Owasso Performance Nutrition

Before you reach for that energy drink before your next workout or when you’re feeling low energy, try some of these nutrition tips out first!

Feeling low energy can be caused by many different things, including lack of sleep, inadequate nutrition, stress, anxiety, along with other reasons.

Although energy drinks may make you feel more alert and energized, they also come with dangers.

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests caution with the use of caffeine among teens, recommending adolescents aged 12-18 should cap their daily caffeine intake at 100mg (the equivalent to about one cup of coffee, 1-2 cups of tea, and 2-3 cans of soda).

Some dangers of consuming energy drinks include:

- dehydration (leading to decreased athletic performance and increased risk of injury)

- heart complications (such as irregular heart beet or heart failure)

- anxiety (feeling nervous and jittery, which can lead to injury, especially if you are under a heavy barbell)

- insomnia (unable to sleep, which reduces your ability to perform optimally)

All of these things can actually lead to diminished athletic performance, which is in direct opposition of your goal when having these types of drinks before a workout.

Some of these drinks, like Celsius, are actually banned in the NCAA and athletes who are given drug tests FAIL if they have consumed these products.

Something to keep in mind if you plan on playing at the next level!

If you’re nailing all of the basics and still feeling low energy, schedule a 1:1 session with Jentri so that you can work together to figure out a plan that will work best for you!

We have a lot of athletes that ask how they can reduce inflammation with nutrition, so let’s talk about it!

Short-term inflammation after intense exercise is a normal response by the body. The immune system response can cause redness, swelling, and pain.

On the other hand, prolonged inflammation can cause fatigue, muscle damage, and soreness. It can also limit muscle growth and training progress and increase muscle loss.

Using nutrition to help reduce prolonged inflammation can help speed up recovery and reduce soreness.

Here’s some tips:

- Consume fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration

- Eat 20-30g of protein at each meal (protein supports immune cell synthesis and can reduce exercise-induced muscle soreness)

- Eat more foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring, walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds)

- Tart cherry juice has been shown to help maintain muscle strength and reduce muscle pain by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress

- Eat more fruits and veggies, which are high in anti-oxidants and can lessen the oxidative stress that is caused by exercise. Specifically, try to eat more dark leafy greens, nuts/seeds, avocado, broccoli, peppers, berries, citrus, tomatoes, carrots, and sweet potatoes/squash

- Get more sunlight and eat more foods that are high in vitamin D - fatty fish, egg yolks, and fortified dairy products

- Nitric oxide can increase blood flow, which may reduce inflammation and enhance recovery. Try eating more celery, leafy greens, and beets

- Season your food with herbs and spices! Things like ginger, turmeric (curry), garlic, cinnamon, and rosemary contain various antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins

Hope this can be helpful!

Here’s an example of what to get at Panda Express based on your goals!

Have a goal of weight loss? Go for a bowl with a leaner protein (something that’s not fried) and split your side choice in 1/2 by choosing either a rice or chow mein (carbs are still important for athletes even when you have a goal of weight loss) and make the other 1/2 of your side super greens (color!).

If you have a goal of weight gain, get a plate and choose the proteins you want (would recommend having 1 of the proteins be a leaner option) , chow mein or rice (or both), and you could also throw in an extra side of egg/spring rolls or a cream cheese rangoon for some additional calories!

Questions? Leave a comment or schedule a 1:1 session with Jentri using the link in our bio.