Each season and sport brings its own set of challenges – summer athletics and hot weather conditions require careful thought about body temperature regulation and adequate fluid intake, in addition to the nutritional considerations for peak athletic performance.

It’s not uncommon to lose up to four cups of fluid (or two pounds of body weight) per hour of exercise in hot, humid conditions. The resulting decrease in strength and endurance can be surprisingly dramatic. In fact, dehydration can be the biggest hindrance to optimizing both training and recovery – with the effects taking hours or even days to recuperate from. Not only performance can suffer; potentially life-threatening symptoms of heat illness can appear if thirst is ignored or fluids are limited.

Signs and symptoms of dehydration include:

• Increased thirst
• Headache
• Muscle cramps
• Lack of concentration
• High perceived exertion during activity
• Trouble tolerating the heat
• Delayed recovery
• Dark urine and decreased frequency of urination

Take a peek at your urine. What color is it? If it’s dark and there’s not much of it, you need to drink more. If it’s pale yellow (think lemonade), you’re probably close to proper hydration.

So how much should you drink?

To stay hydrated and perform at your best, follow these simple rules:

1. Drink 1-2 cups of fluid with meals – milk, water and 100% juice all count.
2. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day and sip on it regularly.
3. Take a break every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise and drink two to three big gulps of fluid.

What should you drink before, during and after exercise?

Individual preference, including taste and energy needs, affects what you choose to drink. For exercise lasting less than 60 minutes, water is adequate. For activities longer than 60 minutes in duration, or for training camps or long competitions, choose a beverage with carbohydrates and electrolytes. Many sports drinks are designed to replace fluids and provide needed energy in the form of carbohydrates; most also contain electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, which are lost in sweat. Milk, both white and chocolate, also provide a natural source of carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Refueling with fluid after exercise is important. Take advantage of the recovery benefits of milk by enjoying a glass of ice cold white or chocolate milk within 30 to 60 minutes of completing your activity. Both deliver sufficient carbohydrates to refuel muscle energy stores, in addition to providing protein necessary to rebuild and repair muscles after activity.

As an athlete, your calorie needs are ramped up slightly, which means proper meal planning should always carefully include refueling with nutritious snacks. It’s important to keep milk and dairy foods top of mind to ensure healthy bones and body.

After all, milk contains a powerful nutrient package of nine essential nutrients, and low-fat and fat-free dairy foods are fundamental to any athlete’s diet.

Here are some delicious smart snacking ideas to fuel your active lifestyle:

• Choco-Raspberry Chug – Blend a cup of fat-free milk with frozen raspberries and sweetened cocoa.
• Zesty Tostada – Top a tostada with fat-free refried beans and shredded pepper jack cheese.
• Parfait Pleaser – Layer granola and fresh fruit with your favorite low-fat yogurt.
• Cottage Cheese Your Way – Protein packed and nutrient rich, this commonly forgotten snack food can be served with a variety of mix-ins. Looking to add more fruit to your diet? Add peaches to a ¼ cup of cottage cheese or enjoy it with whole grain crackers (even your favorite flavored types) – which can be a delicious way to scoop cottage cheese as an afternoon snack. Need more ideas for cottage cheese? Consider these ideas.
• Mango Mixer – Enjoy a tropical treat by blending mango, plain fat-free yogurt and a splash of pineapple juice.
• Yogurt Dip – Slice an apple, strawberries or pineapple or grab some grapes and your favorite berries. Enjoy the sliced fruit by dipping it into a vanilla or plain yogurt with a dollop of honey.
• Graham Dunk – Dip a few graham crackers into a cold glass of low-fat milk.
• Smoothie Bowl – You’ll find that there are endless possibilities with this snack. All you need is a good blender, a bowl and spoon, your ingredients and toppings of choice. Let your culinary creativity fly!
• Cheese and Crackers – Layer your favorite cheese and smoked turkey on crackers.

Want more snack ideas? Check out these seven easy, dietitian-approved post-workout snacks.

Learn more on our blog about the benefits of milk as an exercise recovery beverage and how to eat for peak athletic performance. 

Team dinners are a great way to build camaraderie and instill team spirit prior to a game or competition. But what an athlete eats the night before an event, in addition to how they eat each and every day, can affect their athletic performance positively or negatively.

