NFL Girls Flag Football

NFL Girls Flag Football


Girls flag football is a popular high school sport in the states of Florida and Alaska and in our bordering countries of Canada & Mexico

Over 4,800 girls play high school flag football in Florida and Alaska…and play it well

One third of all NFL FLAG football participants are girls

Girls flag football should be a high school sport. Thirteen girls across the country are about to make this happen

IT’S TIME FOR OUR FIRST DOWN...

The Program…

The NFL has identified the desire of girls to be more involved in the sport of flag football. Our research shows that there is a high demand for girls’ flag football to be legitimized and played as a scholastic high school sport. Girls’ flag football is already a state sanctioned sport in Florida and Alaska and both programs boast staggering participation numbers. The NFL has developed a leadership program to give girls what they want – a place to play football! It’s time for their first down.

The NFL has identified the top 10 most concentrated cities of recreational girls’ flag football participation and it selected one girl in each city who is extremely passionate about flag football, has been involved with our NFL FLAG football program, and desperately wants to play flag football as a legitimate high school sport. The NFL is empowering these girls to pursue this desire, and request that her high school pilot a girls’ flag football program. The selected participants will champion this initiative and with the assistance of local high schools, they will be the pioneers of female flag football in the U.S.A.

The NFL’s contribution…

The NFL will help subsidize this program for every high school that agrees to pilot a girls’ flag football program in Year 1 (2008/09 school year). The NFL will provide flag football equipment free of charge to each school as well as flag football coaching and officiating manuals.

Girls & High School Flag Football…

In the state of Florida, interscholastic flag football started out in 1998 with 17 schools with 860 participants and rose to 161 schools with over 4,800 participants in 2007 (458% participation increase in 10 years!)

In 2005, the Anchorage, Alaska School District polled high school girls to ask which new sport they would like to see implemented. The #1 sport requested was flag football. In its first year, the Anchorage girls’ flag football program had 343 participants from 8 high schools.

Florida and Alaska did it - its now time for the 48 states in between to carry on the momentum that these two states have generated!

It’s time for our first down.



http://www.nflyouthfootball.com/Its_Time_For_Our_First_Down.htm

The NFL Draft

NFL DRAFT


The NFL Play 60 Youth Football Festival presented by Nike Let Me Play included over 1,000 New York City students learning NFL FLAG skills through action packed 3-on-2 scrimmages. Top NFL Draft prospects and current NFL Player's from the NY Giants, NY Jets, Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles stepped onto the field to join in the NFL FLAG football action. The makeshift football field in Central Park provided the ultimate stage for participants to learn how to evade the flag while receiving touchdown passes from current NFL players and future NFL stars.


http://specialevents.nflyouthfootball.com/NFL_DRAFT.htm">

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A Need for Speed - Baseball

A Need for Speed


By Jon Doyle

Everybody knows that bat speed can lead to huge power numbers, a high batting average and the ability to hit top-notch pitching. While bat speed doesn’t guarantee you’ll become a great hitter, it’s virtually impossible to become great without it.

You hear a great deal about “overload/underload” training when it comes to bat speed. This is where you swing a bat heavier than your normal weight, then swing a lighter bat and then follow up with a regular game bat swing to finish off the routine.

What most people won’t tell you is that a bat greater than or less than 15 percent of your normal bat weight will alter your normal swing pattern mechanics. In other words, if you swing a heavy bat--or an extremely light bat--you will mess up your swing!

Below are two drills that can increase bat speed and help you stay sharp as a hitter in preparation for next season.

Lightning Swing

Preparation: Start by getting rid of the heavy bat--it will not increase usable bat speed and will break down your swing. Instead go with the lighter bat. Your body will never swing faster unless it knows what it feels like.

Technique: Get a bat 10-15 percent lighter than your normal bat. After warming up, swing the bat as quick as you can for five repetitions. Do not rush between swings. Take your time and make sure you’re thinking “quick” or “fast”, not “hard.” You want each swing to be a little quicker than the last. Be absolutely sure to maintain the proper swing mechanics your coach taught you.

