The Perfect Nutrition for your Snowboarding Holiday!

We are really pleased to have Fiona Kinnear, a nutritionist and keen snowboarder on hand to advise you on nutrition to get the most out of your snowboarding holiday!  Read below to see what she has to say on snacks, hydration and apres!  Over to Fiona!

‘With all the fun you have on the hill, it’s easy to forget snowboarding is a physically demanding sport, requiring loads of energy! To ensure you get the most out of your lessons and reduce the risk of injury, it is important to fuel your body with enough of the right nutrients on and off the slopes. Student dietitian Fiona Kinnear has some top tips to help you maximise your riding progression:

Eat breakfast

When you are going to be spending the rest of the day up the hill, the phrase ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ is one to live by! A good breakfast will build up your energy stores, allowing you to meet the mental and physical demands of snowboarding. If you fail to do so, you will be flagging within a few runs and will be at more risk of a nasty fall. You will also be more likely to be craving a chocolate bar and coffee stop by 10am- reducing your time riding!

I would advise to choose foods that release energy slowly, keeping you full of energy all morning. Some good ideas include:

Porridge topped with banana or dried fruit

Bowl of wholegrain cereal with milk/yogurt and fruit

Wholemeal toast with eggs (cooked your favourite way)

Wholemeal toast with peanut butter

 If you really can’t face food first thing in the morning, or are too distracted finding your gloves/goggles/boots then at least grab a banana or cereal bar to eat on the first chair up- anything is better than nothing!

Pack some snacks

Even after a substantial breakfast, it is still a good idea to keep some back up snacks in your pocket to munch on the chairlift to keep you going throughout the day. While a packet of Haribo will provide you with an instant sugar hit, it is short lived and won’t keep you riding for long! I’m not suggesting to cut sweets and chocolate out completely (you are on holiday after all!) rather suggesting that you carry a more substantial snack alongside these treats. This becomes all the more important if you are planning on skipping the queues and costs of a mountain meal at lunch. Some good snacks (that won’t be too affected by falls!) include:

Trail mix (made up of mixed nuts and dried fruit)

Cereal bars (Choose ones based around oats and/or fruit)

Flapjacks or granola bars

 Mini packs of cheese i.e. Babybel

Keep hydrated

It is easy to overlook how much fluid you lose during a day riding as you don’t necessary feel hot and sweaty but lugging around a board and the multiple layers worn lead to substantial losses. Add to this the fluids lost via condensation when breathing out into the cold air and the reduced urge to drink when in cold weather (and to avoid toilet breaks…!) it is easy to become dehydrated.

Dehydration can leave you feeling tired, sick and leads to a reduced ability to concentrate- not ideal if you are trying hard to improve your riding!

To avoid this I would urge you to carry bottles of water with you on the slope and use chairlifts as an opportunity to rehydrate. While water is the best choice for rehydration, milk, fruit juices, soft drinks and sports drinks all help to keep fluid levels up. If you don’t want to carry a bag then make sure you grab a drink of water whenever you can- at toilet stops, lunch breaks etc.

Refuel in the evenings

While it is tempting to rely on an après beer to tide you over between leaving the slopes and eating dinner, the period immediately following exercise is when your body uses food as fuel most effectively. Consuming a snack containing the correct balance of protein and carbohydrates within an hour of your last run can help reduce muscle soreness, improve recovery and prepare you for round 2 the next day! Snacks with the right balance include:

Chocolate milk

Pot of Greek yogurt with a banana

Wholemeal bread topped with ham/turkey/chicken slices

Later in the evening when you are eating your main meal, my top tips would be to make sure it includes the following:

• Protein: Lean meat, fish, eggs or beans
• Good quality carbohydrates: Potatoes, wholegrain rice/pasta/bread, or quinoa
• Healthy fats: Nuts, olive oil or avocados
• Vegetables (and fruit for dessert!): contain essential vitamins and minerals to help with recovery

Remember to keep drinking water throughout the evening, especially if you have a few après drinks as it will improve your chances of waking up without a sore head!’

So there we have it!  Stick to Fionas tips and you should get the most out of your week away shredding!!!