Nutrition

Make breakfast a priority.
Eat complete (containing all the essential amino acids), lean protein with each meal (ex: chicken, lean beef, tuna, fish, milk, cottage cheese, yogurt).
Eat fruits and/or vegetables with each food meal (eat more veggies).
Ensure that 25-35% of your energy intake comes from fat, with your fat intake split equally between saturates (e.g. animal fat), monounsaturates (e.g., olive oil), and polyunsaturates (e.g. flax oil, salmon oil).
Eat a balanced meal every 3-4 hours. You should eat between 5-8 small (200-500 calories) meals per day.
Drink only non-caloric beverages, the best choices being water (48-64 oz a day) and green tea (that means no soda).
Ensure that the bulk of your carbohydrate intake comes from fruits and vegetables. Exception: workout and post-workout drinks and meals.
Eat mostly whole, natural foods (except workout and post-workout drinks).
Minimize intake of refined carbohydrates and sweets (i.e. cookies, cakes, ice cream, muffins, bagels, waffles, pancakes, sugary cereals).
Limit intake of alcohol.

Terms to Know:

Carbohydrates - the body's preferred energy source
Best sources in order of preference:

Protein - the nutrient needed to repair and build muscle
Best sources in order of preference:

Fat - an essential nutrient; must make up 30% of total calories; not the "bad guy"

Best sources:

Worst sources:

Carbohydrates

Good Choices	Fair Choices	Poor Choices
Apples, applesauce	Whole grain breads/rolls	Pancakes, waffles, white rice
Cherries, peaches, plums	High fiber cereal	White potatoes, white bread
Pears, blueberries	Brown or wild rice	Pasta, bagels, sweetened cereals
Chick-peas, beans, lentils	Oatmeal	Fruit drinks, soda, candy
Barley	Squash, peas, sweet potatoes	Maple syrup, corn syrup, dates, figs
Eggplant, mushrooms	Corn, baked beans	Corn chips, crackers, pretzels
Onions, tomatoes, lettuce	Unsweetened fruit juices	Honey, molasses, ketchup
Broccoli, brussel sprouts	Bananas, grapes, raisins

Protein

Good Choices	Fair Choices	Poor Choices
Skim milk, fat free yogurt	2% milk, low-fat cheese	Whole milk, regular cheese
Cottage cheese, egg whites	Yogurt	Ice cream, frozen custard
White tuna (packaged in water)	Whole eggs	Ground beef (75% lean), fried chicken, fish/seafood
White meat poultry (skinless)	Dark meat tuna (packaged in water)	Bacon, sausage, bologna
Ground beef/turkey (95% lean)	Dark meat poultry (skinless)	Hotdogs, pepperoni, salami, beef or pork ribs
Non-fried fish/seafood	Ground beef/turkey (85% lean), turkey bacon or sausage	Untrimmed steak
Trimmed beef/pork tenderloin	Trimmed pork chops or lamb	Cheeseburgers
Beans, peas, lentils	Nuts, seeds, natural peanut butter

Fat

Good Choices	Fair Choices	Poor Choices
Seeds, pumpkin seeds	Tropical oils (coconut, palm)	Hydrogenated oils
Flaxseeds or oil	Vegetable oil	Partially hydrogenated oils
Primose oil, olives	Peanut oil	Bacon, butter
Extra virgin olive oil	Sunflower oil	Cream, cream cheese
Avocados or guacamole	Light mayo	Sour cream, ice cream
Fish, clams, oysters	Sesame oil	High fat dairy products
Scallops	Soybean oil	Lard
Nuts		Veal
		Lamb

Meal Options

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Egg beater omelet (w/ ham, Canadian bacon, peppers, onions)	Chicken breast sandwich (on rye or pumpernickel w/ lettuce,tomato, onion)	2 chicken breasts or broiled fish	Balance bar
Bowl of oatmeal	Nonfat mayo or mustard	Chef salad	PR bar
16 oz. skim milk	16 oz. skim milk	2 pints skim milk	Any meal replacement shake and fruit
Apple/orange	Apple/orange/pear	Fruit salad	Cottage cheese and fruit
			Peanut butter, fruit and skim milk
			Low fat yogurt
			Mix of nuts/dried fruit and low fat milk

Banned Substances
For more information, please visit the NCAA website.

Schedule