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Fueling Young Athletes
Training Diet
It is important to eat a diet that has adequate carbohydrates – this
will ensure that your muscle stores are topped up and ready to fuel
you during training, during practice and during games. Good sources
of carbohydrate include whole grain breads and cereals, rice and
pasta, fruits, and vegetables.
A balanced diet that is low in fat and high in vitamins and minerals (from plenty of fresh fruit
and vegetables) is also important to keep energy levels up and enable you to perform your
best. Protein is also important for health, growth, maintenance and repair of muscles and
other tissues. Good sources of protein are fish, chicken, turkey, beef, low-fat milk, cheese,
yogurt, eggs, nuts and soy.
Fluid Needs
Being dehydrated can lead to early fatigue – but dehydration is completely preventable! It is
important to learn to drink before, during, and after training and to drink before you feel thirsty.
Before Practice/Game
Drink 2 to 3 cups of fluids
two to three hours before
practice or a game. Thirty
minutes before start time,
drink ½ to 1 cup of fluid.
During Practice/Game
Drink about ½ to 1 cup of
fluid every break you get
(2-3 big gulps every 15-20
minutes). Water is sufficient
during this time.
After Practice/Game
Try to replace sweat losses
– you’ll probably need to
drink at least 1 liter of fluid.
You want to ensure you are
rehydrating your body.
Pre-Event Eating
Pre-event snack
The pre-event meal should be eaten 2-4
hours prior to playing and should also include
plenty of fluids. Your meal should be high in
carbohydrate and low in fat.
Pancakes with syrup and banana
2 bowls of cereal with milk and yogurt
2 sandwiches with your favorite fillings
Pasta with tomato sauce and milk
Fresh fruit and 2 low fat granola bars
Make sure that your muscles have enough
energy stores to fuel you during training or a
game, so top up with a high-carbohydrate
low-fat snack 1 hour prior to playing.
Jam/honey and banana sandwich
Fruit cereal bar
Banana smoothie
Juice or sports drink
Fig bars
Eating During Competition
Recovery Eating
During a game, fluid intake is a priority.
Ensure you have water bottles readily
available. It is not necessary to eat during the
game, especially when pre-event nutrition
guidelines have been followed.
You need to replenish muscle energy stores
and fluid losses with high carbohydrate food
and drinks in the hours after the game. Preevent meal and snack foods are good
recovery food choices.
Be prepared for playing in venues that don’t sell healthy high carbohydrate snack foods. Keep
a stock of drinks and snacks in your training bag to have at games, and ensure you hydrate
adequately in preparation. Convenient snacks include granola/fruit bars, dried and fresh fruit,
dry cereal, fig bars, graham crackers, juice box, cheese sticks, yogurt cups and sandwiches.