ΔΙΑΤΡΟΦΗ ΓΙΑ ΝΕΟΥΣ ΚΑΛΑΘΟΣΦΑΙΡΙΣΤΕΣ

An ideal nutrition plan for a young
basketball player and its positive effects
on the player’s development.

Stale Frey

Oslo, March 23rd. 2009

Fiba Europe Coaching Certificate


Table of content

1.0. Introduction page 3

1.1. Specificity page 3

2.0. Nutrients page 4

2.1. Energy needs page 5

2.2. Carbohydrates page 5

2.3. Protein page 6

2.4. Fats page 7

2.5. Vitamins page 7

2.6. Minerals page 8

2.6.1. Iron page 8

2.6.2. Calcium page 9

2.7. The 4-food group page 9

2.8. About nutrition supplements page 10

2.9. Fluid replacement page 11

3.0. When to drink and what to drink page 12

3.1. Carbohydrate loading page 13

3.2. Eat often page 13

3.3. The meals page 13

3.4. The pre-game meal page 15

3.5. Eat and drink immediately after sessions page 15

3.6. Daily menus page 16

3.6.1. Daily menu 1 page 16

3.6.2. Daily menu 2 page 17

3.6.3. Daily menu 3 page 19

3.7. Get organized page 20

4.0. Positive effects on the player’s development page 22

4.1. Blood sugar and concentration page 22

4.2. Fully loaded for every session page 22

4.3. Carbohydrate and fluid replacement page 22

4.4. Protein and strength training page 22

4.5. Recovery page 23

4.6. Iron and calcium page 23


4.7. Immune system page 23
5.0. Summary page 24
Abbreviations list page 26
Reference list page 27

Certificate of Authorship
“I, Frey, Stale, hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the
best of my knowledge and belief, it contains no material previous published or written
by another person.”


1.0. Introduction
It is a scientifically proven fact that nutrition plays an important part of maintaining a
healthy physiology of the human body. Athletes, who train hard, who challenge the
physiological barriers of their bodies both in training and in competition, have to take
extra care in their nutritional program, to make sure their bodies stay finely tuned and
capable of the challenges ahead. An athlete’s nutritional plan will vary according to his
own physique, age, training load, and the characteristics of the sport he is performing in.
There might be slight changes in the nutrition plan as periods change through the year
and the nature of the training may be different. In this task I shall have to consider the
specific demands of a young basketball player in laying out an ideal nutrition plan. Let
me introduce him:

My player’s name is Tom. He is healthy, there are no disorders or deficiencies
to take into consideration. He is 16 years old. He is 185cm tall and weighs 75 kg, and
he is still growing. He loves basketball and he is among the best players in Norway in
his age group. He lives at home with his parents in Oslo, and he attends 1st year of a 3year
high school (gymnas) in a sports academy. This is a school for young, aspiring
athletes, where they offer 3 training sessions per week during school hours; Monday
and Wednesday morning: physical strength and conditioning, and Friday morning:
individual basketball skills.
He has 3 – 4 team practices per week, each lasting 2 hours, and he plays 1 – 2 games
per week-end (with the U 16 team and sometimes with the U 18 team).

He is a versatile, all-round player, has good technique, can play positions 1 – 4
and practices all positiones. He wants to put on some more muscle for speed and
explosiveness.

1.1 Specificity
When planning a nutrition plan for a certain athlete, I have to be specific to his and the
sport’s characteristics. In Tom’s case the physical characteristics are that he is fairly tall
(like a lot of basketball players), and that he is 16 years old and still growing. This
means


that he will need extra energy. His still growing and the fact that he lifts weights and
wants to bulk up a little, means that he will need slightly more protein in his food.

Basketball is often a fast and intense game in spurts, but with plenty of short
breaks, when the clock is stopped and the players can catch their breath and rehydrate.
There is also the halftime break, which is longer (usually 10 – 15 minutes in Tom’s
games). It is a physical game where players have to use the strength of the whole body
and it requires concentration and focus because of the advanced technical skills
needed. Likewise, concentration is needed for the different tactical dispositions, both
offensively and defensively, that are being used in games (sometimes quite a few).
Basketball at Tom’s level is played 4 x 10 minutes, effective time, the total time of a
game adds up to 1h 30 min – 1h 45 min, plus warm-up. Occasionally overtime (5 min.)
will add time to the game.

Tom’s training sessions usually last about 2 hours. Team practice is a lot like a
basketball game; intense, physical, in spurts, short breaks. The individual practices at
school are 1h 45 min, twice a week hard physical training and weights, and Fridays;
light exercise with focus on technical skills, shooting, playing in smaller groups and
stretching. Tom trains all year around, but his off season training is more individual skills
and technique or strength and physical training. The training load is about the same as
in season. Tom’s games are mostly on week-ends, 1 or 2 games. They are all played in
the greater Oslo area, there are no long road trips. 3 – 4 times a year he will travel to
tournaments, where they play 3 – 5 games over 3 – 5 days.