Routine: Perform 3-5 sets of five repetitions. Now grab your normal bat and swing as quick as you can for five reps. Employ this drill three times per week in the off-season and your bat speed will improve dramatically when next season rolls around. You’ll be able to hit faster pitching and put the ball in play with more authority.

The Windshield Wiper

I’m sure by now you’ve heard of the body’s “core.” While it’s an overused marketing gimmick in fitness circles, the muscles from the upper legs to the upper abdominals do play a major role in your athletic and hitting ability.

One overlooked aspect of core training is rotational development or the range of motion of your midsection. This drill will develop that.

Preparation: Lay on your back with your arms on the floor extended out to the side. With your legs straight and together, raise them so the bottom of your shoes are facing the ceiling.

Technique: Keeping your legs together and straight, and your arms and shoulders anchored to the floor (have someone hold down your shoulders if necessary), begin to lower your feet towards the ground to your right. Take a long arching motion, just like a windshield wiper.

Routine: Go as far as you can with your shoulders raised off the ground and return to the starting position and repeat to the left. If this is too difficult, you can begin with your knees bent. If this is too easy, place a 1-2 pound medicine ball between your feet for added resistance. Perform three sets of 10 total repetitions (five each side) after you have done the Lightning Swing drills.

Remember the time you put in during the off-season is an investment that pays enormous dividends come game time. I suggest you chart your progress with these drills to ensure you stay on track to become the best hitter you possibly can.

Jon Doyle MA,

NFL Hair Regulations??

By Seth Wickersham
ESPN The Magazine
Updated: March 27, 2008


Kyle Turley Thinks Proposed Hair Rule Crosses Line
Talk about an endless saga: Football is continuing its longtime battle against hair. Next week at the owners meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., the league's competition committee will mull over a rule that would bar players from wearing long hair that obscures the nameplates on their jersey backs. Chiefs president Carl Peterson, whose clean, sophisticated, gelled 'do has never come under such fire -- although it certainly would catch -- reportedly proposed this regulation. If it's enacted, players like Troy Polamalu, Steven Jackson, Al Harris, Larry Fitzgerald, Rashean Mathis and others whose nameplates we can't see would have to either snip it or stuff it.

Peterson is currently on the road scouting for the draft and is unavailable for comment, according to the Chiefs. But if this suggestion is approved, long hair would be classified as a uniform violation -- you know, like wrong-colored shoes, socks, wristbands or helmet decals.

By that logic, it's amazing that hair isn't already a violation, especially after the 2003 Ricky (Williams) Rule, which had been named for the dreaded-up tailback, declared that grabbing locks was fair game for tackling.

Steelers safety Troy Polamalu hasn't cut his hair in eight years.
Says Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney: "I'm just glad it wasn't an issue in 2001 when I had a mullet."
Everyone knows how the NFL takes to players tinkering with their uniforms: Not well. So it's not surprising that hair would fall into this category. Letting the locks grow is all about self-expression. Football isn't. Many believe what Ravens nose tackle Kelly Gregg says, "Only the cheerleaders should have long hair."

Judging by football's history, coaches would prefer every player have a buzz cut like Johnny Unitas. And it wasn't just professional ball. A former all-Big Ten cornerback named Rick Telander wasn't allowed to grow out his hair in the early '70s because his coach, Alex Agase, wouldn't stand for it. "You had to make a choice," says Telander, now a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times. "Was I going to wear my hair long or was I going to play sports?"

He chose sports but let his locks loose after graduating. That didn't go over well with Agase, who saw Telander one day and yanked a handful, telling him to get it cut. The impact of that moment eventually had to be sorted out in the pages of Sports Illustrated. It was clear that control usurped fashion. And it still does, even though the collective bargaining agreement states that players cannot be punished for long hair.

"There has to be a limit to what they can control," says Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones. "Next, it'll be how long your fingernails can be or how white your teeth are."

I've talked to Polamalu about his hair. The Steelers safety hasn't had it cut since 2000 and wears it long because he celebrates his Samoan roots. Polamalu doesn't care that he has to purchase Aveda in bulk, and he isn't itching for a barber. Neither is Jackson, who has barely touched his dreads since high school. Considering the Rams tailback is such an individualist that he has yet to wear the exact same uniform twice -- he always rotates colors of wristbands, mouthpieces, socks, and sleeves -- he'll hate Peterson's idea. Lots of players will.

