Freeze Fit Nutrition

Protein – As an athlete, you should be eating at least 1g of protein for each pound you weigh. Mix in plant-based protein sources and not just animal protein which is difficult to digest and lacking in other nutrients.

Pre-workout – The day and night before strength training, up your protein intake and choose “lighter” (e.g. cottage cheese, nonfat yogurt) proteins. This puts something in the tank for your body to metabolize overnight and during your workout and can lessen delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Within 4-6 hours before training, you should not be eating your normal-portion-size meals. Eat or drink just enough to stave off hunger pangs and hydrate. Avoid caffeine.

During the workout – Sip some of your protein from a BCAA or other shake about 10-15 minutes into your workout. Leave enough to take post-workout.

Post workout – Consume protein that is easily digestible within 30 minutes after your workout ends. Powder protein is best and if you do not have that, use what you have. This is crucial to lower DOMS and makes a big difference when you are playing multiple matches at tournaments.

Water – Drink LOTS of it. If you are peeing multiple times an hour and it is almost as clear as water, you are doing it right.

Supplements – Make sure you are getting quality brands. There is a lot of crap out there and you could be buying sawdust, no cap. I like to get my supplements from muscleandstrength.com (standard shipping suggested).

Protein powder - Do not be without it.

Branched chain amino acids BCAAs – These are the building blocks of protein and have been shown to improve performance, muscle development and general health – do your research

HMB and ZMA – Essential to maintain a demanding training regimen. (Peterson, 2022)

Fish oil – Good fats to improve cognition, heart health and recovery.

Nitric oxide – To increase blood flow and vasodilation. You can also find this in beet root powder, tart cherry juice, spinach. (Peterson, 2022)

Food – Eat these foods (or foods with the same nutritional benefit) daily. These foods are best prepared as close to their natural state as possible. In other words, to get their optimal benefits, do not add sugar, salt, butter, bacon, etc. to them.

Berries – Especially, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries.

Avocadoes – A lot of healthy fats

Spinach – Good for blood flow and to clean out the system

Cauliflower – Along with spinach, collard greens, arugula, kale, brussel sprouts, radishes and other cruciferous vegetables, it helps to clean out the system, reduce inflammation, fight cancer, fight cell death and more

Olive oil or canola oil – Healthy fats. Cook with or add to a salad

Carrots – Another great food to clean out your system amongst other benefits

Pop, juice, sweet drinks – It is hard to break this habit, I know. So if you can not abstain, drink less of this stuff.

Sleep – If you do not know how many hours your body needs to feel rested and alert after waking up, experiment, and seek help, if needed. Prioritize your rest time.

• If you are used to staying up late, it can take some time to detect when your body is tired and ready for rest. If this is you, start by heading to bed 30 minutes earlier than normal until you find your sweet spot.

• Power naps are physically and mentally helpful when you live a busy lifestyle or during heavy training. Generally-speaking, if you are napping longer than an hour, you are not getting enough sleep at night. 1 or 2 twenty-minute naps a day when your body tells you it needs it, helps a lot.

• Start winding down your activity and lowering the lights as your bedtime draws near and listen to your body – if your eyes are doing flutter kicks, go to bed.

On heavy training days

Sufficient warm-ups - Are crucial to cut down soreness and to help you sustain a training program that is progressively challenging. Warm up to at least the point just before you sweat, then do some stretching or muscle-rolling and exercise.

Stretching – Is an exercise on its own. Make sure you do it on your “off” days at least. Stretch to where you feel a good extension and before it hurts. Stretch during your workout and do dynamic stretches after your workout.

Contrast showers – In the short term, reactive phases, use contrast showers (as hot as you can tolerate followed immediately by cold as you can 5-10x for 1 minute each) or find a wet sauna and try to accumulate 30-40 minutes with 3 minute freezing cold showers every 10 minutes or so. These are best done immediately after training or on off days when you feel really, beat up. 3 times a week is plenty. (Peterson, 2022)

ICE IS BAD – Inflammation is the body’s natural response and cooling blunts that response, as well as testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factors which are all key components to muscle recovery.” (Peterson, 2022) . Even when you have injured yourself, avoid ice and mobilize that area slowly and with as much range of motion as you can tolerate.

Massages – Aim for a one-hour massage every two weeks.

• Foam-rolling and massage guns are great. However, there are some areas you won’t be able to reach effectively on your own.

• A good massage can make a huge difference in your: relaxation, energy, flexibility, blood flow, range of motion, pain reduction, and more.

• If you don’t have a good massage therapist, ask around and use one you are comfortable with, who is competent and demonstrates they are listening to you and how your body responds to their touch.