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10/6/2024 0 Comments It's all about the snacks! Now that it’s October and we are settling into our fall routines, lets talk about one way that we can keep ourselves fueled and productive to complete our daily commitments. This month is all about snacks!
Define "Snack" Unfortunately, society and diet culture has seemed to be able to demonized the term “snack.” “Snack” to a lot of people is synonymous with the word “junk” food (which is another term that drives me up a wall). I want us to rid of that definition of snack … and also lose the phrase “junk food” because no food deserves to be called that. Merriam Webster dictionary defines snack as a “light meal” usually eaten “between meals”[1]. Notice nothing is mentioned about what specific foods make up a snack, which is amazing because that means a snack can be many things! This blog is targeted towards athletic performers, so for the purpose of this community, we are going to talk about snacking for this population and how you can create a snack that is beneficial to your performance. Snacks are a Source of Energy So, why are snacks so important for the athletic performer? Well the simple answer is that snacks = energy. For most of us, our goal is to maintain an energy balance within the body in order to optimize our performance. If the energy we expend (exercise/physical activity) is greater than the energy we take in (food) then we are going to experience low energy. Unfortunately, this negative energy balance is very common in the performing artist population. The biggest reason that performers often find themselves here is because they simply are not aware of much energy they need to fuel their days. The average sedentary adult typically needs anywhere from 1800-2400 calories a day, depending on sex, age, height and weight [2]. In comparison an active adult, defined as someone who walks 3 miles per day at 3-4 mph, needs about 2200-3000 calories a day [2]. To summarize, the higher the frequency and intensity of the exercise, the more calories you need. Now, this may seem like an overwhelming amount of calories to some people, and I totally get that. Lets take the number 2500 since it’s in the middle of the range. 2500 calories divided into 3 meals a day is about 833 calories per meal. For some people, that can feel like a lot to be eating in one meal and may even cause stomach upset. This is one reason why snacks are so helpful. It is often easier to divide calorie needs into smaller, more frequent feedings than just 3 big meals. Maintaining Sustained Energy Additionally, having snacks between meals helps maintain energy storage. Our bodies preferred source of energy is glucose, which comes from carbohydrate. Glucose is stored in the body as glycogen. When we consume carbohydrates, our body builds up our glycogen storage until it reaches it maximum. Then it taps into our glycogen storage first to start getting glucose for energy. Once those glycogen stores are depleted, the body starts using other sources such as amino acids from muscle protein and fatty acids in fat tissue. When we are intentially exercising and putting stress on the body, those glycogen stores are going to deplete very quickly. Research supports that consuming a light carbohydrate (about 50g) and protein (5-10) snack 30-60 minutes before exercise can maximize glycogen storage so that we are maximizing energy and minimizing muscle breakdown [3]. That’s about 220-240 calories per snack, which is what you can find in a lot of protein bars on the market today. What does this look like in my daily routine? So how many snacks do you need throughout the day? Well, that depends on you and your needs. There is no set in stone snacking plan since we are all different and unique (which is amazing!), however, most athletes have about 2-3 snacks per day in addition to their 3 meals. If snacking is new to your daily routine, I recommend starting out with a goal of just adding 1 snack to your day. Maybe you need something before your 11:00 am dance class in order to give your best performance, or maybe you experience the afternoon slump and you need some glucose just to help you finish your work day. After you add that snack, reflect on how you feel afterwards. Did you feel rejuvenated? Was it enough to get through until your next meal? Reflecting can help you learn what to have for a snack and when to snack for your body. There is so much more to dive into when it comes to snacks, but this is kind of a long post already, so we will stop here for now:) Stay tuned next week for more snack facts and hacks! Happy Fall! Sophia MS, RD References
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