Hairy Issue
NFL owners are considering a proposal to ban players from having hair flow from their helmets below their names on the back of their jerseys.
"I used to have long hair," says Packers tailback Ryan Grant. "It's someone's right, and for some, it's part of their religion or culture."
But this rule isn't being pitched in terms of uniformity or control. It's being sold as a safety precaution. Remember in 2006, when Kansas City tailback Larry Johnson pulled down Polamalu by his hair after an interception? Johnson says now, "I have no problem doing it again to anyone else."

Lots of players would, which is why the NFL needs to do something about it. But not what's on the table. The league needs a few guys with long hair for one reason: It's cool. Jackson looks cool breaking off 40-yard runs with his dreads bopping. Polamalu looks cool hunting like a lion. Harris looks cool with his ropes dancing as he returns an interception. "I get my strength from my hair," Harris says.

Who cares if fans can't see the nameplates? Everyone knows them already. Personalities have that effect.

Let's hope the competition committee vetoes the current proposal and instead makes a simple choice: Undo the Ricky Rule. Make it illegal to use hair as a means to tackle. If players know better than to horse collar or grab face masks, they can avoid dreads.

"That would work," Harris says. "Nobody has ever gotten hurt from having their hair pulled."

Exactly. So here's to hoping nobody gets clipped.

The Best Food For Runners

The 15 foods runners need every week for good health and top performance
By Liz Applegate Ph.D.

Most supermarkets stock more than 30,000 items, yet every time we race up and down the aisles of the grocery store, we toss into our carts the same 10 to 15 foods. Which isn't such a bad thing, as long as you're taking home the right foods--ones that will keep you healthy, fuel peak performance, and easily cook up into lots of delicious meals. So before your next trip to the grocery store, add the following 15 foods to your must-buy list. Then, when you get home, use our tips and recipes to easily get them into your diet and onto your menu.


Add to your cart: Almonds

Runners should eat a small handful of almonds at least three to five times per week. Nuts, especially almonds, are an excellent source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that many runners fall short on because there are so few good food sources of it. Studies have shown that eating nuts several times per week lowers circulating cholesterol levels, particularly the artery-clogging LDL type, decreasing your risk for heart disease. And the form of vitamin E found in nuts, called gamma-tocopherol (a form not typically found in supplements), may also help protect against cancer.

Add to your diet: Add almonds and other nuts to salads or pasta dishes, use as a topping for casseroles, or throw them into your bowl of hot cereal for extra crunch. Combine with chopped dried fruit, soy nuts, and chocolate bits for a healthy and tasty trail mix. Almond butter is perfect spread over whole-grain toast or on a whole-wheat tortilla, topped with raisins, and rolled up. Store all nuts in jars or zipper bags in a cool dry place away from sunlight and they'll keep for about two to four months. Storing them in the freezer will allow them to keep an extra month or two.

Add to your cart: Eggs

One egg fulfills about 10 percent of your daily protein needs. Egg protein is the most complete food protein short of human breast milk, which means the protein in eggs contains all the crucial amino acids your hard-working muscles need to promote recovery. Eat just one of these nutritional powerhouses and you'll also get about 30 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, which is vital for healthy bones. And eggs contain choline, a brain nutrient that aids memory, and leutin, a pigment needed for healthy eyes. Choose omega-3 enhanced eggs and you can also increase your intake of healthy fats. Don't worry too much about the cholesterol: Studies have shown that egg eaters have a lower risk for heart disease than those who avoid eggs.

Add to your diet: Whether boiled, scrambled, poached, or fried (in a nonstick skillet to cut down on the need for additional fats), eggs are great anytime. Use them as the base for skillet meals such as frittatas. Or include them in sandwiches, burritos, or wraps as you would meat fillers. You can also add them to casseroles and soups by cracking one or two in during the last minute of cooking.
Add to your cart: Sweet potatoes

This Thanksgiving Day standard should be on the plates of runners year-round. Just a single 100-calorie sweet potato supplies over 250 percent of the DV for vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, the powerful antioxidant. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, iron, and the two trace minerals manganese and copper. Many runners fail to meet their manganese and copper needs, which can have an impact on performance since these minerals are crucial for healthy muscle function. There are even new sweet-potato varieties that have purple skin and flesh and contain anthocyanidins, the same potent antioxidant found in berries.

