Harvard Nutrition Notables

  To transfer grams of protein or carbohydrates to calories, multiply each gram by 4.

• To transfer grams of fat to calories, multiply each gram by 9.

• Keep in mind that every gram of beer holds 9 calories, and every gram of hard liquor holds 7 calories.

• Oils are nothing more than liquid fats; some are healthier than others - make smart choices!

• Preparing foods in different ways can affect the property and amounts of the nutrients they contain. In this packet, assume that meats and poultry are grilled, broiled or boiled; seafood and shellfish are grilled, broiled or boiled; vegetables are either steamed or served raw; fruits are served raw and un-sugared; and that dairy products are served in their packaged form, with no further processing.

• Healthier ways to prepare and serve foods include:
  • Meat and poultry: grilling, broiling, boiling, baking
  • Seafood: grilling, broiling, boiling
  • Vegetables: raw, grilled
  • Fruit: raw, un-sugared
  • Dairy: choosing skim milk and/or low-fat/non-fat products

• Less healthy ways to prepare and serve foods include:
  • Meat and poultry: frying, roasting, stuffing
  • Seafood: frying, roasting, stuffing
  • Vegetables: frying, stuffing
  • Fruit: adding sugar
  • Dairy: choosing whole milk or full-fat products

• Supplements are meant to be SUPPLEMENTARY, they are not meant to replace meals. Getting extra protein or carbohydrates from a power bar or protein shake can be a healthy way to enhance to your daily eating routine, but the core of that routine should be healthy, natural foods.

• There is no miracle diet, or miracle food, or miracle product anywhere on the market that will solve all of your nutritional needs. Don't waste your time looking for one!

• Recommendations for protein, carbohydrates, fat, and calories included in this packet are represented in ranges and percentages of your total daily intake of food. Please be aware that these numbers are not set in stone. Your personal eating plan is yours alone, and will be different from your teammates', and from athletes on other teams.

• The sample diets listed in the back of this packet are examples only. Feel free to play around with food choices and servings to find a plan that works for you, or to choose foods entirely outside the sample plans.

• For more information on the calories and nutrients in the foods you eat, you can visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website: http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=7783 and download (for free) the "What's in the Food We Eat?" database to your computer's desktop. The database allows you to enter any of more than 13,000 different types and brands of food and explore their macronutrient, micronutrient, and caloric content.

• If you have ANY questions about the information included in this packet, please talk to your team's strength coach directly.