Backyard barbecues, patriotic parties, and of course ending the night watching fireworks light up the summer sky… let’s talk 4th of July for athletes. I fully believe that holidays and the fun fuel that often comes along with them are meant to be enjoyed! Check out these tips on how to continue to properly fuel and stay on track while enjoying your holiday.
1. Start the day off right!
I recommend starting off the day with an easy training day athlete’s plate, which includes carbohydrates, protein, color, and 1-2 servings of healthy fat. Many athletes get concerned about fueling during holidays and special events. In these situations, you can’t control everything but you usually can control breakfast! If you know that your fourth of July BBQ will be rich in carbohydrates and fat, make sure to prioritize color and protein at breakfast to help balance out your fueling plan. An example of a great athlete’s breakfast:
- Whole wheat English muffin
- ¼ smashed avocado
- Veggie egg scramble with two eggs + one egg white and two big handfuls of your favorite veggies!
2. Build a performance plate BBQ style!
The awesome thing about using the plate method (more on that here) is that you can fill your plate with all your holiday favorites and reach your performance goals. Fueling during the 4th of July for athletes can be easily maintained when you follow this plate method.
Check out this moderate day training athlete plate. This example athlete plate contains a bratwurst topped with onions and dijon mustard paired with a colorful salad. This plate allows the athlete to enjoy a fun grilled protein option and pairs it with color to ensure they are fueling properly.
The athlete additionally paired this with a fruit salad and an ice cream cone.
3. Don’t forget to hydrate!
Check out this easy homemade sports drink to stay hydrate throughout the day. Here are some other hydration tips!
If you are outside or at the beach for most of the day, you are going to need some electrolytes to remain hydrated. I recommend grabbing some fresh watermelon juice to use!
4. Offer to bring a colorful dish!
If you are worried that there might not be too many colorful options to pick from, offer to bring your favorite! A hot summer day calls for a bright green salad or juicy fruit platter. Give these star sparklers a try!
Watermelon Star Sparklers
Equipment
- Wooden skewers
- Star cookie cutter (or awesome knife skills to cut a star)
Ingredients
- 1 watermelon
- 1 package blueberries
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Slice the watermelon in half.
- Place the flat half of the watermelon down on the cutting board.
- Cut into about 1” slices.
- Lay the slice flat and cut out stars.
- Place 5-8 blueberries on the skewer and top it with the watermelon star.
- Sprinkle with salt to give this festive fruit skewer added hydration!
A good fueling plan helps you reach your goals while also letting you enjoy the holidays and other fun occasions. If you are ready to start building a sustainable fueling plan for yourself, I encourage you to join PFC! In this program, you’ll have access to a ton of resources that will help you learn how to fuel for your best performance with easy, simple and fun sports nutrition. Join today whether you’re a student athlete or a fit active adult!
