The Young Athlete's Guide to Peak Performance Nutrition

Your Body is Your Most Important Equipment

After years of working with young athletes, I've seen this scenario countless times: a talented player shows up to practice, crushes the first 20 minutes, then completely crashes. Here's what I tell every athlete I work with – you'd never put low-quality gas in a race car, right? Your body deserves the same respect. As your sports dietitian, I've watched athletes transform their performance simply by changing how they fuel their bodies.

The Game-Changing Power of Proper Nutrition

Energy That Lasts

I remember working with a soccer player who was constantly "hitting the wall" during the third quarter. We adjusted her pre-game meal timing and composition, and within two weeks, she was playing at full intensity for the entire 90 minutes. Her coach couldn't believe the difference – but I could, because I see this transformation regularly in my practice! Proper nutrition ensures you have sustained energy throughout your entire workout, game, or competition – not just for the first few minutes.

Faster Recovery = More Training

Here's the secret sauce: athletes who fuel properly recover 2-3x faster than those who don't. That means less soreness, better sleep, and the ability to train harder more often. While your competition is still sore from yesterday's workout, you're already back at 100%.

Injury Prevention

Well-nourished athletes have stronger bones, more flexible muscles, and better coordination. Translation? You spend more time playing and less time on the sidelines.

This may be a great place to start:

The Young Athlete's Fuel Formula

Pre-Workout Power (1-3 hours before)

The Goal: Top off your energy tanks without feeling heavy

What to eat:

• Complex carbs for sustained energy (oatmeal, whole grain toast, banana)

• Small amount of protein (Greek yogurt, peanut butter)

• Stay hydrated!

Avoid: Heavy, fatty, or high-fiber foods that might cause stomach issues

During Activity Fuel (for sessions over 60 minutes)

The Goal: Maintain blood sugar and hydration

What you need:

• Sports drinks for intense sessions over an hour

• Water for shorter activities

• Quick carbs if needed (sports gels, banana slices)

Post-Workout Recovery Window (within 30-60 minutes)

The Goal: Repair muscles and replenish energy stores

This is my favorite topic to discuss with athletes and parents! The magic happens in that 30-60 minute window after exercise.

My tried-and-true recommendations:

• 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein

• Chocolate milk (yes, I'm serious – the research backs this up!)

• Turkey and avocado wrap (one of my personal meal prep favorites)

• Greek yogurt with berries

• Smoothie with protein powder and fruit

Keep working at it! Check back next week for Blog #2: Daily Nutrition Game Plan

-Danielle Phillipps, MS, RDN