BELLA VISTA WRESTLING

​In Season Nutrition

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The following are suggestions of how a wrestler should be eating throughout the season. The emphasis in not on losing weight. The emphasis is on losing excess body fat while maintaining body muscle. We want our wrestlers lean, strong and at their most competitive weight.    

     

Lets make no mistake here, not eating is not an option. Wrestling is not nearly important enough to put your health at risk. Their bodies are still growing and maturing. A lack of nutrition is going to interrupt this process, it's not worth it.

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What we'd like all wrestlers to do is to abandon the junk food, and eat healthy. Healthy food puts good energy in the body, good nutrition in the body, and leaves out empty calories that serve no purpose other than excess body fat. A lean, fit, healthy body is what we all should have, and wrestlers are no exception. Wrestling workouts are very hard and use up a tremendous amount of calories and energy. If a wrestler simply ate healthy and worked out hard, they would lean up without losing muscle; and be in a weight class that they can compete at their highest level in. Don't think of wrestling as a time where my child doesn't eat and widdles away to nothing, use it as an opportunity to preach good nutrition and build healthy habits for a lifetime. Use it as a time where the whole family can eat healthier and make positive changes. They say once you've done something for "X" amount of time, you've now developed a habit. Well you've got a four month season, plenty of time to develop good nutritional habits.

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We all know basically what is healthy and what is not healthy. We all have different likes and dislikes when it comes to food. I don't want to waste time naming specific foods to eat or not eat - you already know. What I'd like to suggest are some common sense eating rules, I like to call it "eating smart"

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1. Eat 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day, rather than one or two big meals. Simply eating this way will raise the metabolism somewhat and burn calories without even trying. Obviously the hard wrestling workout will raise their metabolisms as well, and of course being a teenager - eat donuts and still not gain an ounce!

2. Eat single portions or cut back portions. Even desserts, have one scoop of ice cream instead of two, or a smaller slice of cake. Little things add up.

3. Don't eat within a couple hours of going to sleep. You're done using food as energy for the day, the food serves no purpose. Food is energy and you're not moving anymore today.

4. I always suggest that people eat a "handful" of food every 2 - 3 hours. Clearly the more healthy that handful, the better for the body. If you eat every 2 - 3 hours, you're never particularly hungry when you do eat, and your stomach doesn't need much food to feel content. Wrestlers should eat a sensible breakfast, a snack at the 10 minute break at school, a light lunch, another light snack before practice or right after, then a sensible dinner. That's five meals, and you could still have that sixth handful of food as a later snack (not too close to bed).

5. Eat carbohydrate type foods early in the day, and protein type foods later in the day. Carbohydrates are the first source of energy for the body, you'll use it for the days needs. Proteins help build and repair muscles that have been taxed throughout the day. You're body is most efficient with proteins at the end of the day or in sleep mode - when your body is resting and recovering.

6. Eat your biggest meals in the morning and smallest meals in the evening. Big meals in the morning as energy for the day. Small meals in the evening when your body doesn't need the energy from food. This goes against the "handful of food" idea, but it's another way to eat smart.
    

Simply following these rules, along with wrestlings tough workouts, your wrestler will get lean without losing muscle. Your wrestler will lose excess body fat and find out naturally what their most competitive weight class is. Your wrestler will develop good eating habits. You as a parent will not have to worry about the health of your child. They're eating and their athletic performance is going up.

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Below are some low calorie meals you can use as ideas for planning your wrestlers (or the whole family) nutritional needs, while getting strong and lean. Taking one breakfast, one lunch, and one dinner, you should be at about 2,000 calories per day.

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• Breakfasts #1  Blender Drink of 1 banana, 1 cup of 2% milk, and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. A slice of toast with a teaspoon of jam - total calories: 400
   

• Breakfast #2  Grapefruit juice (6oz.), 1 cup of unsweetened cereal, 1 banana, 1 cup of milk, 1 slice of toast with 1 teaspoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of jam - total calories: 525
   

• Breakfast #3: Apple juice (6oz.), 1 cup oatmeal, 1 tablespoon raisins, 1 cup 2% milk, 1 slice of toast w/margarine - total calories: 490.
   

• Lunch #1: Hamburger on a bun, 1 tablespoon catsup, french fries, 1 cup 2% milk, 2 oatmeal raisen cookies - total calories: 760
   

• Lunch #2: Chicken Salad Sandwich with 1 tablespoon low calorie dressing, 1 cup 2% milk, 1 apple - total calories: 490
   

• Lunch #3: Turkey sandwich w/ lettuce, tomato and 1 tablespoon of low calorie mayonaise, and 1 cup 2% milk - total calories: 400
   

• Dinner #1: Roast Pork (3oz), baked potato, 1 stalk broccoli, 2 teaspoons margarine, 1 slice bread, sliced peaches (1 cup), 1 cup 2% milk - total calories: 730
   

• Dinner #2: Chili (2 cups), 12 saltine crackers, 1 cup 2% milk, carrot and celery sticks - total calories: 890
   

• Dinner #3: Broiled turkey breast (3oz), wild rice pilaf (1 cup), spinach salad w/ 1 tablespoon dressing, 1 slice of angel food cake with 2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup, 1 cup 2% milk - total calories: 795
   

• Fast Food: Fast food restaurants have handouts with nutritional information if you ask for them. Go ahead and eat there, just try to keep you dinner within the 700 - 900 calorie range your other dinners are at; or 400 - 600 calorie range of the other lunches above, etc.​

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