As the dedicated parent of an aspiring sports star, you probably know all that you need to know about buying equipment, removing grass stains from uniforms, and cheering on your favorite little athlete. However, have you given much thought to what kind of diet you should be serving up to the sports-loving child in your life? All parents should strive to make sure that their children maintain a healthy diet, but as a parent of an athlete, you should take extra care to ensure that your children is getting balanced meals that will support their high level of activity.
This is easy for most kids. If they are already eating a healthy, well-balanced diet of meals and snacks throughout the day, then they are probably getting all of the nutrients that they need to maintain performance levels for their weekly practice and competition schedule. However, if you have children who are involved in high endurance sports such as cross-country running or competitive swimming, then they may need to eat more to maintain the same performance levels.
When game day rolls around, it’s important to make sure that your child is still eating healthy meals and not just grabbing a hot dog and soda on the way to the game. Make sure that you child has enough time to digest his food before game time, which means eating two hours or more before the ball game, meet, or competition. Before a game, put an emphasis on feeding your child carbohydrates and proteins in lieu of fats, due to the body’s difficulty in digesting fats.
After the game, make sure that your child is well-hydrated. Try to always have a water bottle or two on hand that they can use to immediately rehydrate. And as important as it is to feed your child a well-balanced diet before game time, it’s just as important to make sure that your child eats well after the game. Avoid the fast food and concession stand in favor of a well-balanced meal that includes plenty of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that will help her body rebuild muscle tissue, restore carbohydrates, and replenish fluids. Keep in mind that one balanced meal on game day will not make up for a lack of nutrients in your child’s day-to-day diet, so focus on providing healthy meals and snacks throughout the weeks of practice and games, and even during the off-season.
Finally, regarding the specialty sports drinks and foods that are targeted towards athletes, consider that most children do not need products like these to meet their energy requirements. Energy drinks, gels, and bars don’t contain any magic ingredients that will enhance your child’s performance on the field. In fact, all they really need is a parent who is dedicated to helping them get their nutrients from a well-balanced diet.
Content created in conjunction with Laura Rayburn for Mark Trotter of YoNaturals Healthy Vending Business in San Diego, California. Mr. Trotter also played an integral part in the creation of www.healthystudentvending.com
and www.schoolhealthyvending.com