Here are three things to think about when planning a team dinner:

1. Fluids – Which ones should I serve? During activity athletes lose fluid in the form of sweat; the harder they exercise, the more fluid they lose. But rehydrating after exercise isn’t enough. Athletes must work to stay hydrated throughout the day. A good strategy is to drink milk with meals and water with snacks and between meals. Milk, both white and chocolate, is an excellent choice as it provides carbohydrates which help fuel muscles, high-quality protein to aid in muscle building and repair, and essential nutrients for healthy bones and bodies. Both white and chocolate milk are popular offerings at team dinners.
2. Why are all Five Food Groups important? Eating a variety of foods from all Five Food Groups will help provide adequate fuel (in the form of calories), in addition to essential vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal training, health and immunity. It’s important that athletes remember to balance out their plate by not only choosing carbohydrate-rich foods (whole grains, fruits and vegetables), but also enjoying lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods as well as healthy fats.
3. What is “carb loading” and is it beneficial? Carb loading is more than a big spaghetti dinner athletes enjoy with their team the night before a meet or game. The idea behind carb loading is to make sure muscle glycogen stores (energy reserves) are at their max prior to game day. But, eating too much of a good thing can be bad. Without a doubt, carbohydrates are a great choice for fueling muscles, but athletes also need to make sure they are enjoying a variety of carbohydrate-rich foods throughout each day, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, in addition to their carb-centric pre-event meal.

Taking into account these three key variables, here are some meal ideas for your next team gathering:

Make-your-own pizza bar – Pizza can be a nutrient-rich and popular option for athletes. Choose whole grain crusts, either homemade or store-bought, or substitute a traditional crust with English muffin or bagel halves. Offer a variety of sauces and toppings, keeping fruits (think pineapple) and vegetables, lean proteins and low-fat cheeses top of mind. Allow each athlete to make their own pizza. Serve with a salad bar, and white and chocolate milk.

Smoothies – Popular among athletes, smoothies make a great after-dinner treat. Simply mix fresh or frozen fruit, milk and yogurt in a blender. Put together a “create-your-own” station, letting the athletes choose their “blend.”

Pasta – Pasta is a great source of fuel in the form of carbohydrates. Make your pasta dish a nutrition powerhouse by adding vegetables and protein. Try topping your pasta with a hearty tomato sauce and lean ground beef meatballs, or mix spiral pasta, broccoli, bell peppers, diced tomatoes and black olives with grilled chicken slices and a little bit of Italian dressing for a healthier twist on pasta salad. Serve a green salad as a compliment to the main pasta dish and round out the meal with a cold glass of milk and fruit for dessert.

Stir fry – Rice is another popular carbohydrate choice as it is fairly easy on the stomach and can be used in a variety of dishes. Try making a big wok of stir-fried vegetables and offer grilled chicken strips with a choice of sauces to put on top – that way each member of the team can customize their meal.

Whether before each meet or at the end of the season, use team dinners as an opportunity to fuel up on carbohydrates, enjoy a variety of foods from all Five Food Groups and ensure adequate fluids all while enjoying the company of teammates.

Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairyAssociation.org/health-and-nutrition/milk-and-sports-nutrition to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance. 

With the days getting longer and the trees and plants beginning to bud out, springtime is officially here. And with it comes more time outdoors as spring sports kick into high gear.

Any athlete knows that the right food choices can optimize performance in both sport and play while laying the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle. However, the calorie and nutrient needs of an athlete are individually dependent on their body size, the demand of the particular sport, position they play, how intensely they train and how long they engage in activity each day. Still, when focusing on nutrition, a few tips remain the same regardless of the sport – “Rehydrate and Carbohydrate” – two priority areas for spring athletics.

Rehydrate: Water should be an athlete’s best friend because drinking enough fluids can improve performance and prevent illness. There are many recommendations for how much water any one person should drink during the day; however, the best way to ensure proper hydration is with a quick peek at your urine. Urine should always be pale yellow in color – darker urine serves as a warning sign that the body is not getting enough liquids.

A good rule of thumb is to drink 1-2 cups of fluid with meals – water, milk and 100% juice all count. Carry a water bottle with you throughout the day and sip on it regularly. Take a break every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise and drink two to three big gulps of water.

