Back to School, and Back to Sports - Sports Nutrition Tips for Your Athlete

Back to School, and Back to Sports

Sports Nutrition Tips for Your Athlete

It’s back to school and for many kids that also means it’s back to sports. That’s right, fall sports are already upon us. Those early morning practices may throw us off our normal routine so it’s important to plan ahead to help make sure your child is getting enough energy to fuel their busy day. Eating consistently and regularly throughout the day is a priority for all students as they head back to school and it can also be an important reminder that our student athletes require more energy to accommodate their increased physical activity that comes with playing sports. It can be overwhelming transitioning back to sports so we have come up with 5 tips to help you feel better prepared for the fall season.

#1 Eat breakfast before practice

I know it’s early, but it’s also very important to have energy going into any type of physical activity. Making sure you eat a breakfast with a variety of macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein and fat) sets your whole day up for success. For those of you that have those early 6:00 am practices it may not be realistic to eat this meal at least 2 hours before it starts. It may be helpful to find things that may provide quicker energy and easier to eat on the go such as a smoothie or even overnight oats with fruit.

#2 Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Drinking plenty of water during practice and throughout the day is vital to stay hydrated. If you are practicing outside in the heat it may be a good idea to bring a sports drink with you in order to replenish those electrolytes that are lost in sweat. Take advantage of water breaks and don’t forget to bring a water bottle with you to class to keep hydrated throughout the day. If you are waiting until you are thirsty to take sips of water then you may already be dehydrated and trying to play “catch up.”

#3 Eat a snack after practice

Bring a snack that has at least two different components (ie. protein and starch) to eat after your practice. Not only does this jump start the recovery process to help you feel good during the school day but it also helps with muscle recovery to ensure you are ready for practice the following day. This may also help sustain our hunger until our next meal. Remember, athletes need to eat more often to accommodate for their increased energy expenditure.

#4 Always have a pregame meal

Many schools have started to provide meals for kids prior to the sporting event. Due to the limitations of feeding so many kids the meal may not be adequate to sustain an entire game. Pack your child supplemental items to make the meal a more appropriate size. A good rule of thumb is making sure half of the “plate” consists of starches or carbohydrates as this is the body's main source of fuel during prolonged activity and then the rest can be divided into proteins and produce. If your school doesn’t provide a meal make sure you pack something for them to bring to school so they aren’t missing out on a key fueling opportunity.

#5 Recovery is key

Recovery and rest should be an essential part of every athlete's training plan. It is recommended that athletes get greater than 7 hours of sleep per night as this is when our body is doing the majority of repair on our muscles. The strengthening of muscles actually happens in the rest and recovery period of exercise and without adequate rest we are at increased risk for injury, illness and other adverse outcomes. 

Without adequate nutrition planning, underfueling can add up over time and have negative effects on performance and health and have long-term effects on our athletes. If you feel that your athlete may be struggling getting an adequate intake to support their activity, reach out to us at Dallas Nutritional Counseling and we can help you come up with a fueling plan that fits your child’s individual needs.

Learn more about our sports dietitian McKayla by visiting her about page. If you are interested in scheduling a session with our sports dietitian, McKayla Mazziotti MS, RD, LD please visit our scheduling page.

Back to school, and back to sports - 5 nutrition tips for your athlete, Dallas Nutritional Counseling, Casey Bonano RD, LD, CEDS-S