Category: protein

Performance Nutrition Tips for Baseball Athletes

protein, Sports Nutrition, Sports Nutrition

“I want to play in the NFL or MLB”. -Athletes that skip breakfast and barely eat 2 meals per day while snacking on candy and drinking energy drinks. Those same athletes are often sleeping < 6 hours per night. Talent will only get you so far in sports and in life.  If you are a high school or college athlete that views proper nutrition as a chore or punishment…. Make a choice to retrain and CHANGE your mindset to view sleep and nutrition as an OPPORTUNITY. An opportunity to gain muscle, strength, speed, stamina, and pummel your competitors!

If you want to be great you can’t rely on mediocre habits to get you there. You’ll break down and get outpaced along the way. How do we know? The data doesn’t lie. According to statistics:

  • Just 1.6% of college players will become a professional in the NFL. 10.5% of NCAA senior male baseball players will get drafted by an MLB team.
  • Approximately 1 in 200, or approximately 0.5 percent of high school senior boys playing interscholastic baseball will eventually be drafted by an MLB team.

If you’re striking out at the plate you might be striking out in your nutrition and sleep. What you eat directly influences your mood, concentration, energy levels, speed, power, focus, endurance, and performance.

The tips I outline in this blog are going to HELP you gain the competitive edge you train so hard for. That means you can’t eat Skittles and 1/2 a sandwich at lunch and expect to be bigger, faster, or stronger.

Remember, athletes do not diet and exercise. They fuel and train.

Performance adaptations can’t occur if you’re not eating quality calories rich in vitamins and minerals as well as protein to repair and rebuild.

Rule number 1: Aim for 7-11 hours of sleep. Sleep is king. Student-athletes need more sleep. This isn’t new information. Sleep is king and nutrition is queen.  Never stay up late for something you would not get up early for.

 

If you would not get up at 4 a.m. to scroll the news or social media why would you stay up till midnight doing such toxic things? Poor sleep habits hinder your health and performance. As a sports dietitian sleep is my first concern when speaking with a program, coach, athlete, or parents of young athletes. How much we sleep influences our appetite as well as testosterone levels. If you have time for social media you have time for sleep.  If you want to get stronger and faster start getting your sleep!

“If you need a pre-workout for energy you likely aren’t eating enough, hydrating, or getting proper sleep.” Share this video with someone who needs to hear this message.

Feel free to share my sleep tweets with those who need a reminder on priorities. Do you want to be great? Get your sleep! If you can’t get the full 7 try adding in a nap. Research supports that a 20-90 min nap can improve performance.

BASEBALL PERFORMANCE TIP SHEET DOWNLOAD HERE

Rule number 2: Test don’t guess! Start logging your nutrition. How do you know if you’re eating enough protein, carbs, and calories to support your energy and training demands? We always have our athletes log their nutrition so they can see for themselves how little or how much they are eating.  Many athletes claim they can’t gain weight but they fail to eat breakfast let alone 100 g of protein in a day.

Log in to My Fitness Pal, pen and paper, and use a Word document or another free app. We can’t change or improve what we do not know. When an athlete sees they are only consuming 2,000 kcal per day and they are trying to gain weight the connection and motivation is made that change is required. If nothing changes nothing changes.

See my weight-gain blog tips here or pick up a copy of my weight-gain guide for guidance. Here’s a baseball athlete’s grocery list for easy grocery shopping!

 

Creatine monohydrate guide DOWNLOAD HERE

NWW systems work!

  • Sac State baseball athlete was able to add 24 lbs. to his frame in 5 months. Read here how Ryan gained weight in the off-season.
  • 13 YO baseball athlete gains 58 lbs. over the course of two years working with me. Read how Eli added muscle and strength using our nutrition plan here.
  • Texas HS baseball coach shares the benefits of my Baseball Nutrition 101 presentation to educate his athletes on pre-workout meals, recovery nutrition, and how to improve strength.
  • Recently I delivered a baseball nutrition 101 to the Southern Baseball Academy. We discussed muscle gain, pre-workout, post-workout, fueling game day, and how supplements do not contain the same high-quality amino acids as whole foods. This is something I discuss in every single high school, college, and semi-pro presentation. If you’re not seeing strength or performance results you likely aren’t eating enough high-quality protein or sufficient calories. See the muscle gain dinner example here.

