Skateboarding’s popularity has skyrocketed over the past decade, drawing a wide range of diehard riders of all ages to skate parks. The sport pushes your endurance, balance, coordination, and power to stick tricks and handle different surfaces.
Healthy snacks provide steady energy, helping skaters progress in the sport while staying in top condition. This article explores the nutrient-packed snack options you can try so you can achieve new performance peaks.
The Importance Of Nutrition For Skateboarders
A skateboarder’s diet directly affects their energy, endurance, and recovery from the sport’s physical demands. Processed snack foods can lead to that mid-session ‘sugar crash’ most athletes want to avoid.
You need healthy snacks that provide you with balanced nutrition. Packaged bars and sweet bites from reputable shops like Eat Rotten offer guilt-free snacking that tastes decadent while powering skateboarders to land more ollies and kickflips. You could also make your own snacks with healthy ingredients, which are probably already in your kitchen.
Snack Idea 1: Energy-Boosting Smoothie Bowls
Blending fruit, veggies, nuts, and seeds makes nutrient-dense smoothie bowls to hydrate and revitalize. Try a combo of spinach, mango, chia seeds, almond milk, and protein powder for a tasty way to power long sessions.
The natural vitamins and minerals provide an energy kick without the unhealthy additives. However, take care not to make large portions of smoothie bowls. Too much can mean excess calories and sugar.
Snack Idea 2: Protein-Packed Energy Balls
DIY energy balls take minutes to mix up and deliver a protein punch to aid muscle recovery after hard slams. Stir up oats, peanut butter, ground flaxseed, and dark chocolate chips, then roll the mixture into bite-sized balls to carry in your backpack for an energy boost.
Carbs offer quick and ample energy. Meanwhile, protein helps rebuild damaged muscles so you can nail those skateboard tricks and maneuvers with ease.
Snack Idea 3: Nutritious Trail Mix
Whip up your own homemade trail mix to customize for what your body needs. Try raw almonds and cashews for magnesium, yogurt for calcium, antioxidant-rich goji berries or dried cranberries, and dark chocolate chips for quick energy.
Healthy fats and fiber keep you feeling full, while natural sugars and carbs supply fuel to boost your skating. Complex carbs in nuts and seeds offer sustained energy for longer activities. If you tire out fast, even after just a few minutes of skateboarding, consider some energizing trail mix. Change up ingredients to make them appetizing every time.
Snack Idea 4: Healthy Wraps Or Sandwiches
Loading a whole grain wrap or sandwich with good-for-you fillings makes for fantastic fuel while skating. Fill it with lean turkey, bean sprouts, shredded carrots, and spinach for a healthy snack rich in protein, fiber, and vitamins.
The carbs from the bread or wrap provide fuel to help you stick to that landing. Healthy fillings like vegetables also provide a decent amount of iron, magnesium, and B vitamins to fight off fatigue.
Snack Idea 5: Fiber-Rich Oatmeal
Oatmeal, a reliable energizer, has carbs that break down slowly for lasting fuel. Boost nutrition and flavor by topping with berries, bananas, almonds, cinnamon, and honey.
Fiber keeps you feeling satisfied, with magnesium and iron providing you with skating stamina. Any fruit toppings you’ve added to your oatmeal also provide antioxidants and vitamin C for an extra immunity boost.
Snack Idea 6: Heart-Friendly Egg White Omelet
Egg whites build lean muscle with high protein without significantly impacting blood cholesterol for most people. Fill your omelet with typical fare like tomatoes, mushrooms, and onions. These ingredients are rich in lycopene, vitamin D, and manganese, respectively.
These nutrients support your body during long days of skateboarding, filled with falls and tricks. Consider topping your omelet with calcium-rich cheese for optimal bone health.
Eat Up Before And After Skateboarding
It’s beneficial to eat a little something before and after shredding at the skate park. However, individual preferences may vary. While some people can perform high-intensity exercise without eating first, skipping food may leave you lightheaded or queasy since your body taps fat for fuel when blood sugar gets low.
An empty belly could force your body to scavenge energy wherever it can, which isn’t ideal. Without these vital energy sources, you could feel exhausted faster.
After skateboarding, it’s also best to munch on something healthy. Grab a snack rich in carbs and protein to help your body bounce back quickly and repair and strengthen muscles. Remember to replace fluids lost from sweating by drinking enough water, too.
Conclusion
Healthy snacks are vital to powering long skate days, whether you’re working on kickflips or riding bowls for hours. Convenient options like smoothies, energy balls, and trail mix pack a nutritional punch. Lean proteins help muscles recover, while complex carbs and fiber provide sustained energy.
Use these healthy snack ideas to reach your skating goals this season. But don’t limit yourself either. You can still have an occasional sweet treat for that extra energy boost and positive vibes.