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Realistic Recovery Meals for Adult Players

02/16/2015, 10:30am MST
By Michael Rand

If we’re being realistic, thinking about the health benefits of a postgame meal probably isn’t high on the priority list for most adult recreational hockey players.

For many, the games are a pleasant diversion from work and other stresses. After the games are over, players often split into two categories: those who just want to go home and go to sleep and those who want to go out with teammates for some drinks and bar food.

But there are simple choices adult recreational players can make that, with a little thought and foresight, can help them avoid undoing the benefits of their workout in the short-term and give them a better health outlook long-term.

That’s the message from Roxanne Tuomela, a board certified holistic health coach and author of The Puck Stops Here, a book specifically geared toward hockey and nutrition.

Hydration Is a Priority

Part of the key to good postgame nutrition is getting plenty of fluids before and immediately after the game. Not only will it enhance performance, but it will also help eliminate the food cravings that come as a result of dehydration, Tuomela says.

A simple way to know how much water you need? Let the scale tell the story.

“The best thing to do is to stay hydrated throughout the game,” Tuomela says. “One test I suggest to any athlete is to weigh themselves before a game and postgame. For every pound the individual loses, they need to drink 16 ounces of water. … And not to make that 16 ounces of beer.”

Healthy Snacks Are Key

Part of the challenge is that adult league games happen at all hours. Ideally, a game would end before dinner and would naturally lead into a meal. The reality is they often end later at night because of ice availability, and that’s when hungry players who have burned a lot of calories need to make choices.

In some cases, it means finding a healthy snack because, as Tuomela notes, “Nobody wants a plate of rice and a chicken breast at 10 o’clock at night.”

Whether you are going home or heading out after a game, Tuomela suggests having a healthy snack available for the car ride.

“A really quick, easy recovery for folks, especially if they have a long drive home from the rink: grab an apple, maybe one to two ounces of nuts and a bottle of water and have it in your automobile for the ride,” she says. “That’s perfect. That’s a great way to avoid indulging in (bad foods).”

Tips at the Bar

Socializing after the game can be a big part of team camaraderie. But it can also lead to poor eating and drinking decisions that are detrimental to players’ health.

For those who are beer drinkers, Tuomela stresses the need, again, to drink water first.

“And then if they want to have a couple of beers after the game, by all means do,” she says, while also noting that moderation and knowing “when to say when” are key.

But her real passion comes out when Tuomela talks about food.

“When it comes to food, people really have to be thoughtful about what they’re putting into their body,” she says. “Are you putting in foods that are going to keep you on this earth longer? … It’s nothing to be joking about.”

Eating lighter has plenty of benefits. Tuomela suggests grilled chicken, omelets at places that will serve them that late, or even a steak with a baked potato – just eat half the steak at night and bring the rest home for breakfast.

Soups are not recommended, she says, because they are often laden with sodium that will cause dehydration to resurface, but a salad with salmon is a great choice.

“It doesn’t sound as good as the burger and fries initially, but then you try it, and you leave that evening and you don’t have that gut bomb,” Tuomela says. “You’re not waking up with heartburn. You sleep better and you feel that much more light. It takes being willing to try something different. You just have to make choices.”

What works for someone else might not work for you. But if you’re willing to alter your postgame routine even just a little, Tuomela says, the benefits can be far-reaching.

“There’s no one specific way to eat,” she says. “But the message I would love to convey is for people to really experiment with how they feel after a game and really find the right balance for them.”

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