Nutrition for Athletes Lesson

Athletes text annotation indicator (an individual who is proficient in sports and other forms of physical exercise) have to pay close attention to their diets, especially young athletes. A balanced diet of protein, fats, and carbohydrates is essential. Teenage athletes may require anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 calories per day. The type of sport and the frequency of activity will determine the caloric need. All of the food groups are vital to the performance of an athlete. Eating the proper nutrients can help athletes keep their immune systems high, recover from workouts faster, reduce the chance of injury, and perform better during activity. When choosing healthy items to eat, choose whole foods instead of supplements like protein shakes and protein bars. Whole foods utilize all the nutrients and take longer to breakdown. Therefore, the body obtains the highest amount of nutrition from these items.

The Diet Breakdown

How Often Should a Teen Athlete Eat?

An athlete can benefit from increased energy levels throughout the day by eating frequently. Eating every two to four hours, or the equivalent of four to six meals a day, is ideal for most athletes. By eating smaller meals more frequently, an athlete can meet the daily calorie requirements the body needs to perform, to keep the metabolism high, and to maintain a steady blood sugar level. Remember, these meal choices need to be healthy ones.

Sample Teen Athlete Diet

The plan above is just a sample. Many of the meat options can be traded out with another lean option; the same with the complex carbohydrates. Notice in the illustration above that each meal and snack are balanced with a complex carbohydrate, protein, and fruit/vegetable.

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