Looking for a way to give your athletes an edge? The answer isn’t supplements, steroids or drugs; it’s fueling the body with proper nutrition. Nothing can take the place of high-quality food. Athletes need more vitamins, minerals, calories and fluids to train at the highest level. The lack of these essential nutrients can lead to fatigue, injury and decreased performance.
Do you find your athletes saying these things?
- I’m tired during the day.
- I’m always sore and exhausted after practice.
- I don’t know what to eat pre- and post-practice.
- I don’t know what foods I should eat for snacks.
- I can’t ever increase my strength in the weight room.
If so, you need the tools to teach your athletes the proper way to fuel their bodies. Adequate sports nutrition can improve strength, athletic performance, conditioning levels, recovery time, lean muscle mass and immune function, as well as mental acuity and alertness. It can also help reduce the risk of injury and chronic fatigue, and the amount of lean muscle mass lost during the season. Solid nutrition helps repair muscle, as well as aiding in the growth and development of new tissue.
The goal is to fuel the body all day long through meals, snacks and fluids. Frequent meals that include whole grain carbohydrates, lean protein, healthy fat, low-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables will give your athletes the energy they need to perform at the highest potential, both on and off the field.