2.0 Nutrients
These are substances in food that are necessary for a person’s growth, development,
reproduction and ability to do strenuous work. In this context I will divide them into 6
main categories:


· Carbohydrates
· fat
· protein
· minerals
· vitamins
· water

The energy we need, we get from 3 sources in our food; Carbohydrate, fat and protein,
and it is of great importance that the percentages between these 3 substances match
the needs of a young basketball player, who is still growing. Tom will have to learn
these percentages along with some basic knowledge of food, regarding which foods are
rich sources for the different nutrients. He will have to constantly refuel to recover
properly and be ready for next session. Vitamins are vital substances, that help the
body utilize the other nutrients in a correct way. Minerals are also vital substances that
help build and maintain the body. Water is the last, important substance. The human
body consists of about 60% water, and staying hydrated is very important for the
performance, both physical and mental.

2.1 Energy needs
Athletes have higher energy needs than less physically active people. The energy
needs depend on the training sessions’ frequency, duration and intensity. Most athletes
need between 10.5 and 25MJ (2500 – 6000 kcal) per day, some endurance athletes,
who train 2 – 3 sessions per day, needing more than 25MJ. The most extreme being up
to 40MJ energy expenditure measured at Tour de France (Paur 2009). To cover the
energy needs, you have to eat enough, so you get enough carbohydrates, fat and
protein. One gram of fat provides twice as much energy as one gram of carbohydrate or
one gram of protein. A diet too low in fat, could therefore provide the body with too little
energy if the training load is big (or you would have to eat an enormous amount of
food). To be able to train optimally, the athlete’s diet must have the correct ratio
between carbohydrates, fat and protein.
Recommended ratio for Tom (Christine Helle 2001):
60 – 65 E% of the energy from carbohydrates
25 – 30 E% of the energy from fat
12 – 15 E% of the energy from protein.


2.2 Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide the primary fuel for exercising muscles. It is essential that young
athletes consume lots of complex carbohydrates on a daily basis, in fact 60 – 65E% of
Tom’s food intake should consist of complex carbohydrates. Foods that contain a lot of
starch, what we call complex carbohydrates, is the best source of carbohydrates,
because they are also rich in other important nutrients, like vitamins, minerals and
dietary fibers. Carbohydrates are found as starch and sugars in food. We get starch
from whole grains, bread, cereals, potatoes, rice, pasta, fruit and vegetables. Sugars we
get from f. ex. sweet cakes and crackers, fruits, yoghurts, ice cream and candy bars,
and from sweet drinks like soft drinks and sweet juices. Carbohydrates are stored as
glycogen in the liver and in skeletal muscles and give the muscle cells energy to
exercise. It is optimal that athletes start every training or game with full glycogen stores.
Full glycogen stores will usually provide fuel for 1 – 2 hours of training, depending on
the intensity, closer to 1 hour in most of Tom’s training sessions. Athletes who train 1 –
2 hours per day should have an intake of 6 – 8 grams (g) of carbohydrates per kg. body
weight (bw), per day. Those who train 2 – 4 hours or more per day need 8 – 12 g per
kg. bw. per day. Tom needs about 8 – 10 g per kg. bw. = 600 – 750 g carbohydrates per
day (Helle 2001).

2.3 Protein
Proteins are the building blocks of the body. Its main function is to build and maintain
tissue, especially muscle repair after exercise breakdown. We hardly ever use protein
as a source of energy (less than 10 %), but if your energy needs are not covered and
you are low on carbohydrates, the body will break down muscle mass into glycogen to
keep the blood sugar levels up. This is, of course, not desireable for athletes, because it
decreases your muscle strength. If you eat too much proteins, the body will take what it
needs for the protein synthesis, and the rest will eventually be stored as fat. This is also
not desireable. Therefore it is important to educate athletes and make sure they know
that all you really need of protein is 12 – 15 E% of your food intake. If you have a well
balanced diet, there is no need for protein supplements (Norum 2003). A good advice
is to eat a little protein with every meal.


Animal protein is said to have a higher quality than vegetarian protein. This is not
exactly true, but animal protein usually contains all the amino acids whereas vegetarian
proteins need to be combined, f. ex. beans and corn to get all the amino acids.
By combining animal – and vegetarian – protein in your meals, you will ensure sufficient
protein quality. Animal protein is found in red meat, poultry, fish, eggs and dairy
products. Vegetarian protein is found in corn, rice, whole grain, peas, beans, lentils and
nuts. Sedentary people need 1g protein per kg bw per day. Endurance athletes need

1.2 – 1.4g. Tom, who is still growing and building muscles both naturally and through
weight training, needs 1.6 – 1.7 g per kg bw = 120 -130 g protein per day (Helle
2001).
2.4 Fats
Fats are important because they provide essential fatty acids to the body, and they
allow the body to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Fat can also be an important source of
energy during long training-sessions. Fat also has an important task in insulation and

support for internal organs.