Did you know that milk is nearly 90 percent water, which is why it functions as a great post-exercise go-to? Milk also rehydrates your body with natural electrolytes, which are lost with sweat and provides protein to jump-start your body’s muscle recovery post-exercise. Don’t forget to grab a glass of chocolate milk after exercise as a means of rehydrating the body.   

Carbohydrate: Many athletes are inaccurately advised to avoid “carbohydrates.” Unfortunately, this message can have a negative impact on performance since carbohydrates provide nutrients as well as energy. It is recommended that most athletes eat at least 60 percent of their calories from carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are foods such as grains (breads, tortillas, bagels, rice, noodles, etc.), as well as fruits and vegetables. This recommendation is easily followed when athletes eat the MyPlate way – filling half of their plate with colorful fruits and vegetables and a quarter of their plate with grains, making sure to choose whole grains more often.

Many athletes benefit from balanced eating and additional carbohydrate-rich snacks throughout the day. Some healthy carbohydrate-rich snacks include:

• Peanut butter and banana wrapped in a whole-grain tortilla
• Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese
• Yogurt topped with berries and a sprinkle of granola
• Bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk
• Fruit and yogurt smoothie – get creative with this Create-a-Smoothie guide

Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairyAssociation.org/health-and-nutrition/milk-and-sports-nutrition to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance. 

While it remains to be debated which meal is the most important of the day, there is no debating the fact that breakfast is essential for athletes who are looking to perform at their peak.

Breakfast not only provides your body with the energy and essential nutrients it needs for muscle building, maintenance and repair, but the morning meal has also been shown to help improve academic performance, focus and attentiveness throughout the day. Eating breakfast may also provide health benefits such as a reduced risk of obesity and a reduced risk of nutritional deficiencies.

Emerging research is beginning to point to the importance of evenly distributing protein intake throughout the day, with the goal of 20-30 grams of protein at each meal. And while this probably isn’t as difficult for most of us at lunch and dinner, perhaps it’s a bit more challenging to meet this goal at breakfast.

Including dairy foods as part of your morning meal is an easy way to ensure you’re getting adequate protein and other essential nutrients your body needs. Did you know that milk provides nine essential nutrients, including calcium, plus eight grams of high-quality protein, in just eight ounces?

Try some of the breakfast ideas below, each designed to meet the goal of 20-30 grams of protein…they’re sure to help you start your day right.

1. Yogurt Breakfast Bowl served with a Latte – 1 cup plain Greek yogurt + ¼ cup slivered almonds + ¼ cup granola + berries + a drizzle of honey; serve with a small latte made with 8 ounces of milk
2. Scrambled Eggs, Fresh Fruit and Chocolate Milk – 2 eggs, scrambled + ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese + handful of grapes + 1 glass of chocolate milk
3. Power Smoothie – combine ½ cup cottage cheese + 1 cup of chocolate milk + 1 banana + 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a blender and blend until smooth
4. Breakfast Burrito – 1 whole grain tortilla + 2 scrambled eggs, + ¼ cup diced Canadian bacon + diced veggies of your choice (peppers, onions, or tomatoes) + ¼ shredded cheese. Roll it up and enjoy.
5. Breakfast Sandwich and Milk – 2 slices of Canadian bacon + 1 egg (cooked in a cup in the microwave) + 1 slice of cheddar cheese + 1 bagel, toasted + 1 glass of milk
6. Oatmeal “Plus” – ½ cup of oats prepared with 1 cup of milk + 1 tablespoon unflavored whey protein powder + 1 teaspoon of brown sugar + 1 teaspoon of cinnamon + ¼ cup of raisins + ¼ cup diced walnuts + 1 tablespoon chia seeds

 For more easy breakfast ideas, visit WesternDairyAssociation.org/download/fuel-morning-protein-milk.

Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairySssociation.org/dairy-in-your-diet/sports-nutrition to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance. 

Have you ever wondered where your milk comes from and how it gets from the farm to your fridge? Read on for a quick glimpse into the journey of milk from farm to table – how it’s produced, its freshness and simplicity, and the story that connects your glass of milk with the local dairy farm families who produce it.

On the Farm

Cows are milked two to three times each day with specialized milking equipment that milks the cows and pumps that milk directly from the cow to a refrigerated storage tank, where it is quickly cooled to preserve freshness and safety. It is important to note that milk never touches human hands – just one of the many food safety measures in place.

