Maybe you suspect that your training diet is not all that it should be. But there is so much sports nutrition information out there, you never know what to believe and sometimes it just seems easier to skip that breakfast, go with fast food, take that supplement, and forget about cooking. But a good training diet does not have to be hard. Follow two or three of the following tips, and feel confident that your diet will improve for the best!

#1: Keep a training diet diary.
I know of many athletes who keep a diary of their workouts, but I know of very few who keep a food diary. But the concept is the same. Writing things down brings an awareness about your current habits. This insight can be invaluable when trying to figure out why, for example, you didnít perform so well in your last competition or why training lately has gotten a bit stale. It may not be such a mystery when you see that you have only been eating two meals a day for the past week! My advice is to keep a food diary at least one week out of each month. If necessary, you can bring your diary to a sports dietitian, coach, or trainer who may be able to spot potential problems.

#2: Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Oh, come on now, you knew that was coming! The nutrients found in fruits and veggies are essential to a solid training diet. Donít make the mistake of thinking your daily multi-vitamin is as effective as eating whole foods, they are not. Whole fruits and veggies for example contain substances known as phytochemicals that appear to be beneficial to your health. Also, fruits and veggies contain carbohydrates, the preferred energy source of working muscles. Next time you reach for the vitamin C bottle, grab an orange instead and your body will thank you.

#3: Eat breakfast. (That is, if you donít already)
Itís true what your mom said. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and itís name says it all. You are breaking the overnight fast where blood glucose and liver glycogen (storage form of glucose) have become low. Since your muscles rely on glucose during exercise, having glycogen "loaded" muscles before workouts and competitions will result in better performance. My favorite breakfast for athletes: 6 oz. fruit flavored yogurt, 1 cup grape nuts, and 3 sliced strawberries.

#4: Pack a lunch.
It may seem easier and cheaper to just grab a quick burger and fries for lunch, but packing a lunch a few times a week with foods bought at the grocery store ends up being cheaper. Do the math and see! And if you are busy during the lunch hour, youíll find a sack lunch is much more convenient than having to run to a restaurant. A good sack lunch:  tuna sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes, banana, and skim milk.

#5: Cook.
Easier said than done right? I donít expect that most student-athletes will become Martha Stewart, cooking gourmet meals every night. But what I do recommend is to choose one recipe every week that sounds appealing. Make a trip to the grocery store for the ingredients, prepare the meal for you and a friend, and make a little extra for lunch the next day. You can follow tip #2 at the same time and be sure to include a vegetable in the meal. A great web site for easy recipes: www. mealsforyou.com.

Happy training, and remember you can contact me with any and all of your sports nutrition questions: plh@u.arizona.edu.