The game of sports nutrition appears to be less about winning and losing and more about staying fresh in the late stages of a workout or competition. And dietitians are laying claim to their share of the credit for training regimens that work.
“If we can prevent the onset of fatigue, we can help athletes avoid injury,” said Kris Clark, director of sports nutrition for 29 athletic teams at Penn State University in State College, Pa. “Risk of injury goes up when there is inadequate fluid, calorie and carbohydrate intake.”
Clark was speaking about the merits of “outcome-based” sports nutrition at a meeting of the American Dietetic Association. Her fellow panelist was Nancy Clark (no relation), a Boston adviser who has consulted with many top runners, the Red Sox and the womens pro basketball team, the New England Blizzard.
Winning a championship or achieving a personal best is never due to just one factor, be it training, nutrition or mental preparation, Nancy Clark said.
But dietitians espousing “outcome-based” theory are trying to get more respect for their contributions.
“Nutritionists could never claim full credit,” Nancy Clark said. “But it is possible to keep records about whether clients are feeling better and performing better.”
She discussed one marathoner who improved his time by 45 minutes. He said his new eating plan had made all the difference. Although glad for the endorsement, Nancy Clark said that the diet deserved credit only for allowing the runner to stick more closely to a training program. That perspective shares the success with other coaches and advisers.
Yet nutritionists, like everyone else in the health care chain, are concerned about proving their worth. The topic is especially important for dietitians who work with clients who have medical problems such as cardiovascular disease or diabetes. A typical occurrence is an insurance carrier paying for expensive diagnostic procedures but rejecting relatively low-cost nutritional consulting.
Proving their value is going to make money for nutritionists. But it also helps convince clients – including professional athletes – to stick with a healthful eating program.
“I got a Christmas card from one of the hockey players last year,” said Julie Burns, a sports nutritionist who operates SportFuel in Western Springs and consults with the Blackhawks and Bulls. “He wrote his thanks that due to my plan he felt stronger than past seasons.”
No one but the client can provide the commitment to “shop right, know how to prepare food and keep eating right,” Burns said. Nutritionists can prove their worth by matching the client with a realistic program-while possibly convincing the client that complicated regimens or special supplements such as the currently hot creatine are unnecessary.
“Some clients, even top athletes, are looking for a magic bullet,” Burns said. “They dont accept that the easy, simple steps will do the job. But it is amazing how very small changes can lead to improved performance. I see it all the time.”
Kris Clark said she counsels about 15 Penn State athletes daily about such topics as weight control, dietary supplements, eating habits and alcohol (in a recent survey, 397 of 483 Penn State athletes said they drink alcoholic beverages).
Like Burns, she doesn’t discount the obvious but overlooked fundamentals of proper sports nutrition. In monthly “team talks,” she exhorts players to get enough calories, carbohydrates and fluids.
For calories, Kris Clark lectures Penn State teams about not skipping meals, eating at the right times (adding breakfast and pre-workout snacks are key ideas) and avoiding “empty” calories found in junk food.
“We try to teach athletes that carbos come from four to five food groups, not just pasta,” joked Kris Clark, who also consults with the U.S. men’s and women’s soccer teams.
Fluids are not to be overlooked. Clark’s carry-your-water-bottle-to-practice plan is popular with Penn State coaches. Some have noted their athletes seem less tired at the end of long workouts.
“It’s simple but effective,” Kris Clark said at the ADA meeting. “It also increases awareness among both the players and coaches while often carrying over to better eating habits. Those same kids with the water bottles are starting to eat a bagel or energy bar to get enough calories and carbohydrates for a strenuous practice.”
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Let’s take our own timeout from Training Table to make an appeal for the Tribune Holiday Fund. Although most of us think about food choices for our fitness regimen, there are too many Chicago area families simply worried about getting enough food. Same goes for finding shelter or acquiring a warm pair of shoes (rather than deciding among the newest models of Nike, Adidas or Reebok). If you can, please contribute.
