ATHLETIC THERAPY TODAY SEPTEMBER 2009  1 © 2009 Human Kinetics - ATT 14(5), pp. 1-4 All athletes, from time to time, have to contend with eating meals away from home. Maintaining good nutritional practices while traveling to and from events may affect an athlete’s health and athletic success. Unfor- tunately, many athletes have poor nutritional knowledge, resulting in inadequate intakes of certain nutrients and poor dietary practices. 1,2,3 More athletes get nutritional information from athletic trainers and strength and condition- ing coaches than from dieticians. 4 Thus, the purpose of this report is to provide the athletic trainer or therapist with practical suggestions and recommendations for the traveling athlete to meet his or her nutri- tional needs when on the road. Strategies pre- sented in this report are intended for the individual athlete trav- eling to and from events around the country (e.g., cyclists, skiers, triathletes, wrestlers, etc.). Not all suggestions are intended for every mode of travel (i.e., auto vs. plane, individual vs. team, etc.). Nevertheless, with some planning and forethought, many of these strategies can be applied to a variety of traveling situations for either individuals or teams. Regardless of where an athlete eats when traveling, it is important that he or she maintains a healthy training and competi- tion diet. The key difference between the diets of athletes and the general popula- tion is that athletes typically require more fluid and calories to fuel a higher volume of physical activity. 5 A diet high in complex carbohydrates and low in fat, especially saturated fat, is widely recommended for the general population. Sports nutrition experts recommend a diet for athletes that is 55–65% carbohydrates and about 15% protein, with the remainder of calories from fat. 5-8 Ivy and Portman 9 recommend a slightly lower carbohydrate intake and higher protein intake for strength athletes (41–48% carbohydrate, 19–26% protein, and 33% fat) and stress the importance of eating natural, whole foods. Hydration Travel often involves being in a pressurized airplane or air conditioned car and staying in an air conditioned hotel room. These environments all have a tendency to promote dehydration. Even small amounts of dehydra- tion, as little as 2% of body weight, may have a negative effect on athletic performance. 10 Thus, it is prudent to have athletes travel with a water bottle and to encourage them to drink plenty of fluids to stay as hydrated as possible when traveling. Kathleen M. Laquale, PhD, ATC, LAT, LDN, Report Editor Eating on the Road: Practical Nutrition Strategies for the Traveling Athlete NUTRITION NOTES Dale฀R.฀Wagner,฀PhD฀•฀Utah฀State฀University Plan ahead and study menus to ensure optimal nutrition when traveling. Always have a water bottle and snacks close at hand. Buffets and grocery store restaurants are good alternatives to fast food. When and what is eaten can affect perfor- mance and recovery. Key Points Key Points