 

Calorie, protein, fat, and carbohydrate recommendations:

  • Carbohydrate needs range from (3 to 5 g/kg/bw/day).
  • Protein needs vary based on goals, training, and intensity but the right place to start is (1.4-1.8 g/kg/bw/day).
  • Fat recommendations include 1.0 g/kg/bw/day).

This means a 150 lb. 68 kg athlete requires: 205-340 g of carbs, 95-122 g of protein, and 68 g of fat. It is quite simple to break this down into 3 meals and 2 snacks using the performance plate as a guide. All meals matter. If you consume 3 meals per day at roughly 25-30 g of protein and 10-15 g of protein at snacks you’re meeting your needs. Fuelingstrategy!

You have to PLAN AHEAD! If you don’t plan your meals and snacks in advance you’re less likely to eat the right foods. Want to be a champion? Do the planning in advance. Opportunity favors the prepared!! You never know how long a baseball game will last. Extra innings, rain delay, or other circumstances.

  • Plan to have quick-digesting carbs and a little bit of protein on hand for the dugout or the bus! We recommend dried fruit, a 100% fruit bar, 1/2 turkey sandwich, sports drink, and 1/2 bagel. See more options below.

Rule 3: Hydration, pre-workout, and refueling post-workout

  • Hydration is one of the most overlooked aspects of health and performance. For every lb. lost during training and games replace with 16-24 oz. of fluid.
  • Click here for my hydration recommendations.
  • 1-2% of dehydration can result in loss of speed, power, strength, and agility. Click here for tips on preventing dehydration.
  • 7 hydration tips here 
  • Fueling your workout
  • NCAA regulations on pre-workouts?-learn more here
  • Refueling post-workout and why you should use chocolate milk here.
  • Baseball nutrition tip sheet

In summary

Increase your pro sports odds by: eating 3-5 balanced meals daily sleeping 7-9 hours nightly avoiding pre-workouts and eating carbs + protein before and after workouts. Train hard and train smart! Habits are hard to break but you need to change your routine in order to change your life.

Don’t forget to rest and prioritize recovery with 80-100 oz water daily and avoid soda supplements with a 3rd party tested creatine monohydrate (helps reduce injury risk, helps muscle maintenance, growth, and recovery). Stay away from drugs, alcohol, vaping, chewing tobacco, and negative influences. If athletes followed these tips they would be their best.

How can we work together?

  • If you are looking for a team talk or presentation we are now booking for the remainder of 2023. Check out our performance nutrition partnership HERE.
  • Health and performance guidebook HERE.
  • Apply for coaching whether you’re an athlete or an adult needing help and support. Click here
  • Help your athletes, coaches, and community understand the fundamentals of fueling, sleep, recovery, and weight gain via our student-athlete coaching programs. Details are available HERE.

In good health and performance,

Coach Wendi

Wendi Irlbeck, MS, RDN,  LD, CISSN  is a registered dietitian nutritionist and performance coach. Wendi utilizes evidence-based science to tailor nutrition programs for athletes to optimize performance, minimize health risks, and enhance recovery from training while focusing on injury prevention. She and her team partner with parents, sports performance staff, and special needs and recreational athletes to offer nutritional guidance and optimal athletic performance and lifestyle plans. Wendi provides virtual services including telehealth but is based in Nashville, TN.  Wendi works with clients of all levels internationally.

What can hiring a sports nutritionist offer your program? Learn more here.  Interested in signing up for the NEW and upcoming NWW newsletter? Click here to sign up!

 

Plant based meat versus beef patty. What you need to know!

fitness, Health, injury, protein, Sports Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, Weight loss

Plant-based meat?

Plant meat alternatives are being promoted more and more each day. I am often asked by consumers, those online, and our community if plant patties are “healthier”.

 

 

In short, NO. This is not my opinion this is what researchers who assessed cooked samples of both plant and beef patties found in their analysis. The nutrition facts label also does not illustrate the key nutrient differences. The plant and beef patties differ in terms of salt, cholesterol, calories, protein content, carbohydrate, texture, moisture content, flavor, and price!

  • Researchers cooked samples and analyzed the samples suggesting a more clear and thorough breakdown. The researchers assess nutrients and categorized the amino acids making up the proteins and various metabolites found within both the plant patty and beef patty samples.

 

 

 

*I recently was at the ISSN conference and was motivated to do this blog. Check the data that was exclusively shared from a presentation on plant-based meats!

What did they find?

According to the metabolomics comparison, there’s a large nutritional difference!

  • This heat map illustrates just how different the impossible meat and beef patties are at the metabolite level.
  • Of the 171 out of 190 annotated metabolites (90%) were different between beef and the plant-based alternative.

