Protein and carbohydrates typically take most of the playing time in conversations about nutrition. That doesn’t mean that healthy fats are any less important though. In fact, essential fatty acids (EFAs) play a vital role in supporting overall health, increasing nutrient absorption and the proper … [Read more...]
Seeking a perfect nutritious snack? Think pistachios
Baseball players may favor sunflower seeds, but I admit that I have had a bit of an obsession with pistachios this summer. Raw and unsalted, salt and pepper, roasted and lightly salted — yes, please, all of the above. I just love pistachios because they’re such a great snack — and by great I mean … [Read more...]
Catchers’ saving grace: Hydration
Dehydration is a performance-limiting factor in all sports but is especially detrimental for catchers. Time on the field, combined with exertion, extra gear and heat increases a catcher’s risk for dehydration. The solution: a deliberate hydration plan that begins long before first pitch. The … [Read more...]
Understanding bars
When you stand in the aisle at the grocery store staring at the rows and rows of bars, what are you looking for? Are you looking for an energy bar before practice, a protein bar for after-wards, a meal-replacement bar for breakfast as you run out the door, or just a snack in between classes or to go … [Read more...]
Eat Well While You Play
Do you find that you eat better in season or during the offseason? I recently had a conversation with a player who said that during the offseason and heading into preseason, he eats better than he does during the season. Here’s how the conversation went: Julie: "You eat better in the offseason than … [Read more...]
Tips to stay properly fueled and hydrated at camp
Baseball players may attend camp for a host of different reasons. For some, it’s simply to have fun playing. For others, camp may present an opportunity to spend time with friends or to hone skills after the spring season. Older players may strategically attend camps at schools they may wish to … [Read more...]
Five tips for fueling
The first baseball game of the season can be a nerveracking and stressful experience for some players regardless of age, level or experience. One way to minimize the stress is to prepare well in advance of your season opener. Unpack your bag and check your gear. Make sure that you have all the … [Read more...]
For injuries, food aids recovery
If you scroll through my past columns, you’re bound to read about the ways in which proper nutrition and hydration can fuel your body and reduce your risk of injury. Taking a preventative approach to injury and being proactive keeps baseball players on the field, where they want and ought to … [Read more...]
Keeping tabs on nutrition trends
The offseason is the perfect time to focus on details and to improve areas that need attention. Is nutrition one of these areas for you? If it’s not, it should be. Parents, coaches and baseball players of all ages are becoming more aware of how nutrition impacts performance and risk of injury, which … [Read more...]
Behind the fueling of catcher Seamus Buckley (Dorchester, Mass.)
Balancing the demands of varsity baseball and soccer aren’t new for Dorchester, Mass., native Seamus Buckley. He’s been playing both sports since he was 4 years old. Now a junior at Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Seamus continues to play baseball as a catcher and team captain and … [Read more...]
