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3 Fast and Easy Healthy Meals for Athletes

For athletes, nutrition is the key component in a quality training program. An appropriate selection of food, fluids, meal timing and supplement use can altogether affect performance.

Consider the meals you eat as fuel. What you eat becomes you and will determine your performance.

Food is broken down and nutrients are extracted in order to provide you with the energy you need to run up and down the court, field or track during practices and games.

Below are three recipes, which can enhance your performance.

More: 7 Ways to Fuel Your Race Performance

Crusty Maple Oatmeal

Oats, like most grains, are a good source of whole-grain carbohydrates. This high-fiber food will provide adequate calories for an athlete who is demanding energy. Oats are found to favorably alter metabolism and enhance performance when ingested 45 minutes to 1 hour before any exercise of moderate intensity.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups steel cut oatmeal
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons maple sugar
  • 6 tablespoons chopped walnuts

More: The Best Natural Fuel for Runners

Instructions

  1. Cook oatmeal according to directions. In a small bowl, combine the brown and maple sugars. Set aside.
  2. Portion 1 cup servings of oatmeal into individual, oven-safe bowls. Layer, in order, 1 tablespoon walnuts and 1 tablespoon sugar mixture on top of oatmeal.
  3. Place under broiler to melt sugar until it forms a crust and turns golden brown.

More: Top 10 Super Foods for Endurance Athletes

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About the Author

Chrissy Wellington Garner

Chrissy Wellington Garner is a former Division I athlete. She tries to encourage all readers to balance a busy schedule with a healthy lifestyle! She is the co-author of Navigating the Supermarket: A Nutritious Guide to Shopping Well. To learn more about Chrissy follow her on Facebook.
Chrissy Wellington Garner is a former Division I athlete. She tries to encourage all readers to balance a busy schedule with a healthy lifestyle! She is the co-author of Navigating the Supermarket: A Nutritious Guide to Shopping Well. To learn more about Chrissy follow her on Facebook.

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