Fat contains fatty acids that we divide into saturated and unsaturated fat.
Depending on the structure of the unsaturated fatty acids, we can again divide them
into: monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat. Unsaturated fat contains fatty acids
that are particularly beneficial for physical performance and good health. Athletes
should make sure that most of their fat intake comes from unsaturated fat.

Saturated fat is found in f. ex. milk products, cheese, butter, hard margarine,
beef, potato chips and pommes frites. Monounsaturated fat is found in f. ex. poultry,
eggs, olives, olive-oil, avocado and nuts. Polyunsaturated fat comes from i.e. fat fish
(salmon, makrell, herring, trout), soft margarines, nuts and certain oils. Tom needs 25 30
E% of his food to come from fat (Helle 2001).

–.



2.5 Vitamins
Vitamins are nutrients that are necessary for the energy expenditure in our bodies.
Different vitamins have different tasks and they cannot replace each other. We divide
vitamins into 2 main groups: fat-soluable and water-soluable vitamins.
Vitamin A, D and E are fat-soluable. The best sources for vitamin A are fish oil
(tran), fat fish, whole milk, liver, margarine and carrots. Vitamin D is found mostly in fish
oil, fat fish, low fat milk and margarine. Vitamin D is also produced in our skin when
exposed to sunlight. Vitamin E is found in small amounts in most foods, but only oils
from plants are rich in vitamin E. Those kids that do not eat a lot of fish (quite a few, I
would imagine), should be adviced to take a spoon of fish oil, or at least omega-3
capsuls, every day to ensure the need for fat-soluable vitamins and polyunsaturated
fatty acids is covered.
Vitamin C and B are water-soluable. The need for vitamin B depends on the
total energy expenditure and it increases with more energy spent. The different vitamins
in the B – group are found in many foods, f. ex. whole grain, milk products, eggs and
meat. If you eat enough and varied foods, you will cover your need for vitamin B.
Vitamin C is, among other things, important for our immune system and for efficient help
in iron uptake, which is important for athletes. Some of the best sources for vitamin C
are oranges, orange juice, kiwi, red peppers and potatoes. If you eat different fruits and
vegetables every day, you will get enough vitamin C.

2.6 Minerals
Minerals are utilized together with proteins for growth and repair of body tissue. Some
examples of minerals are: calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron and sink. It is
easy to cover the need for minerals through a diverse selection of foods. The exception
is iron (see below). A diet that includes a lot of fruit, whole grains and vegetables
provides a high intake of vitamins and minerals. This is important, not only for the
athlete’s performance, but also to have a healthy immune system and help prevent
lifestyle diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, heart conditions etc. At least
5 servings of fruit and vegetables per day is recommended.


2.6.1 Iron
Iron is important for the transportation of oxygen in the blood. Endurance capacity
depends a lot on the amount of iron in the blood and stored in the body. Iron is also an
important nutrient for growth and therefore important to juveniles. Iron loss through f. ex.
bleeding (especially female athletes through menstruation) and red blood cell distruction
through physical impact with the floor or with other players, must be compensated
through food to prevent anemia (iron deficiency). A coach should be able to recognize
the symptoms of low iron status: tiredness, dizziness, headaches, and decreased
endurance capacity. A simple blood test will show the iron status if you suspect this.
Incidently, in Norway, we have, after the plague in the 14th century, that wiped out half

of the Norwegian population, a large number of people with a mutation that makes them
store too much iron (Borch-Iohnsen, Hauge-2001).

That is why, especially in Norway, it is very important to take a blood test to monitor the
iron status before you give somebody iron supplements.

Tom should make sure he gets his share of iron rich foods. They are liver
products, lean red meat, whole grain cereals, poultry and whole grain bread. A good tip
is to have a glass of orange juice with your bread or cereal, because vitamin C (found in
orange juice) increases the iron uptake effectively. On the same note, be aware that
coffee and tea will have the opposite effect on iron uptake.

2.6.2 Calcium
Calcium is the main component in our bones. Young people, who are still growing, need
extra calcium to reach the desired bone density. Vitamin D is necessary for the calcium
uptake. Most foods have some calcium in them but milk products and cheese are by far
the richest sources. If you leave out milk products and cheese from your diet, it is
difficult to cover your calcium needs. You should therefore have some milk, yoghurt or
cheese every day. Sardines, almonds, whole grain and green lettuce are good calcium
rich alternatives.