Add to your diet: Sweet potatoes can be baked, boiled, or microwaved. You can fill them with bean chili, low-fat cheese, and your favorite toppings, or you can incorporate them into stews and soups. Baked as wedges or disks, sweet potatoes make delicious oven fries. Don't store sweet potatoes in the fridge because they will lose their flavor. Instead, stash them in a cool, dark place, and they should keep for about two weeks.

Add to your cart: Whole-Grain Cereal with Protein

Look for whole-grain cereals that offer at least five grams of fiber and at least eight grams of protein. For example, one cup of Kashi GoLean cereal, which is made from seven different whole grains, including triticale, rye, and buckwheat, fills you up with a hefty 10 grams of fiber (that's 40 percent of the DV) and is loaded with heart-healthy phytonutrients. It also contains soy grits, supplying 13 grams of protein per serving. If you pour on a cup of milk or soymilk, you'll get 30 to 40 percent of your protein needs as a runner in one bowl. Other high-protein/high-fiber cereals include Nature's Path Optimum Rebound and Back to Nature Flax & Fiber Crunch.

Add to your diet: Of course whole-grain cereal is excellent for breakfast--a meal you don't want to skip since research indicates that those who eat breakfast are healthier, trimmer, and can manage their weight better than nonbreakfast eaters. Cereal also makes a great postrun recovery meal with its mix of carbohydrates and protein. Or you can sprinkle whole-grain cereal on top of your yogurt, use it to add crunch to casseroles, or tote it along in a zip bag.
Add to your cart: Oranges

Eat enough oranges and you may experience less muscle soreness after hard workouts such as downhill running. Why? Oranges supply over 100 percent of the DV for the antioxidant vitamin C, and a recent study from the University of North Carolina Greensboro showed that taking vitamin C supplements for two weeks prior to challenging arm exercises helped alleviate muscle soreness. This fruit's antioxidant powers also come from the compound herperidin found in the thin orange-colored layer of the fruit's skin (the zest). Herperidin has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels and high blood pressure as well.

Add to your diet: Add orange sections to fruit and green salads, or use the orange juice and pulp for sauces to top chicken, pork, or fish. And to benefit from the antioxidant herperidin, use the orange zest in baking and cooking, as with my Grilled Herbed Salmon recipe (above). Select firm, heavy oranges, and store them in the fridge for up to three weeks. Orange zest can be stored dried in a glass jar for about a week if kept in a cool place.

Add to your cart: Canned Black Beans

One cup of these beauties provides 30 percent of the DV for protein, almost 60 percent of the DV for fiber (much of it as the cholesterol-lowering soluble type), and 60 percent of the DV for folate, a B vitamin that plays a key role in heart health and circulation. Black beans also contain antioxidants, and researchers theorize that this fiber-folate-antioxidant trio is why a daily serving of beans appears to lower cholesterol levels and heart-disease risk. In addition, black beans and other legumes are low glycemic index (GI) foods, meaning the carbohydrate in them is released slowly into the body. Low GI foods can help control blood sugar levels and may enhance performance because of their steady release of energy.

Add to your diet: For a quick, hearty soup, open a can of black beans and pour into chicken or vegetable stock along with frozen mixed veggies and your favorite seasonings. Mash beans with salsa for an instant dip for cut veggies, or spread onto a whole-wheat tortilla for a great recovery meal. Add beans to cooked pasta or rice for extra fiber and protein.

Add to your cart: Mixed Salad Greens

Rather than selecting one type of lettuce for your salad, choose mixed greens, which typically offer five or more colorful delicate greens such as radicchio, butter leaf, curly endive, and mache. Each variety offers a unique blend of phytonutrients that research suggests may fend off age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer's, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. These phytonutrients also act as antioxidants, warding off muscle damage brought on by tough workouts. You can usually buy mixed greens in bulk or prewashed in bags.

