too much |

| |for recovery; |and good fats |meat at expense of |

| |rehydrate; bolster mood|• Eat a “rainbow” of vegetables, |vegetables/fruits; avoid fried |

| | |grains, lean protein, fruits, and |foods and foods high in fat and |

| | |good oils/butter |sugar; |

| | |• Water/green tea | |

|Pre-bed snack |Enhance sleep, provide | |High sugar/carbohydrate foods like |

| |nutrients for body to |• Protein |pizza, fries, etc. |

| |assimilate when |• Small number of good carbs | |

| |sleeping to enhance |• Good fats | |

| |recovery |• Peanut butter, cottage cheese with| |

| | |some nuts, lean meat, protein shake | |

| | |with flax oil | |

2

|Game Day |

|Time |Purpose |Focus on |Avoid |

|Breakfast |Halt muscle loss due to| |Foods that are high in both fat |

| |sleep; fuel up and |• Whole grains and oatmeal |and sugar; fried foods; foods |

| |re-hydrate; align |• lean protein like eggs, yogurt, |high in salt; not getting enough|

| |circadian rhythms to |cottage cheese |protein (can lead to blood sugar|

| |local time |• water/green tea; |crash) |

|Snack |Provide energy, | |Fat and high levels of sugar |

| |maintain hydration, |• Small portions of carbs/protein | |

| |enhance focus |• Green tea/water | |

|Pre-game |Fuel and hydration | |Fat and high salt, which slow |

| | |• Small portions of foods that you are|absorption of needed nutrients; |

| | |familiar with |foods you haven’t tried before |

| | |• Drinking enough liquid to have |(like Uruguayan butter); |

| | |clear/straw colored piss | |

|Warm Up |Fuel and hydration | |Passing up opportunities to |

| | |• A 6% solution with electrolytes, |fuel/hydrate; overly large |

| | |sugars and amino acids |portions of high sugar foods |

| | |• Drinking at every opportunity (even |like gummy bears or Jaffa cakes;|

| | |if only a sip) | |

|Game |Provide energy, | |Powerbars, powergels, or drinks |

| |maintain hydration, |• A 6% solution with electrolytes, |that are above 6% (hard to |

| |blunt break down of |sugars and amino acids |absorb and can dehydrate) |

| |muscle tissue |• Drinking at every opportunity (even | |

| | |if only a sip) | |

|Post-Game (within |Restore muscle fuel, | |Fat, fried, and high salt, which|

|15 minutes after |provide tools for body |• Water |slow absorption of needed |

|game) |to rebuild tissue, |• Recovery shake with carbs/amino |nutrients. Avoid alcohol. |

| |re-hydrate |acids, like chocolate milk or protein | |

| | |in Accelerade/Gatorade | |

|Snack (within 90 |Keep blood sugar levels| |Skipping this. This is a VERY |

|minutes after game)|steady, take advantage |• High protein |important time to eat. Avoid |

| |of training stimulus, |• Complex carbs |alcohol. |

| |and avoid over-eating |• Good fats (mayo, butter, oils) | |

| |or making poor choices |• Nuts, sandwiches, smoothies, etc. | |

| |at dinner | | |

|Post-game Meal |Get body ready to | |Typical American mistakes at |

| |sleep/drink beer and |• Full spectrum of carbs, protein, and|dinner, such as eating too much |

| |provide nutrients for |good fats |meat at expense of |

| |recovery; rehydrate; |• Eat a “rainbow” of vegetables, |vegetables/fruits; avoid fried |

| |bolster mood |grains, lean protein, fruits, and good|foods and foods high in fat and |

