Question:

During training, a 50 kg gymnast and a 100 kg football player would need to eat the same number and size of servings of food.

Training Diet Action Plans

The following table identifies three different action plans based on Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. The appropriate dietary action plan should supply adequate fuel to optimize your current training demands. Judged sports, such as gymnastics, diving, skating and equestrian require less energy than endurance events like triathlons, cross country running, skiing, or road racing. Growth, gender and body size also influence energy needs. Some athletes may need to exceed the serving suggestions. Before modifying diet or eating patterns, athletes should obtain assistance from a registered dietitian with expertise in sport.

Common serving sizes: one serving is
Grain products – 30 g of cold cereal (check the label for the volume of 30 g); 1 slice of bread; 175 mL hot cereal/porridge; a pancake or waffle; 4 to 6 crackers (30 g); ½ a bagel (the size of a hockey puck); ½ a bread roll; ½ a 10 cm pita; one roti, chapatti or tortilla; 125 mL cooked rice, grain or pasta; 375 mL popped popcorn; 30 g cereal bar.
Vegetables and fruit – 250 mL of leafy salad vegetables; 125 mL of fresh, frozen or canned vegetables, fruit or juice; a medium vegetable or fruit (the size of a tennis ball); 60 mL dried fruit.
Milk products - 250 mL milk or fortified soy beverage; 175 g yogurt; 50 g cheese (3 one inch cubes or 2 processed cheese slices); 375 mL frozen yogurt or ice cream; 500 mL cottage cheese.
Meat and alternatives – 50 - 100 g meat, fish, poultry (the size of a deck of cards); 125 - 250 mL cooked dried beans, peas or lentils; 1 - 2 eggs; 100 g tofu; 30 mL nut butter; 30 to 60 mL seeds or nuts; two wieners.
Other foods – Foods and beverages that are not part of the four food groups are called ‘other foods’. There are no defined serving sizes. Some examples are: butter, margarine, oil, mayonnaise, salad dressing, sugar, honey, syrup, candy, soft drinks, cookies, cake, potato chips, jam, ketchup, fruit drinks, fruit pie, cream, cream cheese, gravy, water, tea, coffee, beer, wine, alcoholic beverages.

Variety, moderation and quality food are important concepts when planning meals and making food choices.

Question

Grain products are the only good source of carbohydrate.

Sport Nutrition requires Teamwork!

Your body needs more than 50 different nutrients every day. No one food or food group contains all of these nutrients: you get them all by enjoying a variety of foods. The four food groups work as a team – foods are divided into groups according to the key nutrients they provide.

It is not necessary to limit yourself to one serving (as defined by Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating) of a food at a meal. Nor is it necessary to have an entire serving of a food at any one time. For example, for breakfast a 50 kg gymnast might eat 1 or 2 servings of Grain Products (30g of cereal and/or 1 toast), 1 serving of fruit, ½ serving of milk (125 mL) and ½ serving of Meat and Alternatives (15 mL nuts or nut butter) while a 100 kg football player might select 4 servings of Grain Products (60 g cereal and 2 toast), 2 servings of fruit (250 mL juice), 1½ servings of milk (375 mL) and 1 serving of Meat and Alternatives (2 eggs). At the end of the day, it is the total intake from each food group that is important.

If you are choosing enough servings from each of the food groups each day, you should have no need for supplements or vitamin/mineral tablets.

If you choose only the minimum number of servings from each food group each day, it is important that you choose wisely to ensure that you meet your nutrient needs. Iron and calcium are two important nutrients for performance and growth. Good food sources for iron and calcium can be included at most meals.

	For food sources for iron, see the Iron Indicator 2005 (.pdf, 164 KB)
	For food sources for calcium, see the Calcium Counter 2005 (.pdf, 155 KB)

What is a Serving?