It is well-known among athletes that diet is very important. The foods you fuel your body with directly impact your performance. This list is not only for athletes on a D1 team or of the elite level, but also for everyone who lives an active lifestyle. As Nike puts it, "if you have a body, you are an athlete." Below, you will find the foods you need to fuel your body with in order to achieve your peak performance level. Whether you are training for a marathon, catching a kickboxing class at the gym, playing ultimate frisbee, weightlifting, etc, these foods are essential to a healthy diet.
Protein
The best way to prepare your meat is by baking, broiling, grilling, or stir-frying.
Chicken breast
Ground turkey, chicken, lean beef
Pork loin
Fish: Salmon, tilapia, mahi mahi, tuna
Produce
Your goal should be 5+ fruits and veggies of different colors daily.
Fruit
Red: Apples, strawberries, cherries, raspberries
Yellow/Orange: Bananas, nectarines, apricots, cantaloupe, orange, mango, peaches, pineapple
Green: Apples, honeydew, kiwi, grapes, avocado
Blue/Purple: Blueberries, blackberries, grapes, plums
Vegetables
Red: Peppers, tomatoes, radishes
Orange/yellow: Peppers, sweet potato, squash, corn
Green: Dark leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, green beans
Blue/Purple: Eggplant
Deli
Cheese: Low-fat, skim, or 2 percent.
Lunchmeat: Ham, roast beef, turkey, chicken.
Hummus/Veggie Dip
Dairy
Yogurt: Greek, light, low-fat
Milk: Fat free, skim, soy
Eggs: Egg whites
Cheese: Cottage cheese, low fat or 2 percent.
Bakery
Your goal should be to make half of your daily grains whole.
Bagels: Whole grain
Bread: Whole/multi grain
English muffins: Whole grain
Snacks
Baked chips/pretzels
Nuts: Almonds, pistachios, walnuts
Dried fruit: No added sugar
Crackers: Whole wheat as the 1st ingredient
Popcorn: Light/no added butter
Sports bars: 10 g protein, 30-40g carbohydrates
Condiments
BBQ/Soy/Ketchup/Mustard/Salsa
Cooking oil/spray: Olive or canola
Mayonnaise: Light
Salad dressing: Vinaigrette/low-fat
Beverages
WATER
100 percent fruit juice
Sugar-free flavored water
Sports drinks: Before/during/after a workout
With these foods in mind, make sure you eat consistently throughout the day. This will help you maintain lean muscle mass because you're body doesn't have to resort to breaking down the muscle tissue and other nutrient stores for energy. Make sure to hydrate! (Alcohol can contribute to excessive calories and carbohydrates, which the body stores as fat).
No matter what physical activity you are doing, make sure you are giving your body the proper food and nutrients. You know what they say, having a healthy body is 30 percent exercise and 70 percent diet!
