5 Nutrition Tips for High School Athletes

The world of sports is competitive. Every athlete is training hard and doing what they can to elevate their game. Many athletes fall short with nutrition which is a key tool in their performance toolbox.

You deserve to be successful and have the tools and knowledge that you need to build a strong nutrition plan and feel confident doing it! You already see nutrition as a tool… you are here reading this!

Nutrition is a big piece of strengthening your bones, supporting your hormones, enhancing your immune system, and keeping your brain focused. All things that keep you healthy and on the field playing the game you love!

ONE: Be consistent with protein

How does protein support your performance?

The protein on your plate helps you build and recover your muscle after a long hard practice. It also strengthens your bones, along with calcium and vitamin D, to reduce your injury risk. Protein keeps your immune system strong so you don’t have to sit out battling a cold. As a teen athlete, protein supports your hormones, growth and development too!

There is a strategy for protein to help your body truly use it to improve your game. The strategy is all about consistency. You do not want to load up on a ton of protein at meals or with shakes and bars. You DO want to include a serving of protein at every meal and with most of your snacks.

Your body is at its best when you fuel with protein consistently during the day. This means you are eating 20 to 30 grams of protein at meals and 10 to 15 grams of protein at most snacks.

Animal proteins like chicken, beef, fish , dairy, and eggs are very easy for your body to digest. They also provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients like - vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids.

A few great plant based options include - tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy milk, quinoa, and even oatmeal has some protein!

When it comes to protein, consistency and variety are important. You want to give your body a variety of strong proteins all day. By eating different types of protein you will give your body the building blocks it needs to succeed.