 

 

 

  • Beef has creatinine, hydroxyproline, and glucosamine, (marked with the red arrows), none of which are found in the plant-based alternative.
  • Bioavailability MATTERS. Just because a component is found in food doesn’t mean that it is digested and or available to us.

 

  • Iron in meat is far more available than the usual iron supplement. Equivalent amounts of iron on the nutritional label do not necessarily translate into equal amounts of iron in you.

 

Plant versus Beef?

The ingredients in a plant patty?

  • Water, Soy Protein Concentrate, Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil, Natural Flavors, 2% Or Less Of: Methylcellulose, Cultured Dextrose, Food Starch Modified, Yeast Extract, Soy Leghemoglobin, Salt, Mixed Tocopherols (Antioxidant), L-Tryptophan, Soy Protein Isolate, Vitamins and Minerals (Zinc Gluconate, Niacin (Vitamin B3), Thiamine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12). Product contains an allium derivative
  • Price per 8 oz serving = $6.97

 

The ingredients in a beef patty?

  • Beef

  • Price per 8 oz serving = $3.62

 

*Best foods to gain strength and lose fat! Click here

Conclusion?

  • Researchers conclude that plant-based meat alternatives are not interchangeable with meat; they complement one another.
  • Beef is superior to plant “meat”
  • Beef contains > more bioavailable protein, iron, zinc, selenium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, phosphorus, pantothenate, magnesium, and potassium than plant “burgers”.
  • Beef is a lower cost per serving and offers more nutrients that are bioavailable.
  • The NUTRITION LABEL DOES NOT TELL ALL!! 

 

 

In good faith, health, and athletic performance,

Wendi A. Irlbeck, MS, RDN, LD , CISSN

Wendi is a registered dietitian nutritionist and performance coach. Wendi utilizes evidence-based science to tailor nutrition programs for athletes to optimize performance, minimize health risks, and enhance recovery from training while focusing on injury prevention. She partners with high schools, colleges, sports performance staff, individuals, and families! Wendi and her team offer custom fueling plans, group coaching, presentations, and team talks nationwide!

Wendi provides virtual services including telehealth but is based in Nashville, TN.  Wendi works with clients of all levels internationally.

What can hire a sports nutritionist offer your program? Learn more here.  Interested in signing up for the NEW and upcoming NWW newsletter? Click here to sign up!

Citations and resources to learn more:

Source: A metabolomics comparison of plant‑based meat and grass‑fed meat indicates large nutritional differences despite comparable Nutrition Facts panels Nature Scientific Reports DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93100-3

Healthy Family Summer Recipe’s

fitness, food freedom, Health, protein, Sports Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, travel

Summer is HERE!!  You can find tasty ways to enjoy a healthy dish or simple recipe on the go or with friends or on your way to a tournament!!

 

Check out our Healthy Family Summer Recipes below!

  • Chipotle Bowls for easy meal prep and a way to eat the “Rainbow”.
  • Headed to a party? The Texas Caviar is a tasty dip that is FIBER rich and bright in color.
  • For a lighter meal, our Zucchini Boats incorporate a little coconut for a Fresh summer taste. Hanging with the girls for a pool day?
  • Try our Grapefruit Paloma Mocktail!  Last, but does not lack in taste, the Protein Mango Sorbet!  Make this one Fresh or make it in bulk and freeze it in containers as a grab-and-go Tasty  Treat!

 

 

Download your FREE ebook below.

Healthy Family Summer Recipe’s

 

All foods fit but be mindful of your choices! Healthy food = a healthy body!

To book a discovery call with an NWW Coach to discuss your goals click the Booking Link Here!

 

Eat More Protein to Lose Fat and Build Muscle!

Health, protein, Sports Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, supplements, teen athlete, Weight loss

What is protein?

  • Protein is primarily found in animal and dairy products.
  • Image result for protein"Protein enhances muscle mass, strength, endurance, muscle recovery, and power.
  • Decreases inflammation, and muscle protein breakdown.

First off, let’s talk about the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein. The current RDA is a modest 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. The RDA is established as the amount of a nutrient you need to meet your basic nutritional requirements. Essentially, it’s the minimum amount you need to keep from avoiding sickness- not the specific amount you’re supposed to consume each day. For example,

  • For a 140-pound person, that means about 50 grams of protein each day.
  • For a 200-pound person, that means about 70 grams of protein each day.

