Do you have a physically active teenager or part of their official sports team? Then they may need more food and nutrients than the next person. Just like anyone physically active, a teenager’s body will require fuel to get the most out of their activities. But what makes them different from adults is that they need to focus more on their nutrition for their growth and development as well.
This can mean adding more healthier dishes to their diet and supplementation from brands like Integrative Therapeutics at Supplement First. What else can you do? Here are some tips to ensure your active teen is getting enough nutrients and calories to maintain an active lifestyle.
- Focus on Their Nutritional Needs
Active and athletic teens need the following:
- Vitamins and minerals – We all need various vitamins and minerals. Athletes, in particular, will need these two important minerals:
o Calcium – This helps build strong bones to lessen the risk of stress fractures and other injuries. You can add more low-fat dairy products and leafy green veggies to your teen’s diet to increase their calcium consumption.
o Iron helps carry oxygen throughout the body. Without it, it can run the risk of iron-deficiency anemia and symptoms like fatigue. Add more iron-rich foods like lean meat, chicken, eggs, fish, leafy greens, and fortified whole grains.
- Protein – This macronutrient builds and repairs muscles, which is crucial after strenuous training sessions and game days. You can provide a protein-rich diet by including lean meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, beans, nuts, and soy products in your teen’s diet.
- Carbs – Carbs are NOT an enemy! This macronutrient provides more energy for the body and is also a crucial fuel source for young athletes. Without enough carbs, your child is running on empty. Make sure you add healthy carbs like whole-wheat pasta, whole-grain bread or cereal, and brown rice, as well as fruits and veggies.
- The doctor may recommend your child take supplements from brands like Pure Encapsulations at Supplement First to make up for any nutrient deficiency.
- Stay Hydrated
Your teen must drink a lot of fluids to avoid dehydration, which reduces strength and energy. Even mild dehydration can negatively affect one’s athletic performance!
Remind your teen to drink water before physical activities and every 15-20 minutes throughout their workout or training session. While sports drinks are popular, nothing is better than water. Avoid giving them sugary or carbonated beverages, which upset the stomach.
- What Happens During Game Day?
Game days can be nerve-wracking for any teen, but they should not forget to eat properly! The meals they eat on game day aren’t very different compared to what they usually eat in a day.
Make sure you feed your child a meal 3-4 hours before the game, ensuring it has a lot of healthy carbs, a medium amount of protein, and is low in fat, as fat takes longer to digest.
Wrapping It Up
Make sure you keep all these tips in mind so your teen can train and perform amazingly.
Comments are closed.