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Fuel Up for the Slopes Print E-mail
by Diet Detective Editorial Staff   
Thursday, 06 July 2006
So you're all fueled up and ready to go, but you're so excited for that mogul field, you don't want to stop for lunch. Bad idea.

Here's what you can eat to make sure your day keeps heading downhill.

Snacks 

This will save wasted time (and money) spent waiting in long lines for a snack in the lodge. Try some of these easy to pack, non-crushable snacks:

Energy/granola bars

Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, apricots)

Trail mix

Fig bars

Lunch
Your lunchtime fare will depend on your afternoon plans. If you're going to ski hard for several more hours, you'll need to do some serious re-fueling. Follow the same guidelines as you do for breakfast: Eat foods rich in energy-providing carbs. Although it's tempting to go for the burger and fries in the lodge, high-fat proteins have been known to lead to sluggishness on the slopes. Choose foods with small servings of low-fat proteins, such as a turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread or low-fat cheese and crackers. On the other hand, if you're only planning to take a couple more low-key runs before calling it a day, don't worry so much about packing in the calories. You won't need as much fuel to hold you over until dinner.

Fluids
Dehydration can be a risk no matter what the temperature is outside. In cold weather, the body loses a lot of water warming each cold breath of air. Try to drink three to six ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes (or every trip up the chairlift) to prevent dehydration.

Don't wait until you're thirsty; by then you're probably already on your way to dehydration. Even mild dehydration will leave you feeling fatigued and will hurt your performance. Be proactive about drinking throughout the day. Don't skip the water just to avoid bathroom breaks.

Since it's easy to underestimate your fluid needs during cold weather exercise, follow these tips to stay ahead of your body's needs:

Drink plenty of water before you start out for the day, regardless of the weather conditions.

Drink water and other fluids all day long (stay away from caffeine and alcohol, both are diuretics and can actually be dehydrating). Sports drinks are a good alternative to water when you're exercising for more than an hour because they'll give you added carbs for energy.

Bring along a water bottle in a back/waist pack to keep yourself hydrated while out on the slopes. Try to drink a bottle in the morning and refill it for the afternoon. The CamelBak, a back-mounted hydration system, is also an easy and convenient way to get your water on the mountain.

If it's a really cold day and the thought of drinking cold water doesn't appeal to you, bring along a thermos filled with hot decaf tea or coffee, hot chocolate, soup, or hot cider. These fluids will hydrate without leaving you chilled.

Note: Young children and older adults (65+) have less reliable thirst mechanisms, so it's important that they monitor fluid intake closely. If you're skiing with your kids, make sure you take frequent fluid breaks.

Apres Ski
After a long, hard day of skiing enjoy a well-balanced, low-fat meal to refuel your body's energy stores. Also, continue to drink plenty of fluids to make sure you're completely rehydrated--and remember, alcohol doesn't count.

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Last Updated ( Thursday, 06 July 2006 )
 
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