Did you know that 98% of dairy farms are family owned and operated? Animal welfare is a top priority for dairy farm families because healthy cows produce high quality milk (plus, taking great care of the cows is the right thing to do!). For that reason, dairy cows receive special diets designed by cow nutritionists, shelter and water, regular veterinary care, including periodic check-ups, preventative vaccinations and prompt treatment of illness.

It is important to note that dairy cows are not routinely treated with antibiotics. Just as you’d only treat a sick child with antibiotics under the supervision of a doctor, dairy farmers care for their cows in a similar manner. When an illness requires that a cow be treated, antibiotics are administered under veterinarian care, the cow is milked separate from the rest of the milking herd, and her milk does not enter the food supply.

At the Processing Plant

Fresh milk is driven from the dairy farm to a local dairy processing plant in an insulated, sealed tanker truck. You’ve probably seen one on the highway – it’s similar to a giant thermos on wheels.

Prior to leaving the farm, and upon arrival at the processing plant, every tanker load of milk is tested for antibiotics. In the extremely rare event that milk tests positive, it is disposed of immediately and never reaches the public.

Once the milk is unloaded from the truck, it is pasteurized and packaged into bottles or cartons. Pasteurization is a process of heating raw milk at a high enough temperature for a sufficient length of time to destroy bacteria, which can cause serious illnesses. This ensures that the milk is safe to drink.

Distribution companies pick up milk and other dairy products in refrigerated trucks from the local processing plants and deliver them to grocery stores, convenience markets, gas stations, schools and other retail outlets. In most instances, the milk you buy in your grocery store was harvested on farm less than 2 days (48 hours) prior. Now that’s local!

Regardless of whether your choice in dairy is influenced by taste or nutrition, you too can feel good about milk, cheese and yogurt as part of a balanced diet. In fact, milk is a nutritional bargain at less than 25 cents per 8-ounce glass, on a gallon basis. Especially when you think of all the liquid assets inside! Milk provides great taste plus 9 essential nutrients – it’s how nature does wellness.

Written by Jenna Allen, MS, RDN, Registered Dietitian with the Western Dairy Association. For more tips and healthy recipes visit www.westerndairyassociation.org.

If you like to eat your breakfast with a spoon (as opposed to drinking it through a straw), what better way to start your day than with this cool, nutrient-rich breakfast? Smoothie bowls have endless possibilities depending on your taste preferences. All you need is a good blender, a bowl and spoon, and your ingredients and toppings of choice.

In a blender, combine:

• ½ – 1 cup frozen fruit: Try frozen mixed berries, mangos, cherries, or another frozen fruit favorite.
• Fresh fruits or vegetables: You might consider ½ to 1 whole fresh banana. The banana adds a nice creaminess to your smoothie bowl. The riper the banana, the sweeter it will be. Or try adding a handful of kale or baby spinach, some roasted beets or fresh peaches.
• ¼ – ½ cup milk plus ½ – 1 cup vanilla Greek-style yogurt – OR – ½ to 1 cup kefir
• Other ingredients of your choosing: Perhaps 1 Tablespoon chia sees, a spoonful of nut butter, a sprinkle of flaxseeds or a scoop of whey protein powder.

Blend until smooth and creamy and pour in a bowl. Play around with the amount of milk/yogurt or kefir, keeping in mind that the thicker the smoothie, the easier it is to eat with a spoon.

A smoothie bowl is not complete without the toppings. Try fresh or dried fruit, a sprinkle of granola, nuts, chia seeds, ground flaxseed, unsweetened shredded coconut, crushed graham crackers or a few chocolate chips. Let your creativity inspire you!

Chocolate, Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients

• ½ or 1 whole frozen banana
• 1 cup vanilla yogurt
• ¼ cup oats
• 2 to 3 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• Splash of milk

Instructions

Place frozen banana, yogurt, oats, cocoa powder, peanut butter and milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in a serving bowl. Garnish with toppings of choice.

Dairy farm families across Colorado, Wyoming and Montana support the Colorado High School Activities Association. Through their support, your team could win funds to purchase white and chocolate milk for your athletes for the entire season.

If your student athletes aren’t fueling up with milk, this is a great opportunity to get started!

 The newest research is compelling! In fact, both white and chocolate milk provide key nutrients athletes need after exercise.