2.7 The 4 food groups
These 4 categories of foods are the essentials of good nutrition (McArdle et al. 1985). If
variety in each group is provided, you get all the essential nutrients. If the foods are
stored correctly, cooking and handling are proper and Tom follows the recommended
servings of each group, adequate nutrition is assured.

1.
Milk and milk products. Examples: Milk, cheese, ice cream, sour cream, yoghurt.
Recommended daily servings for Tom: 4
2.
Meat and high protein. Examples: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, with dried beans,
peas, nuts or peanut-butter as alternatives. Recommended daily servings for
Tom: 2
3.
Fruits and vegetables. Examples: Dark green or yellow vegetables, citrus fruits,
tomato. Recommended daily servings for Tom: 5
4.
Cereal and grain food. Examples: Enriched breads, cereals, flour, baked goods,
whole grain products. Recommended daily servings for Tom: 4 -5
2.8 About nutrition supplements
Nutrition supplements is a big industry. There is a vast variety of different supplements
on the marked and a lot of them are aimed at athletes. They are often advertised as
substances that will increase your strength and power, make you run faster, increase
your endurance and so on. Many athletes use nutrition supplements believing that they
will enhance their performance or that they cannot get full nutritional value from food
and drinks alone.
We can organize supplements in two main groups; those that provide extra
supply of nutrients, examples being iron pills, multivitamin pills or protein powder, and
those that claim to enhance performance in one way or another. Examples are caffeine,
kreatin or ginseng.
A healthy, young basketball player should always seek to cover his energy –
and nutritional – needs through a healthy and varied diet. If Tom follows the guidelines
laid out here, he has no need for nutrition supplements. There are, however, some
athletes, who at one time or another might find themselves in a situation, where it could


be relevant to consider taking supplements. This should, however, be monitored by a
nutritional specialist or sports physician. Some of these situations are:

· low energy intake
· weight reduction
· periods with scarce variety in foods
· strict vegetarian diet
· diets lacking basis foods, like whole grain, milk products, fish, meat
· heavy menstrual bleeding
· menstrual irregularities
· frequent infections in (upper) trachea
· planning altitude training
You could consider a sports drink and a sports bar a supplement, and in that
case, it is the exception to the “rule” of making do with food and drinks alone. They both
have a natural place during and immediately after training and games. They provide a
practical and simple way to add the much needed carbohydrates to the body.

Those supplements that claim to enhance performance, have flooded the
marked over the last years and athletes have every right to be sceptical to these
products. My simple advice is: “Don’t touch them”. Insufficient research, untold side
effects or even counter effects and possibly illegal substances should make it an easy
choice.

2.9 Fluid replacement
The human body consists of up to 60% water (McArdle et al.1985) and in order to
perform well you need to be hydrated. You loose fluids continuously throughout the day
through breathing, perspiration, feces and urination. To cover your basic fluid loss, you
should drink at least 2 liters per day. Through physical exercise you loose a lot more
fluid, so athletes must drink before, during and after training and games to compensate.
Tom should drink regularly throughout the day, both with meals and between.
Milk and orange juice are great choices with bread and whole grain cereals. Milk is a
good source for protein and calcium and orange juice increases iron uptake through
vitamin C. With dinner and as a between-meals-beverage, water is the best choice. It is


pure, healthy and contains no acid. It is what the body needs. Be careful with tea and
coffee before games and practices because caffeine is diuretic and will increase your
fluid loss. Caffeine also inhibits the iron uptake somewhat.

It would be beneficial to a lot of athletes to drink more during the day. It is not
harmful to drink too much. The kidneys will automatically get rid of the excess. Water is
bound to glycogen in muscle cells, so the fluid stores are increased with full glycogen
stores (another good reason for carbohydrate loading).

The colour of your urine can tell you a lot about your level of hydration. The
darker the colour, the more dehydrated you are. Clear or light yellow colour means you
are back in fluid balance.

3.0 When to drink and what to drink
Staying hydrated is of great importance. Even a fluid loss of 1 – 2 % of the body weight
will clearly decrease an athlete’s performance or work capacity. Tom has to make sure
he starts every game or practice fully hydrated. He should drink 500 ml 2 hours before
practice. Then he should drink during breaks, 150 – 300 ml every 10 – 15 minutes will
usually be sufficient. Start drinking breaks during warm-ups. A good rule is to drink so
you don’t get thirsty. If you get thirsty, you are already dehydrating. Other signs of
dehydration are:

· irritability
· dizziness
· headaches
· cramps
· nausea
· decreased performance
If you are exercising in a hot climate or at a high altitude, you loose more fluid and will
have to compensate for that. Start rehydrating immediately after practice and check
urine colour for fluid status. You are usually pretty well rehydrated after you have
urinated twice.

