Nutrition Hazards When Athletes Travel

Athletes and their coaches know that successful performance depends upon training and diet. Serious athletes often find themselves competing away from home, often in places with unfamiliar foods. They and their coaches often fail to consider the effects of travel and how it can negatively impact the athlete’s performance in a competition. At home, athletes know which foods and fluids maximize performance. Before traveling, they need to develop strategies to follow in order to avoid or deal with circumstances that jeopardize performance, such as food intolerance, consumption of unsafe or unhealthy foods and dehydration. These pitfalls of travel can undermine all of their good training and healthy eating habits. Knowing what to expect and planning for challenges that come up can make a big difference in successful performance.

One of the biggest mistakes an athlete can make is to assume that what they need to eat and drink will be available during travel or at their destination. The worst thing that can happen to an athlete is to become hungry or thirsty, and not have anything available to eat or drink. To avoid this, the following general tips for eating on the road should be followed:

·Pack a survival bag with carbohydrates, snacks and beverages, such as fresh fruits, fruit juices, crackers and low fat energy bars.
·Eat grilled, baked, boiled and broiled foods rather than fried or sautéed foods. Watch out for hidden fats in salad dressings or sauces.
· Order “a la carte” to get exactly what you want. Try to find pasta, baked potatoes, bread, vegetables and salads in restaurants.
·If traveling by air, plan to eat the vegetarian dishes offered. There is a greater chance foods higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat will be served
·Make sure to stay hydrated on the plane by always having something available to drink. Air travel is one of the most dehydrating experiences a person can have. Drink bottled water or sports drinks.
·If traveling far away or for long periods, check into the possibility of shipping nutrition staples and favorite foods to the destination ahead of time.

Some countries have a reputation for unsafe water or food supplies. If there is any doubt about it, an athlete should consider taking some or all of the following items along: a box of saltine crackers, water filter (to purify water), powdered sports beverage packets, favorite cereal, nonfat powdered milk, low fat granola bars, box of raisins or other dried fruit and an in cup electric heater.

The key to successful travel is advance planning. By following some of these tips and strategizing how to eat properly before, during and immediately after a trip, an athlete should remain healthy and will reduce the risk of compromising athletic performance.