• Milk is 90% water and a great tasting choice after practice and games. Milk’s fluids and electrolytes, including calcium, potassium and magnesium, rehydrate the body and replenish what is lost in sweat.
• Carbohydrates in milk refuel muscles and replenish glycogen (energy) stores.
• High-quality protein aids in muscle recovery and repair.
• Calcium, Vitamin D and phosphorus build and maintain strong bones.
• Milk provides potassium to help ward off muscle cramping.
• B vitamins in milk help convert food to energy.

 The Fuel up with Milk grant will provide the following:

• Cash to purchase milk (both white and chocolate) for your team to replenish after practices and games for the entire sport season. Cash value based on the size of the team applying for the grant ($40 per athlete).
• Soft-sided cooler for easy milk transport (perfect for travel days, practices and home games).
• Promotional items: Fuel Up with Milk banner (to hang at the home facility), 1 program ad, content for a PSA and educational materials for teams/athletes.

Download the grant application at WesternDairyAssociation.org. Print, complete and mail back to WDA.

 Application MUST be postmarked by January 12, 2018 for spring sports.

Questions? Please contact us at info@westerndairyassociation.org, 1-800-274-6455, 303-451-7711 or visit www.WesternDairyAssociation.org.

The Ponderosa football team was hoping for a state championship. While they fell to Loveland in the first round of the state playoffs, they have much to be proud of.

Coach Jaron Cohen has seen great success with the Ponderosa Football program since he joined as head coach in 2014. The program has grown from 75 players to nearly 120 this year.

With a 9-1 record going into playoffs, Cohen, in part, attributed the team’s success to the chocolate milk the athletes enjoyed after practices and games, after weight class and as part of Zero Hour (before school programming).

“They have access to chocolate milk in my office all day for after PE weights classes,” says coach Cohen. “Our kids love the milk – it’s just a parade of teenagers in and out of my office all day,” he jokes.

Coach Cohen provides a list of good options post exercise and chocolate milk tops the list – and for good reason.

“Obviously everyone loves chocolate milk, and it has the proper carbs to protein ratio,” says Cohen. He and his coaching team encourage the players to refuel with chocolate milk within 30 minutes of exercise for maximum benefits.

Western Dairy Association and Colorado dairy farm families congratulate Ponderosa High School Football Team for a wonderful 2017 season!

Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairyAssociation.org to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance.

(Courtesy of Widefield HS)

For over a decade, Widefield High School Cross-Country Team has enjoyed chocolate milk after the hardest workouts of the week – a favorite beverage of the athletes that has even become a major recruiting tool for the team.

In fact, head coach Erik Nelson has seen the cross-country team go from “nearly extinct” to a team that finished second at state in 2016.

“Kids who are on the fence about whether they want to run cross-country will be swayed by members of the team telling them they would get chocolate milk,” says Nelson.

Nelson, a Widefield High School graduate himself, and cross-country coach at the school for over 13 years, recognizes the value of quality nutrition, specifically white and chocolate milk – and he’s on the right track. Emerging research in adult athletes has demonstrated that one serving of milk post-exercise may help reduce muscle damage and improve muscle recovery – which in turn, may help the body perform better during its next workout. In fact, research shows that drinking milk after a workout can be as effective as some sports drinks in helping the body refuel, recover and rehydrate after exercise. And the new research on high school athletes is just as compelling.

“Our team has very few injury issues. I believe there are many reasons for this, but I do not think it would be an exaggeration to say our use of chocolate milk as a recovery drink has contributed to our health and success,” says Nelson.

The athletes get milk three to four days a week after the toughest workouts and races. “The kids look forward to hard workout days because they know that at the end they have cold chocolate milk waiting for them,” states Nelson, acknowledging that the milk not only benefits athletic performance, but also comradery. “Handing out and drinking the milk is definitely a social/team-building time each day.  It gives us an extra reason to spend time together as a team and grow closer to one another.”

Both boys and girls qualified for State by finishing third at the Regional meet. The boys finished 12th at State with the top boy finishing eighth overall. The girls team finished 19th at State. Western Dairy Association and Colorado dairy farm families applaud coach Nelson and the Widefield Cross-Country team on another great season!

Interested in learning more? Athletes can train harder and perform better with proper nutrition. Visit WesternDairyAssociation.org to read more about milk as an exercise recovery beverage and learn how to eat for peak athletic performance.