Since all of Tom’s practices and games last more than 1 hour, he will have to
refuel with carbohydrates as well. Sports drinks that has a 4 – 8 % carbohydrate


solution (Kavouras 2007), or even weak juice solution with some salts (which is
cheaper), will cover your needs. Alternatively, you can eat quick carbohydrates, such as
banana or raisins in small doses, with your water. It has a high glycemic index, and will
be absorbed quickly. Tom should absorb 30 – 60 grams of quick carbohydrates per
hour of exercise. Ideally, Tom (and the other players on his team) should have an
individualized hydration plan. That means they measure how much they sweat during a
regular workout or game, and make sure they drink at least that same amount during
the activity.

3.1 Carbohydrate loading
Most teenage athletes are unstructured when it comes to nutrition. They eat when they
are hungry and drink when they are thirsty, and that is not good enough. Tom has 7 – 9
sessions per week and he has a hard time covering his energy needs. For him it is
important to have a high carbohydrates intake every day, every meal. He should be fully
loaded before every workout, because some practices are even more intense than
games. I therefore utilize the Australian 1 day protocol (Kavouras 2007) for glycogen
loading; a light practice the last day before a big game or a tournament, and a
carbohydrate rich meal; 10 grams of carbohydrates per kilo body weight , in Tom’s
case 750 g.
Reloading of carbohydrates starts immediately after training or game. Tom has
to make sure he eats a light meal, rich in carbohydrates, within the first 30 minutes after
the session. The absorbstion is most effective then and the body is very anabolic. This
must be taken advantage of.

3.2 Eat often
A good rule for Tom to remember is: Never get starving hungry, and never get
uncomfortably full. In other words: Eat often. That way the absorbtion of nutrients is
more effective, and it is easier to cover your energy needs. It is also easier to have
more variety in your diet.
My advice to Tom will be to eat 4 main meals every day; breakfast – lunch –
dinner –evening meal. In addition he should have 2 small in-between-meals, one


immediately after practice or game and one during a break at school or after school or
at night if intervals between meals are long (eat something if you are hungry).

3.3 The meals
Breakfast, lunch and dinner should be relatively big meals, that each contribute with 20
– 30 % of your daily energy intake. Your evening meal might be smaller, but it is still an
important meal because it is the last chance to carb up for the next day. Breakfast,
lunch and evening meal are your main resources for filling your glycogen stores and
should have a high carbohydrate content. Small doses of animal protein should also be
included. Good examples are:
· Oatmeal with jam or fruit and milk
· Whole grain cereal with jam or fruit with milk or yoghurt
· Thick slices of whole grain bread with cheese, fish, meat, liverwurst or jam with
fruit juice and milk
Dinner provides the variation in your nutrients intake and should contain some fish,
poultry, beef or eggs so you get enough quality protein. You need a lot of potatoes, rice
or pasta with it to ensure you get enough carbohydrates. Dinner should also always
include cooked or raw vegetables or salad because they are the best sources for
vitamins and minerals. Tom’s dinner plate should look like this:

· . fish, meat, poultry, eggs
· . salad, vegetables
· ½ potatoes, rice, pasta
The in-between-meals are important so you can maintain stabile blood sugar levels. For
that you need to eat some carbohydrates every 3 – 4 hours. Your in-between-meals
should mostly consist of foods and drinks that are rich in carbohydrates. Some fruit and
vegetables as in-between-meals make it easy to fulfil the recommended doses of 5 per
day. Tom has a high energy-need and should also include some carbohydrate-rich
snacks with these meals. Some examples:
· Fresh fruit and vegetables
· Yoghurt with whole grain cereal
· Bread or crackers with spread or lunch meat
· Dried fruit, raisins, muffin, energy bar

It is not customary in Norway to have a hot meal for lunch, but ideally, hot lunch, with a
dinner-like variety of foods is preferable for Tom, to make sure he covers his energy
needs.

