Pick up your protein. You can’t live on bread alone, so it’s important to get adequate protein in your diet. If you’re active, you’ll want to eat about 0.5–0.7 grams per pound of body weight per day, Clark says. For a 180-pound man, that translates to 90–126 grams of protein a day; for a 140-pound woman, it’s 70–98 grams. “Most of our female athletes don’t come anywhere close to that,” Clark says. “In order to reach those goals, you should be including some good forms of protein in every meal.” About one-third of each meal should come from protein like eggs, meat, or dairy.
Don’t be scared of salt. Unless you have a medical issue like hypertension, adding salt will help decrease your risk of mus-cle cramps, says Leslie J. Bonci, R.D., di-rector of the sports-medicine nutrition program at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Sodium helps keep fl u-ids balanced in and around your cells and prevents fl uid from accumulating in extra-cellular spaces, which can lead to muscle cramps. Try salty foods like pret-zels, pickles, crackers, or soup, or add condiments such as soy sauce to your meals. Sports drinks can also help you keep your sodium levels balanced.