Add to your diet: Toss a mixed greens salad with tomato, cucumber, scallions, and an olive oil-based dressing (the fat from the oil helps your body absorb the phytonutrients). You can also stuff mixed greens in your sandwiches, wraps, and tacos. Or place them in a heated skillet, toss lightly until wilted, and use as a bed for grilled salmon, chicken, or lean meat. Greens store best in a salad spinner or the crisper drawer in your fridge for up to six days. Just don't drench them in water or they won't keep as long.
Add to you cart: Salmon

Nutrition-wise, salmon is the king of fish. Besides being an excellent source of high-quality protein (you get about 30 grams in a four-ounce serving), salmon is one of the best food sources of omega-3 fats. These essential fats help balance the body's inflammation response, a bodily function that when disturbed appears to be linked to many diseases including asthma. A recent study showed that people with exercise-induced asthma saw an improvement in symptoms after three weeks of eating more fish oil. If you've been limiting seafood due to possible mercury or PCB contamination, simply aim for a variety of farm-raised and wild salmon for maximum health benefits.

Add to your diet: Bake, grill, or poach salmon with fresh herbs and citrus zest. Gauge cooking time by allotting 10 minutes for every inch of fish (steaks or fillets). Salmon should flake when done. Precooked (leftover) or canned salmon is great in salads, tossed into pasta, stirred into soups, or on top of pizza. Fresh fish keeps one to two days in the fridge, or you can freeze it in a tightly sealed container for about four to five months.

Add to your cart: Whole-Grain Bread

Runners need at least three to six one-ounce servings of whole grains per day, and eating 100 percent whole-grain bread (as opposed to just whole-grain bread, which may contain some refined grains and flours) is an easy way to meet this requirement since one slice equals one serving. Whole-grain bread may also help weight-conscious runners. One study showed that women who eat whole-grain bread weigh less than those who eat refined white bread and other grains. Whole-grain eaters also have a 38 percent lower risk of suffering from metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by belly fat, low levels of the good cholesterol, and high blood sugar levels. All this raises the risk for heart disease and cancer.

Add to your diet: Bread is versatile, portable, and ready to eat right out of the wrapper. Spread with peanut butter or stuff with your favorite sandwich fillings and plenty of sliced veggies for a one-handed recovery meal. Coat with a beaten egg for French toast, or use as layers or crumbled in a casserole. Just be sure the label says 100 percent whole grain (all the grains and flours included in the ingredients should be listed as whole, not milled or refined). And don't just stick with the popular 100 percent whole-wheat breads. Try different varieties of whole grains such as barley, buckwheat, bulgur, rye, or oat.
Add to your cart: Frozen Stir-fry Vegetables

Research shows that eating a combination of antioxidants, such as beta-carotene and vitamin C, may lessen muscle soreness after hard interval workouts by reducing the inflammation caused by free-radical damage. Most ready-to-use stir-fry veggie combos offer a potent mix of antioxidants by including red and yellow peppers, onions, bok choy, and soy beans. And frozen vegetable mixes save lots of prepping time but still provide the same nutrition as their fresh counterparts.

Add to your diet: Dump the frozen vegetables right into a hot wok or skillet, add tofu, seafood, or meat, your favorite stir-fry sauce, and serve over brown rice. Or throw them into pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking, drain, and toss with a touch of olive oil. You can also mix the frozen veggies right into soups or stews at the end of cooking, or thaw them and add to casseroles. Vegetables store well in the freezer for about four months, so make sure to date your bags.

Add to your cart: Whole-grain Pasta

Pasta has long been a runner's best friend because it contains easily digestible carbs that help you restock spent glycogen (energy) stores. Whole-grain versions are a must over refined pastas because they contain more fiber to fill you up, additional B vitamins that are crucial to energy metabolism, and disease-fighting compounds such as lignans. And even better, pastas such as Barilla Plus offer whole-grain goodness along with heart-healthy omega-3 fats from ground flaxseed and added protein from a special formula of ground lentils, multigrains, and egg whites to help with muscle repair and recovery.