3.4 The pre game meal
The pre game, or pre-exercise meal should be eaten 3 – 4 hours before the event and
should provide the last loading of glycogen and enough fluid to make sure your fluid
levels are in balance. By 3 hours your blood sugar levels are back to normal and you
should have a comfortable feeling in your stomach; not full, not hungry. Some athletes
will feel the need for a light snack about an hour before exercise, and in that case it
should be in the form of quick carbohydrates, like a ripe banana or wheat roll with jam. It
is important that you do not eat the last hour before exercise. Food will cause a rise in
blood sugar and this triggers the release of insulin. Insulin sends the message to the
body to store the newly added energy. This will cause a rapid drop in blood sugar and
you might start the exercise feeling weak and exhausted.
The pre-game meal should be high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein and
low in fat, fibers and caffeine. In general, athletes should eat a high fiber diet, but the
pre-event meal is the exception. Fibers in large quantities before an event, may lead to
gas and discomfort during the event. You should chew the food well, so you do not have
big lumps of food sitting in your stomach. It digests slower. Good examples of what the
main ingredient in a good pre-game meal should consist of, are cereals, whole grain
bread, oatmeal, pasta, potatoes or rice. Tom’s favourite is spaghetti Bolognese with
lean meat in tasty tomato sauce. That is an excellent choice.
Have plenty of water with your meal and closer to game time. Carbonated soft
drinks can give gas and discomfort, and they are too sweet when you are not active. As
mentioned above, it will throw off your blood sugar levels as might sports drinks. Save
the sports drink for warm up time. Caffeine is diuretic, as mentioned earlier, so stay
away from tea and coffee last 3 hours before exercise. Finally, be careful with milk,
especially whole milk, because it may cause mucus production in the throat of some
people.


3.5 Eat and drink immediately after sessions
As mentioned earlier, glycogen loading should start within the first 30 minutes after
activity, because the body is extremely anabolic and the uptake is at its most efficient.
Likewise, rehydration should start immediately after exercise. The carbohydrates
needed, you can get from both fluid (sports drink) and foods with high glycemic index.
Tom will learn to always have some food ready in his gym bag for after practice or
game. Or better yet, the team staff could have some food ready for the players if the
resources are there. Optimally Tom needs at least 1 gram pr.kg.bw of carbohydrates
during the first 30 minutes after exercise. He also needs some protein in this meal to
start the tissue repair. Good examples of quick, after-session meals are:

•
Cereal with milk or yoghurt
•
2 slices of bread with protein rich spread (cheese, fish, egg, lunch-meat) and
chocolate milk
•
1 banana and 2 dl of raisins + peanuts – mix
Drink a glass of sports drink and a glass of orange juice with this meal, and you are well
on your way to a good recovery. Note that the protein intake is especially important after
weight training sessions. A fuller, more complete meal should be had within the next 2
hours.

3.6 Daily menus
Here are 3 examples of daily menus with different content. Tom’s days are not all alike.
Some days he trains once, other days he trains twice and occasionally he has a day off
from practice.



3.6.1 Daily menu 1
Energy: ca 10 MJ (2400 kcal). For days with 1 light (or no) training session.
Breakfast

1 serving oatmeal with jam
1 slice of whole grain bread with goat cheese
2 dl skimmed milk

2 dl orange juice

In – between – meal
1 banana
1 glass of water

Lunch
1 large serving of salad with shrimps and dressing
2 whole grain rolls with light margarine

1 – 2 glasses of water

Dinner
1 serving lasagne
1 large bowl of salad and dressing

1 white roll with light margarine
2 glasses of water

90 min. basketball practice
10 dl sports drink

After practice
1 fruit yoghurt
1 dl raisins

1 apple
2 glasses of orange juice


Evening meal
1 slice of whole grain bread with swiss cheese and tomato
1 slice of whole grain bread with liverpate
2 dl hot chocolate

This menu will probably not fully cover Tom’s energy needs even on days without
practices. He is still a growing boy and he needs to compensate even on idle days.

3.6.2 Daily menu 2:
Energy: ca 15 MJ (3600 kcal). For days with 2 training sessions.
Breakfast
1 bowl of cereal with raisins
3 dl fruit yoghurt

2 dl orange juice

60 min. technique training
8 dl water

After training

5 dl water
1 wheat roll
1 banana

Lunch
1 slice of whole grain bread with margarine, swiss cheese and red pepper
2 slices of whole grain bread with makrell in tomato sauce

2 dl apple juice
1 carrot
1 orange


120 min. basketball practice
12 dl sports drink

After practice

1 banana
1 sports bar
4 dl orange juice

Dinner
1 serving chicken casserole
1 large serving rice

1 bowl of salad with dressing
1 semidark roll with margarine
1 small bowl of ice cream

Evening meal
2 slices of whole grain bread with goat cheese
2 dl light milk

3.6.3 Daily menu 3:
Energy: ca 20 MJ (4800 kcal). For days with 2 training sessions.
Breakfast
2 slices of whole grain bread with margarine and goat cheese
2 slices of whole grain bread with margarine and banana

5 dl low fat milk
2 dl orange juice

45 min. shooting practice
5 dl water


After practice
5 dl apple nectar
1 cup of yoghurt with cereal
1 pear

Late lunch (pre game meal)
2 baguettes with margarine, white cheese, lean ham and salad
5 dl orange juice

Basketball game + warm up. 150 min.
15 dl sports drink
1 banana at halftime
5 dl water

After the game
5 dl water
2 white rolls with margarine and jam

Dinner

1 bowl of soup

2 whole grain rolls with margarine

1 serving boiled trout

1 large serving boiled potatoes

1 serving steamed vegetables

1 serving gravy

1 bowl of fruit salad with vanilla sauce


3.7 Get organized
There are several potential obstacles for an ideal nutrition plan with 16 years old

athletes:

· Not enough knowledge about the importance of a sound, varied and
individualized nutrition plan.

