The connection between nutrition and athletics has been well documented, but good nutrition is almost practice. It is not uncommon for a young athlete who has a burger and fries before a big game and think nothing of it. But the correlation between optimal performance and optimal diet for young athletes was established long ago. It
is not surprising that the optimal athletic performance requires
adequate food and nutrients, tailored to the individual and the sport of
person too. Many
young athletes today generally gravitate toward eating habits that are
not only unhealthy, but that decrease your chances of getting optimal
performance. If this is the case with your son or daughter, it may be time to try a different approach.The daily intake of calories for each young athlete should be compatible with the sport they play, their sex and age, and their size and shape. Even children in Aspen, where there may be many sports in warm weather all year round, need sufficient ski and snowboard energy. Young athletes, even more than a normal young, need more energy and calories to their growing bodies. If a young athlete has very few calories it takes for the body to grow, it could even be harmful to their bodies. It is said that the average girls and children under 13 athletes need about 2000-2300 calories per day, while girls May 14 to 18 need about 2400 to 2500. But it is not surprising that the body of the young man is growing at a rapid pace, the young athlete needs more calories to keep up. The average calorie intake for a young male athlete of 14 to 18 is about 3200 calories per day.
Now, just because the young athlete needs more calories than a normal person, it does not mean that all calories are good. Carbohydrates are the best source of nutrition for young athletes. Carbohydrates are rapidly broken blood sugar (glucose), which is the primary energy source for the body. The brain, nervous system, and largely all muscles are fed mainly by glucose. Inadequate intake of carbohydrates can cause fatigue, low energy levels, not to mention the less than optimal performance. It is important that the parent knows, however, an adequate intake of carbohydrates compared to other foods. Carbohydrates should represent about 60% of feeding your young athlete with starches and grains is more than 60%. These are foods like pasta, bread, potatoes and rice.
The body of the young athlete also needs a constant supply of protein too. Proteins are the building blocks of young muscles and other tissues of the body that is most vulnerable at this young age. Protein is a source of less efficient than energy from carbohydrates, but is no less important. Protein should be around 15 to 25% of total daily calories with foods such as fish, eggs, lean meats, poultry and eaten regularly. Fats are important in the diet of young athletes too. Good sources of healthy fats are meat, olive oil, nuts and some dairy products.
If you have kids in Aspen or New York, if they practice winter sports or summer, make sure your young athletes get the proper nutrients so they can practice their favorite sport more.
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