Add to your diet: Pasta makes a complete one-pot meal--perfect for busy runners--when tossed with veggies, lean meat, seafood, or tofu. Or combine pasta with a light sauce, a bit of your favorite cheese, and turn it into a satisfying casserole.

Add to your cart: Chicken

Runners need about 50 to 75 percent more protein than nonrunners to help rebuild muscles and promote recovery after tough workouts. And just one four-ounce serving of chicken can supply about half a runner's daily protein needs. Along with protein, chicken contains selenium, a trace element that helps protect muscles from the free-radical damage that can occur during exercise, and niacin, a B vitamin that helps regulate fat burning during a run. New studies also suggest that people who get ample niacin in their diet have a 70 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Add to your diet: Chicken's versatility makes it perfect for runners with little time to cook. You can bake, broil, grill, or poach chicken in broth. Leftover chicken works well on top of salads, mixed into pasta, or stuffed into sandwiches and burritos. Fresh chicken stores safely for two days in the fridge, but can be frozen for six months or more.
Add to your cart: Frozen Mixed Berries

The colorful compounds that make blueberries blue, blackberries deep purple, and raspberries a rich shade of red are called anthocyanins--a powerful group of antioxidants that may help stave off Alzheimer's disease and some cancers. Anthocyanins may also assist with postrun recovery and muscle repair. Not bad for a fruit group that contains a mere 60 calories or so per cup. And remember: Frozen berries are just as nutritious as fresh ones, but they keep far longer (up to nine months in the freezer), making it easier to always have them ready to eat.

Add to your diet: Frozen berries make a great base for a smoothie and there's no need to thaw them. Once thawed, eat them straight up or add to some vanilla yogurt with chopped nuts. Or liven up your hot or cold cereal with a big handful. You can also bake berries with a nutty topping of oatmeal, honey, and chopped almonds for a sweet treat after a long weekend run.

Add to your cart: Dark Chocolate

As a runner you deserve at least one indulgence--especially one you can feel so good about. Chocolate contains potent antioxidants called flavonols that can boost heart health. In one study, a group of soccer players had lower blood pressure and total cholesterol levels, and less artery-clogging LDL cholesterol after just two weeks of eating chocolate daily. Other research suggests that the chocolate flavonols ease inflammation and help prevent blood substances from becoming sticky, which lowers the risk of potential blood clots. But not just any chocolate will do. First off, dark chocolate (the darker the better) generally contains more flavonols than milk chocolate. Also, the way the cocoa beans are processed can influence the potency of the flavonols. Chocolate manufacturer Mars has developed a procedure that apparently retains much of the antioxidant powers of the flavonols, and their research shows just a little over an ounce (200 calories worth) of Dove dark chocolate per day has heart-healthy benefits.

Add to your diet: Besides the obvious (just eat it!), you can add dark chocolate to trail mix, dip it in peanut butter (my favorite), or combine it with fruit for an even greater antioxidant punch. Just keep track of the calories. Buy chocolate wrapped in small pieces to help with portion control.

Add to your cart: Low-fat Yogurt

Besides being a good source of protein and calcium (one cup provides 13 grams of protein and 40 percent of the DV for calcium), low-fat yogurt with live cultures provides the healthy bacteria your digestive tract needs to function optimally. This good bacteria may also have anti-inflammatory powers that can offer some relief to arthritis suffers. Just look for the live-culture symbol on the yogurt carton.

Add to your diet: Low-fat yogurt is great topped with fruit, granola, or nuts, or used as a base for smoothies. Plain yogurt can be mixed with diced cucumber and herbs like dill and spread over grilled tofu, chicken, fish, and other meats. Yogurt can also double as a salad dressing with vinegar and herbs. Or mix it with fresh salsa to stand in as a dip for veggies and baked chips.

Juicing for Pre-Workout

There are numerous types of foods that can be juiced that are loaded with vitamins, minerals and nutrients.

By: Bryan Tomek
For Active.com

There's a common myth out there that you should refrain from eating before working out. This notion stems from the belief that your body will tap into its fat reserves if there is no fuel available to burn first.
Although this can be the case, the truth is that your body needs fuel to provide energy for your workout--whether it be cardio or weightlifting. Juicing and blending the right foods can be a quick and easy way to get the right, energy-boosting fuel that your body needs for an effective workout.