| | |oils/butter |sugar |

| | |• Water/green tea til your piss is |Avoid alcohol until the end of |

| | |clear again |the meal and you have pissed |

| | | |clear at least once |

|Pre-bed snack |Enhance sleep, rovide | |Foods high in sugar and fat like|

| |nutrients for body to |• Protein |pizza, ice-cream, fries, |

| |assimilate when |• Small number of good carbs |burgers, etc.; fried foods |

| |sleeping to enhance |• Good fats | |

| |recovery |• Peanut butter, cottage cheese with | |

| | |some nuts, lean meat, protein shake | |

| | |with flax oil | |

3

|Recovery/Preparation Day |

|Time |Purpose |Focus on |Avoid |

|Breakfast |Halt muscle loss due to | |Foods that are high in both fat |

| |sleep; fuel up and |• Whole grains and oatmeal |and sugar; fried foods; foods high|

| |re-hydrate; align circadian |• lean protein like eggs, |in salt; not getting enough |

| |rhythms to local time |yogurt, cottage cheese |protein (can lead to blood sugar |

| | |• water/green tea; |crash) |

|Snack |Rehydrate, provide amino | |Fat and high levels of sugar, and |

| |acids to body to re-build |• Small portions of |fried foods (can make inflammation|

| |tissue |carbs/protein |worse) |

| | |• Green tea/water | |

|Recovery session |Fuel and hydration; | |Fat and high levels of sugar, and |

| |anti-inflammation |• Gatorade with protein; |fried foods (can make inflammation|

| | |chocolate milk |worse) |

| | |• Drinking enough liquid to | |

| | |have clear/straw colored piss | |

|Snack |Hydration, recovery, and | |Fat and high levels of sugar, and |

| |anti-inflammation |• High protein |fried foods (can make inflammation|

| | |• Complex carbs |worse). |

| | |• Good fats (mayo, butter, |You should be pissing clear by now|

| | |oils) | |

| | |• Nuts, fruits, sandwiches, | |

| | |smoothies, etc. | |

| | |• Water/green tea | |

|Lunch |Provide energy, maintain | |Fat and high levels of sugar, and |

| |hydration, blunt break down |• Full spectrum of carbs, |fried foods (can make inflammation|

| |of muscle tissue |protein, and good fats |worse) |

| | |• Eat a “rainbow” of | |

| | |vegetables, grains, lean | |

| | |protein, fruits, and good | |

| | |oils/butter | |

| | |• Water/green tea | |

|Snack |Keep blood sugar levels | |Fat and high levels of sugar, and |

| |steady, avoid over-eating or |• High protein |fried foods (can make inflammation|

| |making poor choices at dinner|• Complex carbs |worse) |

| | |• Good fats (mayo, butter, | |

| | |oils) | |

| | |• Nuts, fruits, sandwiches, | |

| | |smoothies, etc. | |

| | |• Water/green tea | |

|Dinner |Hydration, recovery, and | |Fat and high levels of sugar, and |

| |anti-inflammation |• Full spectrum of carbs, |fried foods (can make inflammation|

| | |protein, and good fats |worse) |

| | |• Eat a “rainbow” of | |

| | |vegetables, grains, lean | |

| | |protein, fruits, and good | |

| | |oils/butter | |

| | |• Water/green tea | |

|Snack |Get body ready to sleep and | |Fat and high levels of sugar, and |

| |provide nutrients for |• High protein |fried foods (can make inflammation|

| |recovery; rehydrate; bolster |• Complex carbs |worse) |

| |mood |• Good fats (mayo, butter, | |

| | |oils) | |

| | |• Nuts, fruits, sandwiches, | |

| | |smoothies, etc. | |

| | |• Water/green tea | |

| | | | |

4

| |

|Pre-bed snack |Enhance sleep, provide nutrients | |Foods high in sugar and fat |

| |for body to assimilate when |• Protein |like pizza, ice-cream, fries, |

| |sleeping to enhance recovery |• Small amount of good carbs |burgers, etc.; fried foods |

| | |• Good fats | |

| | |• Peanut butter, cottage cheese | |

| | |with some nuts, lean meat, | |

| | |protein shake with flax oil | |

5

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