Tips from the Fuel Coach
Ellen Coleman, RD, MA, MPH © 2004

It's a common question: How much – and how often – should athletes eat in order to sustain a consistent blood glucose level for training throughout the day? What is an appropriate meal frequency and meal size--and what should go into those meals?

Most athletes benefit from eating five to six times per day – three meals and two to three snacks. By distributing calories evenly over five to six meals and snacks, they may also reduce fluctuations in their body weight.

Eat Breakfast
Smart fueling starts with breakfast. Some athletes skip breakfast to lose body fat. They believe that eliminating an entire meal will cut out a large number of calories. But there is some evidence to suggest that people who skip breakfast are more likely to eat more snacks or higher-calorie meals throughout the rest of the day. (See Schlundt et al, 1992.) In addition to minimizing impulsive snacking, Schlundt et al. showed that eating breakfast helped reduce total fat intake.

In a more recent study, Mark Pereira, PhD, and colleagues, from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, found that obesity and insulin resistance syndrome rates were 35% to 50% lower among people who ate breakfast every day compared to those who often skipped it. (See Pereira et al., 2003.)

Next: "Snacks and More"