If you’ve watched an ice hockey game, you know how much stamina it takes. In seconds, players fly from one end of the ice to the other. It’s a series of sprints and battles with the opposing team, all in search of one little puck.

In other words, not a game you want to play with no fuel in your tank. Angela Ruggiero knows that. Her three Olympic appearances have resulted in three medals: a bronze, a silver, and a gold. She’d like more gold in 2010. So in addition to training hard, she’s paying close attention to what she eats, when she eats, and how much she eats.

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That’s where Megan Mangano comes in. She’s a performance nutritionist and a registered dietitian. It’s her job to make it easy (and tasty) for athletes to bring out their very best game-day performance. Even if you’re not headed to the Olympics (yet), what you eat and drink can help make you faster, stronger, and less likely to run out of steam, Mangano said.

It all starts with taking extra special care of your body. “I tell athletes to treat their bodies like their dream car.” Mangano said. “You’d only put premium fuel in there and you’d never leave home without fuel in the tank.”

Ruggiero already had a pretty healthy diet, but Mangano has encouraged her to eat an even wider variety of healthy foods. More variety means more varied nutrients.

Let’s hear what Ruggiero had to say about how healthy food is helping her prepare for the 2010 Olympics:

What’s your favorite healthy food? Puffins cereal, non-fat cottage cheese with jelly, turkey on wheat bread

What is your favorite pre-game meal or snack? A whole-grain bagel with peanut butter and banana, Lara Bars

What’s your favorite post-game meal or snack? Chocolate milk, trail mix, fruit in a protein shake

What’s your favorite junk food and do you limit how much you eat? I love ice cream, but limit it to about a pint a month. I also love Coke, but moderation is key.

Have your eating habits changed since you were a kid or teen athlete? Yes, as an adult I have come to realize that you have to treat your body well if you want it to perform and function well for you. I try to only feed it healthy, non-processed foods as much as I can.

Timing is also important so I make sure I am feeding myself 5-6 times a day. I allow myself to eat what I want, but try to eat healthy the majority of the time so that I can not only feel great, but also play to the absolute best of my ability.

www.KidsHealth.org

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