UNIVERSITY
Offseason
Appetite Trouble Shooting
Lesson Overview
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lifestyle and Habits
Food prep and sources
Calorie Rotations
Meal Frequency
FODMOPs
Dietary Supplements
Trouble Shoot Poor Appetite: Lifestyle Habits
Limit Systemic Stress
Manage sleep hygiene
Very cold and hot beverages can decrease appetite
Fluids too high with meals, time fluids between meals
Fluids too low and constipation
Walking 5-10 minutes after meals
Limit caffeine and other stimulants
Chew food thoroughly, big food chunks digests slow
Sit and eat, focus on the meal
Set meal times and routine
Trouble Shoot Appetite: Improve the diet you
already follow
•
•
•
•
•
Use a variety of seasonings and condiments
Don’t do lazy food prep, bland food is NOT fun
Rotate type of cooking (baking, grilling, Air Frier, Crock Pot, etc)
Rotate food options
Protein
•
•
•
•
Cook meats already mechanical broken down (ground and shredded)
Low connective tissue meats (fish, shrimp)
Switch some meals to protein powders
Eat the protein later in the meal to not fill you up first
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Avoid high fiber sources (oats, barley, whole wheat)
Chose low fiber options (white rice, skinned potatoes)
Move to dry carb sources (bagels, English muffins, rice cakes)
Dry fruits and juices can be used, but watch your serum triglycerides
Veggies save to end of meal in case you get full, all veggies cooked
Increase carb powders around training
Use sauces on meals to increase simple carbs if needed and improve taste
•
•
•
•
•
Switch nuts and avocado to oils (limit fiber)
Spread fats out evenly in meals
Move fats to meals where appetite is higher, nighttime additions
MCT oil around training
Fat dense foods might be needed for calorie boost, but watch appetite and consider health
(high fat cheat meals)
• Carbohydrates
• Fats
Trouble Shooting Poor Appetite: Calorie
Rotations
Carbohydrate cycling
Matches to days of lower energy expenditure
Breaks up diet monotony
Training day
300c/300p/50f
Off day
200c/300p/60f
Fasting
Once every 10-14 days have day of fasting or 2-3 meals only with 8
hour eating window
Give GI extra rest time
Psychological break
Its like a reverse refeed for the offseason
Trouble Shooting Poor Appetite: Meal
Frequency
Meal Volume and Frequency
Some point in the offseason meal volume can get large
Delayed Gastric Emptying
Bloating
Psychologically taxing large meals
Large time commitments to meals
Increased Meal Frequency
Increased gastric emptying
Decreased bloating (distended belly)
Increased hunger with lower protein and fat per meal, same total per
day
More meal prep
Trouble Shoot Poor Appetite: FODMOPs
Food Intolerances to address for bloating and gas
FODMOPS Fermentable Oligo-, Di, Monosaccharides and Polyl
These food components can be poorly absorbed and cause excessive gas and bloating.
Look through the diet for foods:
Fruits (apples, apricots, mango, peaches, pears)
Milk, yogurt, and cheese
Vegetables (broccoli, garlic, onions, asparagus, cabbage, Brussel sprouts)
Lentils and beans
Sugar alcohols
avocado
Artificial sweeteners
Switch to:
Fruits (banana, berries, grapes, oranges)
Almond cashew milk
Spinach, green beans, zucchini, bok choy
Rice based over wheat-based products
Oats
Spelt or sourdough bread
Trouble Shoot Poor Appetite: Supplements
Supplement Aids
Digestive enzyme with proteases
Papaya, Pineapple natural occurring (Bromelain)
Probiotic
10 billion CFU minimum
Acid Reflux
Low acid: Betaine HCL 600mg per meal
High acid: Zn Carnosine 75mg per day
GI motility
Ginger capsules with meals
TUDCA (bile flow support and liver health)
Insulin sensitivity
Metformin and Berberine
*can cause bloating and gas
High blood glucose = poor nutrient uptake and low appetite
Insulin initiation
Summary
Offseason should be a time to enjoy your meals and cherish them
before contest prep
Take time to prep your food and focus and enjoy the meal
Variety is the spice of life and offseason can allow that to happen
Make your diet so you can adhere and simplify foods when needed for
time constraints