· Not enough knowledge about the nutritional contents of different foods and drinks
· Nonchalance
· Undisciplined / unstructured kids
· Poor cooking skills
· Time factor – homework, friends, cooking.
· Living alone
· Wrong idea about nutritional facts
As coaches we can educate our young players. Teach them the facts about nutrition
and the importance of eating and drinking right. We should teach them to bring some
after-training snacks to practice, just like you always bring your water bottle. Work it into
the group, so it becomes a habit, and have them eat together in the locker room after
practice. Teach them to cook, or have somebody else teach them, especially those who
live alone. They need to be followed up. Tom, luckily, lives with his parents, but as he
gets older and more independent, and as his training-and game-schedule varies, he
needs to take more responsibility himself. He needs to establish good habits.

Take the time factor into consideration. There is homework to be done, Tom
has to take a bus across town to get to practice, there are friends to see and on top of
all that, cooking takes time. That is why he has to plan ahead. Bring an extra lunch box
along. Keep a lot of fruit and vegetables at home for quick in-between snacks. Make
double or triple servings of suitable dinners so you can easily warm it up in 3 minutes.
Learn to cook quick meals like omelettes and tuna fish salad.

The coach can also gather the group for pre-game meals. This is a great way
to make sure they eat right, at the right time and a good time to emphasize the
importance of nutrition. I find that it is also a great way to gather the group for tactical
meeting and get them tuned in for the game. On training camps and week-end
tournaments, try to have most of the meals together as a group. It is good for nutrition
and good for team spirit.

Bust the locker-room myths about protein powder and other nutritional
supplements. Teach the players that if they follow a healthy, varied diet plan, like the
one I have laid out here, you do not need supplements. You should also be aware that
even in Scandinavia, where control of pharmaceuticals and supplements are quite strict,
at least 15 % of the products are not clean (Helle 2007). You might have a doping
scandal on your hands.

If you have athletes in your group who needs special attention because of
some disorder or deficiency of some kind, the nutrition supplement plan should be
managed by a nutritional specialist.


Finally, I do not expect Tom to remember the exact amount of grams of
carbohydrate and protein he needs every day. I do not want him to count calories and
weigh his food. I just want him to understand the big picture, have a rough idea and live
by it.

I therefore break it down to a few, simple rules, that I will expect Tom to
remember:

1.
Cover your energy needs.
Make sure you eat enough.
2.
60–25–15
Stands for E % of carbohydrates – fat – protein
3.
Eat often
Remember: never starving hungry, never uncomfortably full
4.
Eat immediately after exercise.
First 30 minutes are crucial. 1 part protein, 3 parts carbohydrates
5.
Drink before, during and after exercise
Drink so you don’t get thirsty. Check urine colour
6.
Use fruits and vegetables as snacks and in-between meals
At least 5 per day
4.0 Positive effects on the player’s development
In the previous chapters I have pointed out the immediate effects that the different
substances have on an athlete’s physiology. I now want to sum up the effects that an
ideal nutrition plan will have on Tom’s development as a basketball player in a bigger
picture.

4.1 Blood sugar and concentration
Basketball is a complex game. There is a lot to learn, both theoretically (plays,
philosophies, strategies) and practically (drills, skills, physical training). In order to stay
focused throughout the whole practice or game, you need to have your blood sugar
level right. By staying concentrated and focused Tom will have a high quality session
every time, learning quicker and better and performing better.


4.2 Fully loaded for every session
If Tom starts every practice or game fully hydrated and with full glycogen stores, he will
be able to play with a high intensity and without dropping in concentration. He will feel
strong and play strong. Playing with a high intensity will become his habit and will make
him a better player in the long run. Fully loaded will keep him going hard for about an
hour, which brings me to the next point.

4.3 Carbohydrate and fluid replacement
Tom’s games and practices are usually 2 hours or more, so it is important to start
replacing fluids and carbohydrates and salts (sports drink) when exercise starts. Take
frequent water breaks. This will make sure Tom will have enough fuel to be an intense

player through the whole session.

