Published SKATING Magazine Article: FUELING DONE RIGHT - THE IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST
Written by Dana Sivak, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN; Carrie Aprik, MS, RDN, CSSD; Adena Neglia, MS, RDN, CDN (SKATING Magazine, June 2023 Issue)
Why is Breakfast Important?
Adequate nutrition plays a key role in optimizing a skater’s general health and wellness, supporting growth and development, and maximizing skating performance. Using the morning as an opportunity to start the flow of nutrients will not only help skaters meet their daily nutritional needs, but also start them on the right track of having regular eating intervals throughout the day. Breakfast should be thought of as an essential component of a skaters’ training plan!
A well-planned breakfast provides brain fuel, muscle fuel, sustainable energy for long training days, promotes appropriate growth and development, and supports a healthy immune system. Consistent intake throughout the day, beginning from the time you wake up, is critical to meeting daily nutritional needs since athletes expend much more energy than the average person. Breakfast serves as a “flip-of-the switch” to the body, awakening the brain and metabolism. Skipping breakfast can cause a delayed start in building the “tank” of energy readily available, which can then result in decreased energy throughout the day. Beyond limiting physical energy, not eating breakfast may negatively affect mental energy, mood, and focus. Lastly, breakfast can also be an important source of key nutrients that are critical to growing athletes: calcium, iron, folate, and other B vitamins, fiber, and fluid.
How to Build a Complete Breakfast
Ideally, a breakfast meal consists of three key parts: a grain, a protein, and fruit and/or vegetables. Examples of grains include fortified cereals, oatmeal, toaster waffles, whole grain breads, bagels, and wraps. Starchy vegetables like potatoes or corn could fit this category too! Eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cow milk/soy milk, and breakfast meats are examples of protein-rich foods to consider. Lastly, whole fruits/vegetables, 100% fruit/vegetable juices, sauced fruits, and/or fruit leathers/dried fruits are all nourishing options to include in a complete breakfast. These individual items can be combined to create enjoyable meals like breakfast sandwiches, smoothies, bowls, and wraps, with added flavorings like cinnamon, salsa, or peanut butter to peak your skater’s appetite and creativity.
Aside from composition and personal food preferences, other considerations to be mindful of include planning and prep time, location of eating, portability, shelf-stability, and proximity to training time. Breakfast doesn’t have to be in a traditional, formal setting. Skaters may find themselves eating in the car as they head to either the rink, school, or work and may only have 5 or 10 minutes to eat! Further, early morning practices can seemingly complicate the ability to eat breakfast but can be easily managed with a combination of a pre-skating snack followed by a breakfast meal after training. For example, if your skater trains at 6:00 a.m., they may find that waking up at 4:00 a.m. to consume and digest a full breakfast meal is unreasonable! Instead, they can have a pre-skating snack consisting of carbohydrates, protein, and fluid, and pack a breakfast to eat immediately following their session. This strategy can be used on competition day as well!
Examples of fueling snacks that may work for those who train very early in the morning include fruit, sport bars, dried fortified cereals/granolas, ready-to-drink yogurt smoothies, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Examples of meals that could be packed and consumed on-the-go include overnight oats, a yogurt parfait with granola and fruit, or a bento box-style meal consisting of hard-boiled eggs, fruit, cold vegetables, and a healthy-fat dip like guacamole. See below for a recipe idea for overnight oats to try!
Breakfast on Competition Day
Much like other aspects of preparation and performance, the name-of-the-game on competition day is consistency! Ideally, skaters practice their nutrition throughout the season and head to competition knowing which familiar, reliable, and nutrient-rich meals and snacks are needed to perform their best. On the morning of a competition day, skaters should aim to practice the principles mentioned above, with their breakfast consisting of quality grains, protein, fruit and/or vegetables. When the time comes to hit the rink for their events, skaters shouldn’t forget to pack their go-to fueling and recovery options. Their confidence should be high, knowing that they have done everything they can to promote and maintain optimal energy levels, while sticking to comfortable food choices their body typically relies on for fuel.
Personalized Nutritional Needs
Not sure if you are meeting your individual daily nutrient needs? Skaters are encouraged to seek the support of a registered dietitian (RD or RDN). Many RD(N)s that work with athletes have an additional board certification and are Certified Specialists in Sports Dietetics (CSSDs). Look for these important credentials to help determine if the practitioner you are seeking has the appropriate expertise to help your skater meet their personalized needs! To find an RD(N) or CSSD in your area, visit the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics’ website and utilize the “Find an RD” search tool (https://www.eatright.org/find-a-nutrition-expert).