Q: What are some recommendations for increasing calorie intake during intense training and competition to prevent weight loss?
A:
General Recommendations:
* Eat regularly consuming 5-6 meals/snacks per day.
* Eat a mixture of carbohydrate and protein.
* Avoid over restricting fat; recommend 20-25% total calories and minimally 15%.
* Eat every 1-2 hours during training/competition.
* Eat 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetable per day.
* Increase calories by adding extra meals/snack and choosing calorie dense foods.
Sample snack ideas at ~250 kcal per snack:
* Peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread.
* Rolled flat bread with nut butter (e.g. peanut, almond, sesame) and sliced banana.
* Whole grain bun with 3 oz. grilled chicken with 1 tsp. aioli.
* 1 c yogurt with 1/2 c muselix or granola.
* Whole grain pita with 1/2 c hummus and chopped lettuce, tomato, and cucumber.
* Yogurt/tofu Banana smoothie: 1 c vanilla yogurt, 1/2 c plain soft tofu, 1 banana, 1 tsp. brown sugar, and 1 tsp wheat germ.
* Small salad with 1/2 avocado, 1/3 c soy nuts, chopped carrots and tomatoes, and 2 tbsp of vinaigrette.
* 1 c frozen yogurt with chopped strawberries, 1/3 c blueberries, and 10 raspberries.
* 1 c granola, 1/2 c low-fat milk, and 1/2 c fresh fruit.
* Veggie or regular low-fat burger in a pita with 1/3 cucumber dill sauce (1 c yogurt, 2 tsp dill, 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp red vinegar, 1/3 grated cucumber).
* Avocado & Cheddar Flat bread melt: 1/2 cubed avocado, 1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese, sprinkle of ground cumin, and flat bread. Assemble and melt in oven for 3-5 minutes.
Rebecca L. Persinger, RD, CNSD, PhD
Rebecca is active in the Seattle running and cycling communities and enjoys other outdoor activities including: snowshoeing, skiing, mountain biking, and hiking.