Reasons to consume more high-quality protein daily

  • Muscle growth
  • Strengthens bones
  • Hormone regulation
  • Aids in quicker recovery
  • Supports lean mass gains
  • Suppresses appetite and promotes satiety
  • Prevents chronic ailments associated with aging
  • Protects the immune system against illness and injury
  • Aids in weight loss during times of energy restriction

Ultimately not only protein but our other daily habits play a role in muscle growth, muscle recovery, and improving overall body composition.

CHECK OUT THIS INFOGRAPHIC ON INCREASING PROTEIN VIA MEALS AND SNACKS!!

That being said, let’s talk about why you need more protein. As you can see in the bullet list provided protein is VERY IMPORTANT. As a registered dietitian nutritionist and fitness professional, I find the RDA to be quite confusing to the general public, athletes, and coaches. To be honest, even dietitians can’t seem to agree on what to recommend for protein to their clients, patients, and athletes. So if there is a misunderstanding among the food and nutrition experts there’s likely a misunderstanding across multiple populations. Especially young children, athletes, and the elderly are in greater need of more protein.

Is more protein better?

The Protein Summit reported in a special supplement to the June issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN)  that Americans may eat too little protein, not too much. In fact, eating more protein can help provide the whole “package”. That means that a byproduct of consuming more protein is you’re getting other great nutrients such as B vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals, and healthy fats that offer the complete package. Naturally, when you consume more protein you will typically consume less low-quality foods like simple or refined carbohydrates that people typically turn to when they’re “hungry”. Sweets, cookies, white bread, and pastries won’t offer the healthy nutrition you’d get from a high-quality protein source.

Examples of high-quality protein sources

These are just a few of the high-quality protein sources out there. Most animal sources of protein such as meat, dairy, fish, and chicken offer all essential amino acids in proportion needed by the human body. While plant-based proteins such as vegetables, nuts, beans, and grains often lack one or more of the essential amino acids. That does not mean you should only consume animal products to attain your essential amino acids because you can utilize soybeans and quinoa which contain all nine essential amino acids needed. Click here for a complete list available if you’re interested in plant-based proteins. Here is a sample plant-based menu to check out as well!

DOWNLOAD HIGH PROTEIN SAMPLE MEAL PLAN FOR HS ATHLETES HERE

Athletes and protein needs

Even athletes have higher needs. Provided the remodeling process of muscle proteins there is a much higher turnover rate as a result of higher training volumes. Specifically, in track and field athletes it would be wise to consume roughly 1.6 grams per kilogram of body mass each day if their goal is to increase muscle and prevent muscle breakdown. A good target protein intake should be between 1.6 and 2.4 grams per kilogram of body mass per day as cited in recent findings in a consensus statement on Sports Nutrition for Track and Field Athletes. A summary of the review can be accessed here .

The International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand on protein and exercise can also be accessed here which provides an objective and critical review related to the protein intake for healthy and fitness-oriented individuals. For building muscle mass and maintaining muscle mass, an overall protein intake of 1.4-2.0 g/kg body weight/day (g/kg/d) is enough. However, there is evidence to support (3.0 g/kg/d) support positive effects on body composition in strength-trained athletes to promote lean mass gains. It is optimal to spread out protein intake between 20-40 g/meal throughout the day.

 

As a registered dietitian nutritionist, I strive to consume (2.0 g/kg/d) to support my health and performance goals based on the available science.

  • Especially if you’re trying to increase lean mass and strength gains. Higher protein will not make you fat, it will help support a healthy body and make you feel more satisfied!
  • It’s hard to get fat by eating more protein
  • Protein helps you feel fuller for longer periods of time especially during times of kcal restriction. Higher protein is linked with a lower BF % and lean muscle mass (Helms et al., 204).

 

Older adults and protein

Older adults are fighting off an accelerated loss of muscle mass and function that is associated with aging, referred to as sarcopenia. For every decade after 40 years old, you lose 8% of muscle mass and it increases to 15% after 70 years of age. Older adults should strive to consume 1.5 to 2.0 grams of high-quality protein per kg of body weight per day according to an article by the Center of Aging. Up to one-third of older adults don’t eat enough due to reduced appetite, impaired taste, swallowing difficulties, and dental issues. During the aging process, the body is less efficient and struggles to maintain muscle mass and strength along with bone health and optimal physiological function which warrants a greater need for protein.

Your health and fitness coach,

Wendi Irlbeck, MS, RDN, LD, CISSN

For our signature coaching packages click here!