Nutrition & Female College Athletes
Nutrition:
Noun: The act or process of nourishing or of being
nourished
Definition found at www.dictionary.com
A nutritious lifestyle Includes:
A balanced diet
And regular exercise
Athletes get the exercise…
But what about their diet…?
Roughly 200,000 women can call themselves a NCAA athlete
These athletes play:
Volleyball
Basketball
Swimming
Soccer
Track & fieldwater
poloGolf
Cheerleading
Lacrosse Field Hockey
Softball
GymnasticsIce Hockey
RowingDiving
How many “daily-sports” calories are they burning?
Basketball:350 calories per
hour
Volleyball:489 calories per
hour
Swimming:630 calories per
hour
Softball:279 calories per
hour
Golf:244 calories per
hour
Appears healthy…
But what are they eating?
Away games means lots of time on the
road.
Time on the road, usually means “Fast Food.”
Caloric Representation:
• 1 Large fries= 1.5 hours of basketball• 1 Nachos Bel Grande= 3 hours of golf• 1 Whopper= 1.5 hours of volleyball• 1 Tuna foot long= 3.7 hours of
softball
What they drink also
Matters.
Soda & alcohol inhibit play and health!
For every female athlete
who over indulges…
There is one not eating enough.
Eating disorders are an increasing concern for
female athletes.
Female Athlete Triad
Why do so many female athletes want to lose
weight?
DistortedSelf Image
Insecurity
Improve performance
To look like the “typical” athlete.
Insecurity or fear over
mandatory weigh-ins.
Pressure & insecurity from required team
uniform.
How do we encourage female athletes to be healthier?
Have Nutritionists/Nutrition information readily available
Provide healthier food options for the
athletes
Be aware of the language you use
Language to UseHealthy
EndurancePerformance
Body Mass IndexFit
Personal-best
Language to AvoidFat
OverweightEat-lessLackingFailing
Cellulite“Look like _________”
Compare
Make females aware-Seminars
-Presentations-Pre-season
meetings-Pamphlets
-TALKING about it
Be someone they can talk to
If you are, or know a female athlete, know local resources and where to find help!