Millions of youth today participate in some type of sporting event. Whether it is football, swimming, soccer, dance, ice hockey or any other sport, very often the importance of nutrition is overlooked by both coaches and parents. Good nutrition along with adequate hydration and proper vitamins and minerals are essential for maximum athletic performance. If these are overlooked, the result can be under performance or even more critical is the increase in injury and risk of dehydration. Sports nutritionists stress the connection between how young athletes play and what they eat. By building healthy eating habits, athletes will be able to not only play to the best of their ability, but also carry over healthy eating habits later in life. Young athletes are often told that proper nutrition is like fueling your car. In order to keep the engine running you need to give it gas. You wouldn’t add useless or harmful ingredients to the gas or your car wouldn’t run. When sugary, fatty and processed foods are added to your body, your engines will simply not run at their capacity. Parents who are looking to help their young athletes to improve their performance should follow these great tips.
- Make sure you child eats a healthy breakfast packed with eggs, cheese, lean meats and whole grains. Whole fruits are also a good choice. Stay away from sugary cereals, pop tarts, donuts, muffins, etc that provide no nutritional value.
- Increase your child’s water intake. Proper hydration is essential for athletic performance. Stay away from sugary drinks including fruit drinks, sugary sports drinks, soft drinks, etc.
- Eliminate Processed Foods. This includes your stops at fast food restaurants. Prepare fresh meals that focus on whole foods including fruits and vegetables.
- Eliminate unhealthy snacks. Stop serving chips, candy, cupcakes and other sugary, processed snack foods. Replace them with cut up fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, yogurt or other healthy snacks.
- Don’t buy foods your young athlete shouldn’t eat. Bringing junk into the home is a sure way to mess up an athletic healthy eating plan. Leave the junk on the shelf at the supermarket.