4.4 Proteins and strength training
A protein rich diet combined with strength training gives the desired effect of
hypertrophy of the muscles Tom trains hard. He will get more maximum strength in his
legs as a base for increased quickness, jumping ability, speed and power. It will make
him a quicker and stronger defender and a more explosive offensive player, giving him
an extra edge when penetrating to the basket or breaking through a press. Strong,
powerful legs is where it all starts for a basketball player. He will have strong arms,
shoulders, chest and back for blocking out or wrestling with bigger guys on the low post,
or setting screens or pulling down rebounds. He will also have a longer passing and
shooting range. He will have a strong torso, the abdominal and deep back muscles will
provide stability and balance f. ex. In his jump shot or when he is blocking a shot or
reaching for a rebound or a high pass. He will not be thrown off balance so easily.

An important psychological effect of strength training is that Tom feels stronger
and more powerful and therefore he plays stronger, you don’t back down. He chooses
to go strong into duels.

Greater overall strength also makes him less vulnerable for injuries, thus
minimizing time away from practice and games. His strong physique will enable him to
absorb the training, and the joint stability and muscle power will help him to stay fit and
healthy.


4.5 Recovery
By eating and drinking right and at the right time, starting immediately after practice, his
recovery; rehydration, glycogen loading and tissue repair after exercise breakdown will
be most effective for desired effect.

4.6 Iron and calcium
Eating right will make sure these levels are in balance. Iron binds oxygen in the blood
and is vital for endurance and calcium is important for a young player’s bone density.
Strong bones make him less vulnerable to stress fractures, tendinittis and certain other

injuries.

4.7 Immune system
A strong immune system is one of the effects of a healthy and diverse nutrition plan.
With a strong immune system Tom will be less vulnerable to infections and sickness. He
will have less time away from basketball because he is healthy or because he will fight
off diseases quicker.

Last, but not least, a fortunate side effect of training and good nutrition and a
strong immune system is that you will have a good health in the long run. If you keep up
your habit of training and eating right, chances are you will stay strong and healthy in
years way beyond your basketball career.


5.0 Summary
Tom is 16 years old. He is an ambitious basketball player. He trains hard and he is still
growing and it is important for his development as a basketball player to eat and drink
right. Covering his energy needs is the first problem. Through a ratio of 60 – 65E%
carbohydrates, 25 – 30E% fat and 12 – 15E% protein and frequent meals his specific
needs will be met. His need for vitamins and minerals should also be covered through
his food. By making sure he gets foods from the 4 food groups several times per day,
he will get all the nutrients he needs. Variety and moderation are key words. Eat 4 full
meals and 2 in-between meals every day. Never get starving hungry and never
uncomfortably full. Eat your pregame meal 3 – 4 hours before exercise and eat
something within 30 minutes after practice to help a speedy recovery and starting
carbohydrate loading. There should be no need for nutrition supplements. Fluid
replacement is another important issue with athletes because even a minor degree of
dehydration will drastically decrease your performance. Drink so you don’t get thirsty
and use sports drinks during and after sessions.
An athlete should plan his meals the way he plans his training. Tom must learn
to be responsible for following his own nutrition plan. He has to be organized and
develop good habits like always bringing a water bottle to practice and always have a
light snack for after practice in his bag. He has to learn about the different foods and
their contents, he has to learn some cooking skills and about planning ahead. Cook for
a couple of days ahead, it will save time. Bring an extra lunchbox along and keep fruit,
vegetables and nuts handy for a quick snack. If Tom memorizes and lives by the 6 basic
rules for practical nutrition, he will be ok.
Tom’s development as a basketball player depends on a lot of things, but hard
training is an important ingredient. For the desired effect of hard training, his nutrition
plan must be optimal. Only then will he stay mentally focused and physically strong
through the whole practice, helping him to pursue an ever higher level of play. He will
build the explosive physique he wants with weight training and optimal nutrition. He will
have a better chance of staying healthy both in the short and long run.


Abbreviations list
bw – body weight
carbs – carbohydrates
carb up – carbohydrate loading
cm – centimetres
dl – decilitres
E% – percent of energy from food
g – grams
h – hour
kcal – kilocalories
kg – kilograms
min – minutes
ml – millilitres
MJ – megajoule


Reference list


Borch-Iohnsen B., Hauge A (2001). “Bor jernpreparater reseptlegges?” Tidsskrift for
Den Norske L.geforening. 121: 460-462. Oslo. Den Norske L.geforening.

Helle, C (2001). ”Prester bedre med riktig kost”. Oslo. Olympiatoppen.no
Link: fagsider – brosjyrer.

Helle, C. (2007). Lecture at Olympiatoppen, Oslo.

Kavouras S.A. (2007). Lecture at FECC coach clinic, Crete.

McArdle W., Katch F., Katch V. (1985). Exercise physiology. Philadelphia PA.
Lea & Febiger.

Norum K et al. (2003) Mat og prestasjon. Oslo. Sosial og Helsedirektoratet
Olympiatoppen.no , link: fagsider – brosjyrer

Paur Ingvild, MSc, Phd student, nutrition 2008 – 2009. Personal communication.