The Best Healthy Snacks And Hydration For Athletes

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Tomorrow I’m playing in a fun Star Wars Themed Hang 10 Grass Volleyball Tournament to celebrate May the 4th, so tonight I’ve spent a little time prepping some snacks and hydration for tomorrow. The past few tournaments I played, I brought things like chips, Cheezits, Reese’s, and even Lunchables. I mostly drank Gatorade or Powerade to replenish electrolytes, but have you read the ingredient label on those drinks? Artificial colors, flavors, and many times fake sugar. Not the ideal things to consume. Most days, I try to eat healthy things but for some reason on tournament days, I binge on so many things that contain nothing good for me! Needless to say, those things don’t serve as good fuel for my body, make me feel sluggish while playing, and cause me to wake up feeling pretty gross and bloated the next day. From here on out, I’m trying to focus on consuming more nutrient-dense snacks that will sustain my energy and also opting for better hydration options.

Above is a short video of the food and hydration I’m bringing tomorrow and I’m listing out the items below as well. Though these are what I’m consuming for volleyball, they would be great things to consume for pretty much any athletic event where you’ll be needing fuel over several hours.

• C2O Pure Coconut Water – Only ingredients are coconut water and coconut pulp. My main source of hydration is water, but I supplement with the coconut water to replenish electrolytes.
  • If coconut is not your thing, you can also make your own electrolyte drink just using water, lemon juice, sea salt, and honey/maple syrup.
• EPIC protein bars. My favorites are the Sriracha Chicken (13g protein) and the Beef (7g protein). Minimal ingredients, no nitrates and gluten-free. Most jerky is loaded with artificial preservatives and sugar, but not these.
• Kind Pressed Fruit Bars – Each bar provides 2 servings of fruit and only contains fruit, veggies, and some contain chia seeds as well. These taste like a healthy fruit-roll-up!
• Health Lab Protein Balls – Tomorrow will be my first time trying these but I like that they are sweetened with dates and contain raw cacao.
• Hummus – I love the roasted red pepper and pine nut variety, along with spicy avocado. Opt for the one with fewest ingredients, or make your own! I generally bring celery or cut up bell peppers eat this with.
• Fresh cut fruit, avocado, trail mix and pomegranate seeds (great antioxidant boost) are also going in my cooler tomorrow for some quick energy boosts. Watermelon is one of my favorite fruits to bring since it also aids in hydration on hot days.
• I’m also making up some cauliflower rice with mixed veggies, shrimp, coconut aminos, and eggs to bring with me. This will serve as a great healthy source of carbs for me mid-day.

Other good items to consider for athletic events:

• Pickle juice – many of my teammates swear by this to help with cramps
• Bananas – potassium rich and help replace electrolytes
• Larabars – fruit, veggies and nut bars

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What are your favorite snacks to fuel your workouts or sporting events? Are you planning to celebrate Star Wars Day?? Let me know in the comments. Before you go, you might also want to check out 5 Simple Ways To Get Fit Without A Gym Membership.

Also, if you’re looking for more nutritional inspiration for a healthy lifestyle, one of the most life-changing books I’ve read is linked below.

Until next time, thanks for reading!

Emily

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