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 that they are not only delicious but also … [Read more...]
A goalies’ saving grace: Hydration
Dehydration is a performance-limiting factor in all sports but is especially detrimental for goalies. Time on the field, combined with equipment, heat and the fact that goalies don’t sub out the way field players do, increases a goalie’s risk for dehydration. The solution: a deliberate hydration … [Read more...]
Understanding nutrition 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 afterwards, a meal-replacement bar for breakfast as you run out the door, or just a snack in between classes or to go … [Read more...]
Tips to stay properly fueled and hydrated at camp
Lacrosse 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...]
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 lacrosse players on the field, where they want and ought to … [Read more...]
Keeping tabs on health trends
A club lacrosse coach called me this morning to ask me to speak at a camp this summer. He mentioned that, for some of their players, nutrition is the area with the greatest opportunity for improvement. With this in mind, the club is making nutrition more of a priority at camps, not only by hosting a … [Read more...]
Prep for fall with wise choices
As the seasons change, so does a lacrosse player’s focus. Summer camps, tournaments and strength-and-conditioning sessions give way to fall weekend tournaments or a fall collegiate season and a school schedule. Player nutrition also changes as foods come in and out of season. I already miss the … [Read more...]
Tips for gaining lean muscle and losing body fat
Summer is a time when many of the athletes I see in my office ask about shifting body composition either to gain lean functional muscle for more power and explosiveness or to lean out in order to improve speed and agility. Lacrosse players are at the top of this list. However, some, depending on age … [Read more...]
