Shannon Nassi
Staff Writer '18
Athletes treat their bodies as machines; keeping them well-fueled and equipped with key vitamins and nutrients throughout the school day can do more than enough to maintain the essential athletic stamina. However, there is one day a year when all that hard work falls to dust; on the day known for cutting diets and indulging in all-you-can-eat buffets, eating becomes an athlete’s priority. The national cheat day is quite well-known to those who have fallen prey to it; staring into the temptation of the dinner table, the promise of relaxing and eating for an entire weekend makes mouths savor at the mere thought of it all.
Thanksgiving weakens an athlete in more ways than most believe. Most Thanksgiving foods contain higher quantities of butter, sugar and milk. Due to a person’s love for Thanksgiving food he or she might find themselves binging on leftovers for about a week after. The doses are almost doubled or tripled for just one Thanksgiving meal instead of the daily three. This completely alters an athlete’s regular eating habits, causing the body to become accustomed to eating such fattening, savoring foods. Evidence affirms that eating carbohydrates along with any protein can release tryptophan, an amino acid that produces melatonin and serotonin, two other chemicals that incur sleepiness. The combination of foods on a Thanksgiving plate will result in the tryptophan to be released in the brain; effects include sluggish behavior, impulsive headaches, and sudden tiredness.
This year at Thanksgiving, try supplementing your turkey with drizzled gravy and yams with marshmallows on top. When your face is covered in pumpkin pie, mix in some bright berries. And don't forget, tomorrow you're back on your workout routine. The difficulty of it is overwhelming, but old habits die hard, right?
Staff Writer '18
Athletes treat their bodies as machines; keeping them well-fueled and equipped with key vitamins and nutrients throughout the school day can do more than enough to maintain the essential athletic stamina. However, there is one day a year when all that hard work falls to dust; on the day known for cutting diets and indulging in all-you-can-eat buffets, eating becomes an athlete’s priority. The national cheat day is quite well-known to those who have fallen prey to it; staring into the temptation of the dinner table, the promise of relaxing and eating for an entire weekend makes mouths savor at the mere thought of it all.
Thanksgiving weakens an athlete in more ways than most believe. Most Thanksgiving foods contain higher quantities of butter, sugar and milk. Due to a person’s love for Thanksgiving food he or she might find themselves binging on leftovers for about a week after. The doses are almost doubled or tripled for just one Thanksgiving meal instead of the daily three. This completely alters an athlete’s regular eating habits, causing the body to become accustomed to eating such fattening, savoring foods. Evidence affirms that eating carbohydrates along with any protein can release tryptophan, an amino acid that produces melatonin and serotonin, two other chemicals that incur sleepiness. The combination of foods on a Thanksgiving plate will result in the tryptophan to be released in the brain; effects include sluggish behavior, impulsive headaches, and sudden tiredness.
This year at Thanksgiving, try supplementing your turkey with drizzled gravy and yams with marshmallows on top. When your face is covered in pumpkin pie, mix in some bright berries. And don't forget, tomorrow you're back on your workout routine. The difficulty of it is overwhelming, but old habits die hard, right?