However, across all sports and at all levels of competition, this is changing. From the AYSO soccer fields of Iowa to the lava fields of Hawaii's Ironman Triathlon World Championships, coaches and seasoned athletes are mentoring their young counterparts not only on athletic training techniques, but on the importance of eating to win.

According to Bob Babbitt, publisher of Competitor, Fitness Runner and Triathlete magazines, the number of endurance athletes in the United States, at amateur and professional levels, has never been higher. Triathlon clubs are found in hundreds of cities across the country, and more people than ever spend their non-working hours running, biking and swimming -- getting their bodies to the pinnacle of personal fitness. However, not until recently have athletes been encouraged to look closely at diet.

"Dave Scott, the six-time Ironman Triathlon Champion, is a perfect example of how things have progressed," says Bob Babbitt. "Dave was into a healthy diet long before it was fashionable. He was a vegetarian for a long time and he was making smoothies with soy milk and putting soy on his cereal when other athletes didn't know what soy was. Back then he took lots of ribbing for it, but now everyone realizes he was way ahead of his time," he says.

Scott, 47, a long-time advocate of "plant-based" nutrition, says, "For years athletes were in the dark about nutrition. Then a trend emerged and we were told to load up on carbohydrates to win races. Some people took that to heart -- living on bagels, pasta and not much else -- forgetting about the importance of protein, fat, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants."

Scott, still competitive at elite levels, was the first inductee into the Ironman Hall of Fame. When not training, he coaches and leads clinics across the country.

As expected, a big part of his coaching focuses on nutrition. With a degree in athletic physiology from the University of California Davis,Scott has been a consultant to companies like Saucony and Imagine Foods, a leading producer of soy-based energy drinks. In fact, during training for the Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii last October, Dave used an all-natural soy energy drink called Power Dream as a cornerstone of his nutrition program, eschewing energy bars for energy liquids because of their ease of digestion and refreshing taste.

"Athletes are continually looking for the nutritional "magic bullet" that will allow them to achieve and maintain peak fitness. The problem is that many don't have the basic knowledge. They try to load up on supplements and often follow fads. It would help them to know about fueling with natural products like Power Dream that offers vitamins, minerals and more in the form of organic soy. Everyday athletes and elite athletes need nutrient-dense foods to enhance, promote and nourish the body," adds Scott.

For athletes who are new to natural fueling, Dave Scott offers this recipe, containing the calories, vitamins and minerals athletes need:

Dave's Super-Smoothie:
1 11-ounce container Power Dream (any flavor)
1/2 teaspoon Peanut Butter or another "nut butter"
4 ice cubes
2 fruits (e.g., one banana plus a handful of raspberries)
2 carrots (yes -- try it!)
1 teaspoon of whey protein isolate powder (optional)

Put all ingredients in blender and process for 30 seconds.

This recipe can be cut in half. Total calories: 650-800 (approximately). Carbohydrate grams: 100-125. Protein grams: 30 (with whey protein and Peanut Butter). Fat: 10 grams (with Power Dream and Peanut Butter)

The ratio of carbohydrates, protein and low fat is excellent for aquick calorie boost during your workday, or as a late-night snack.

Courtesy of ARA Content

EDITOR'S NOTE: Dave Scott is available for interview and comment upon request. For more information, contact Ellen Weiser, Communications & Advertising Manager, (650) 595-6336, Fax: (650) 327-1459.