There are numerous types of foods that can be juiced or blended. Foods with complex carbohydrates provide some of the best energy-producing fuel, as they supply glucose and are able to convert glucose into energy slowly, giving your muscles a consistent energy supply throughout your workout. Complex carbs are also better for your body because they're typically found in foods that are loaded with vitamins, minerals and nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables and grains.

Your body takes about five hours to digest fat, three hours for protein and two hours for carbohydrates. For this reason if your workout is a few hours away your meal should consist of a combination of low fat, high carb foods with moderate protein. If your workout is about 90 minutes away--have a snack to energize.

This is where juicing enters the picture. Health drinks can be prepared quickly, easily and can be a great source of complex carbohydrates, protein, minerals, vitamins and nutrients.

The following recipes and their descriptions are extracted from the book Power Juices Super Drinks, by Steve Meyerowitz. They provide some great examples of health drinks that will boost your bodies' energy for a more effective workout.

Battery Recharge

The first example is a quick pick me-up that provides long term energy and is easy to make. Carrot juice is a great source of beta-carotene, the famous antioxidant that protects against the damaging effects of exercise and increases oxygen in the blood, tissues and brain. Ginseng is renown for providing strength and energy. Garlic, among its many other benefits, increases stamina.

8 oz Carrot Juice
1 clove Garlic, juiced
1 tsp Ginseng Powder
Juice the carrots and garlic and stir in the ginseng powder or granules. Ginseng is available at health and oriental food stores. Use organic carrots for the best tasting juice.

Stamina and Endurance

The second example involves banana and spirulina, good sources of potassium and important for the conversion of glucose to glycogen for energy. Magnesium (from bran, almonds and spirulina) is important for the storage and release of glycogen. Almonds are also a high energy food, producing six calories per gram. Adequate levels of chromium (from bran and banana) and zinc (from spirulina) help balance blood sugar regulation and therefore energy production.

1 Cup Apple Juice
1 Banana
2 Tbsp Oat, Rice or Wheat Bran
1 Tbsp Spirulina, Chlorela or Blue-Green Algae
8 -- 12 Almonds
To Taste Pure Water
Blend the banana and the bran in the juice until smooth. Add the spirulina or other algae powder. For best digestion, almonds should be softened by pre-soaking them for several hours. If you like a crunchy, chewy drink, add the almonds at the end and just chop or blend them briefly.

Muscle Milk

Oats provide a rich source of carbohydrates that are easily converted into energy. Oats increase stamina and are particularly fortifying for the heart muscle. Oat milk is available in health food stores, or you can make your own. Or you may substitute soy milk.

The calcium contained in cocoa acts as a muscle tonic and helps with muscular contraction. Whey protein is the richest dietary source of BCAA's, a form of amino acids that builds muscle mass. Whey protein prevents muscle loss and promotes muscle growth and repair. Honey provides glucose, a source of energy.

1 cup Oats or Soy Milk
1 tsp Whey Protein Powder
1 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Honey
Serve hot or cold. If drinking hot, stir the cocoa powder and whey into the hot milk. Heat up to a boil, but do not boil. If drinking cold, shake or blend the powders and honey thoroughly into the milk.

Tips for Successful Juicing

There are loads of other healthy fruits, vegetables and grains that can be juiced and blended to benefit your body for pre and post workouts. Consider the following tips when using your juicer or blender.
Always remove the peel from citrus fruits before juicing them. The peels from oranges, tangerines and grapefruits contain oils that are indigestible and provide a bitter taste. If consumed in large quantities citrus peels can lead to digestive problems. Lemon and lime peels can be juiced, but if consuming them, make sure they're organic to avoid pesticides. The white portion of a citrus fruit is actually the most beneficial part as it contains the most vitamin C and bioflavonoids (an antioxidant).
Don't forget to wash your produce and remove any bruised portions.
Remove large pits and hard seeds from fruits such as peaches, plumbs and cherries. Smaller and softer seeds, like those found in watermelons and grapes, can be juiced as they include beneficial nutrients.