An Athletes Diet: A Look Into How Different Jenks Athletes Fuel Their Bodies
Athletic woman eating a salad.
photo credit: https://blog.insidetracker.com/plant-based-athlete
By: Abby Kornele
In the morning you probably wonder what you’ll have for lunch or dinner that day. Sometimes the possibilities can be endless. Or maybe you are into meal prepping and by Sunday night you know everything you’ll be eating throughout the week. Everyone's individual diets is something that has always fascinated me. People have their own and different priorities with the food they consume causing everyone to pick out food in their own unique way.
As an athlete myself (and even a vegetarian) I know from personal experience that my diet vastly differs from some of the people I surround myself with. I had the opportunity to talk with three athletes here at Jenks and learn more about what they’re putting into their body to help them perform at their highest potential.
Athletes tend to have a more unique diet than the average person due to the amount of body exertion that comes from their specific sports. They have higher needs for fuel and energy to help support their bodies.
The U.S Department of Agriculture says how the average person has 5 main food groups that they should focus on within each of their meals. These include; fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. Along with these main groups are smaller subgroups that emphasize on certain vitamins and minerals.
When being involved in a sport you are burning more calories and building more muscles that require a deeper repair method.
The National Library of Medicine said that, “Nutrition is an important part of sport performance for young athletes, in addition to allowing for optimal growth and development. Macronutrients, micronutrients and fluids in the proper amounts are essential to provide energy for growth and activity. To optimize performance, young athletes need to learn what, when and how to eat and drink before, during and after activity.”
To get a better insight into what Jenks athletes are eating I, like I mentioned, spoke with three different people to hear about their personalized diets. I had each of them fill out a chart where they tracked what they ate in a day and why they chose each of those foods. They also answered additional questions about their sport and the kind of exertion it takes out of them.
The first person I talked to was Marissa Williams, senior at Jenks High School, she is the team captain which means she helps coordinate with both the boys and girls team, along with the booster club. The events she competes in are; 200 Medley relay team, 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, and the 400 Free Relay Team.
Williams chart of what she ate in a day.
When analyzing her chart it shows that as a swimmer she burns a good amount of calories so it is a priority of hers to replenish those after a practice or workout. With having practice as early as 7:30 in the morning it is hard for her to get as much nutrients in as she would like before school starts, so having a big protein filled lunch is important to her.
Swim tends to be a pretty year-round sport with club season lasting September- August and the High School season lasting October-February. Throughout the year Williams notices a difference in her eating habits when High School season really starts to pick up.
She said, “During the high school season I tend to eat more, especially at breakfast. I usually have two breakfasts—one before morning practice and another afterward.”
I know that in some sports, coaches will talk about what kinds of foods they should focus on and prioritize.
Williams during a swim meet.
DoRemus's chart of what he ate in a day.
I found that what he ate in a day was decently different than what Williams had noted that she ate. Lacrosse has different demands from the body than swimming does, which explains why DoRemus focuses on different things.
Throughout the day he prioritizes his protein intake to get bigger and grow his muscles. He does so by eating protein bars or protein shakes. Another difference I noticed was overall DoRemus eats fuller meals and just larger amounts throughout the day. It is clear that he needs enough calories and protein to help him survive a lacrosse practice or game.
The school lacrosse season lasts for almost the entirety of the second semester of school, then additionally he plays competitive lacrosse year round. So he never really experiences an “off season”.
DoRemus during a lacrosse game last season.
When asked about if coaches have ever talked to him about what they suggest eating he said, “They have mainly said to just eat more in general and have more protein.”
Another important thing is how he focuses on drinking enough water and having Liquid IV whenever he can.
DoRemus said, “If I don’t drink as much water or eat as much I don’t feel as good playing and I don’t have as much energy.”
The third and last person I talked to was Natalie Conkling, senior at Jenks High School, she is the captain of Jenks Varsity Pom and has been dancing her whole life.
Conkling’s chart of what she eats in a day.
Her diet is much more similar to Williams where it is more well rounded, she seems to focus on whole foods and tries to have a balanced palette. She has lots of fresh foods throughout the day such as fruit in her yogurt bowl, apple slices, sushi bowls, and vegetables. With pom practice every day it is important for her to have enough protein, carbs, and fiber.
She also emphasizes how staying hydrated is crucial to surviving practice which DoRemus and Williams would also agree with.
The pom season is pretty year-round starting in March and ending early February but competition season is mostly October-January.
Conkling during a football game.
When asked about a difference in her eating habits based on the time of year she said, “Whenever pom isn’t in competition season but simply game season, I find myself eating less because my body requires less fuel to make it through the week. Conversely, I find myself eating more in the month of January when practice is the longest and most intense right before nationals.”
As I did with the other two athletes, I asked Conkling if she has ever had a coach talk to her about specific diet restrictions or recommendations. It seems as though pom has more rules within this than lacrosse and swimming did.
She said, “Our coach has a rule that we can’t drink soda during competition season because of the high-fructose corn syrup in the drinks. Additionally, she advises to not eat anything with high-fructose corn syrup or high amounts of sugar, and reminds us to stay hydrated and take our vitamins.”
Overall, I learned a lot about how different sports vary and how they require athletes to prioritize food differently. Something you may have noticed that I did not include in my research was calorie counting and specific calorie intake. I know that tracking calories can lead to unhealthy habits and can create negative relationships with your diet, so I wanted to avoid asking these athletes to do that.
Harvard Medical School said, “How your body burns calories depends on a number of factors, including the type of food you eat, your body's metabolism, and even the type of organisms living in your gut. You can eat the exact same number of calories as someone else, yet have very different outcomes when it comes to your weight.”
Not every sport affects bodies in the same way and it is important to remember to not compare yourself to others simply based on diets. Every body has different needs and that is okay. To learn more about unhealthy food habits check out writer Isabella Quintaro’s story from this month about eating disorders.
Check out more sports related stories like this one in our Sports tab at the Jenks Trojan Torch website!
#jhstrojantorch
