Friday, May 2, 2014

May Nutrition Athletes of the Month!


Christoph Bono and Alexis Walker are featured as this month's nutrition athletes! Find out how our Bruin superstars are fueling for success.


Christoph Bono, Baseball, Outfield


Sophomore, Christoph Bono joined the UCLA baseball program in January 2012. Bono's most recent achievements in 2013 included playing in 55 games and in all of UCLA's postseason games, scoring two runs in 12 at-bats while helping the Bruins to the NCAA Championship. He entered the majority of games as a defensive replacement in the outfield and did not make an error all season, recording a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage!

Read what Bono has to say about his fueling experience:

What is the impact of nutrition on your performance? Nutrition makes a big impact for my performance in baseball. Being that baseball is a slow and long sport my game days at the field can be exceedingly long, making nutrition an important part of sustaining my energy. I try to plan out my game day meals/snacks while I’m at the field as much as possible before heading over to the park for the day. Having a big meal before I go to the field (4 hours before the game) is really important and the base of my energy for the rest of the evening. From there it’s all about eating snacks to maintain my energy; anything from mixed nuts, fruits, applesauce, trail mix, etc. I try to constantly snack during the game as well, as it helps me keep my energy to focus. 

What is your favorite recovery food/drink? Muscle Milk pre-made and powder is probably my most used recovery drink. I always have a Muscle Milk after weights, practice and games. I also like to add Muscle Milk to my smoothies in the morning or a peanut butter banana smoothie at night. In terms of food, PB&J is definitely my staple snack before games... I've probably had about 30 already this year.
What is the biggest difference that you have seen in your performance when you have made changes to your diet? When I am paying attention to my nutrition, eating healthy and as often as possible, my energy is always better. Baseball is a long game and I'm sure you have heard the saying that it's "90% mental and 10% physical”. It’s really true. In order to keep that mental focus and energy for the duration of the game, my nutritional plan helps me do that. If I am keeping myself energized and well fed then I give myself the best chance to succeed on the field.

Alexis Walker, Track and Field


Senior, Alexis Walker has had a very successful Track and Field career thus far. After graduating Pasadena High School with multiple awards and recognition in track, she began her career at UCLA in 2011. Her most recent achievement has included her first-ever heptathlon, where Walker scored 5,409 points at the Mt. SAC Relays, jumping into UCLA's record books! Walker finished second overall and is the second Bruin to earn Pac-12's weekly women's field honor.

Read what Walker has to say about her fueling experience:

What is the impact of nutrition on your performance? For a period of approximately 6 months leading up to the beginning of the 2014 outdoor track season, I have made a concerted effort to change the way in which I eat. I have changed the type and amount of food that I eat each day as well as the number of times throughout the day that I provide my body with nutrition. With this new program that was created in consultation with Emily, I have seen and felt a huge difference in my in endurance as demonstrated in my ability to practice, compete, and recover efficiently. The impact of nutrition on my performance has been as dramatic as night and day this year and has allowed me to perform at the level of athlete I always knew I could be. I am having the best season I have had while attending UCLA and among other things, I attribute the changes made in my nutritional intake to be a major component to my performance.
What is your favorite recovery food/drink? My favorite recovery drink depends on what event or activity I have just participated in. After weights, I like to drink Muscle Milk or Avia protein shakes. After a hard practice or run, I like to drink something I call the peanut butter cup smoothie. It contains 1 frozen banana, 1-2 cups of almond or regular milk; depending on weather I want it thicker or thinner, 1-2 tablespoons of almond or peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of coca powder. I mix it all up in a blender or shaker bottle and ENJOY!
What is the biggest difference that you have seen in your performance when you have made changes to your diet? The biggest difference that I have seen in my performance since I made these changes in my diet is how much more energy I have. I have been able to push myself longer in running workouts and am able to lift heavier for a longer period of time before I get to a point of exhaustion. I feel that I am having better practices and because of that I started to greatly improve in both my performance at practice and in competitions. I have also been able to recover faster and feel better and less sore the following day. 
A glimpse through Walker's nutritional journey: 

As an athlete at a college filled with other athletes who are competitive and driven, I strive to push myself, while caring for my body, to constantly become a better version of my athletic self. My journey with nutrition has been a roller coaster and until this year I really struggled with having the right plan that fueled my body and worked for me. In the past I made the mistake of thinking that to become a top athlete I needed to be extremely diligent about what I eat, causing me to think that by eating extremely clean and healthy that I would get better. In reality I was actually hindering my body from getting what it needs to excel. As athletes, we need to eat and nurture ourselves so we can call upon our bodies to perform. In order for our body to do what we are asking it to do, we have to give our bodies the nutrition required to operate at the highest levels and fuel those areas responsible for performance. As athletes, there are certain types and amounts of nutritional foods needed that directly relate to performance and there are differences based on the type of sport and exercise being performed. We need to consume the right nutritional foods in the right combinations and proportions in order for our body to excel properly. It takes some time and experimentation to figure out exactly what works for your body. Nutrition has changed who I am as an athlete and has allowed me to become the athlete I am today."

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