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Getting a teenager to eat healthfully is a challenge. And when that teenager is spending hours at the field, gym or pool, on top of classroom time and hanging out with buddies, the challenge becomes even keener.
What to feed the football player who goes from class to field in crushing heat and humidity? How about the swimmer who bookends the day with hours in the pool? Or the wrestler who needs to stick to his competition weight?
Nutrition is important for athletes of every age, but young jocks need special attention because their bodies and brains are still developing.
They need calcium for strong bones and muscle development. Magnesium and potassium facilitate muscle contractions and relaxation. Complex carbohydrates maintain energy, and water to keep all systems in tip-top shape.
Nutritionally sound food and drink give young athletes what they need to perform to their best ability. But parental involvement, attention from coaches and even professional nutritional counseling may be needed to help them learn what they put in their bodies shows up in their stats.
"The entire coaching staff harps on the boys about eating and drinking properly every day," says St. Petersburg (Fla.) High football coach Joe Fabrizio. "We encourage the boys to eat five meals per day during the football season so they have fuel to burn at practice. We pay special attention to staying hydrated by continually stressing for them to drink water, sports drinks and fruit juices
In the two weeks leading up to the start of school, football training camp was 3 to 8 p.m. The players broke for an hour each day for food, drink and rest. They brought their own food, and the buffet ran the gamut from stews, spaghetti and ravioli, ramen noodles, cold chicken, sub sandwiches, PBJ, fruit, chips and granola bars, plus enough bottled water and sports drinks to float a flotilla.
Hopefully, the players ate a well-balanced lunch at noon and drank lots of water before they got to the field. If they were awake by noon. That's another challenge with feeding teenage athletes, especially in the summer.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO FOR YOUNG ATHELETES
Here are 10 ways parents can help their teenage athletes eat better, from registered dietitians Sheila Dean and Nadine Pazder:
1. Plan, plan, plan. Athletes don't go into a competition without a game plan, and they shouldn't approach their diet that way, either. Take some time on the weekends to plan meals and snacks for the week.
2. Involve the kids. There's no sense dictating food selections to teenagers. They are old enough to know what they will eat and won't. Respect that and work with them. Bring or send them to the store to help with the shopping. Guide them to better choices, such as whole apples vs. Apple Jacks and cheese sticks instead of Cheetos.
3. Focus on lean proteins. Nutrition experts agree fast food or high-fat meals before games inhibit performance. Greasy foods can cause stomach discomfort.
4. Take a class together. If you need more information, look for a nutrition class to take with your child. If you think other teammates could benefit from this, approach the coach to see if he or she can find a nutrition expert to counsel the group.
5. Eat well yourself. Set a good example. Have fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. Cook at home as much as possible; avoid processed food. Caffeine may give you a jolt, but it is also a diuretic that may cause dehydration. Go easy on the energy drinks.
6. Think about timing. Don't prepare a big meal right before a competition. Make sure your child has money to buy food at school or that a wholesome lunch is toted. Student athletes will need a meal by about 1 p.m. if practice is at 3 p.m.
7. Encourage eating. Even with lots of exercise, some teenagers are leery of eating because of body size issues. This is especially true with girls. Make sure they understand that good food is good for them.
8. Snacking is OK. Make this your mantra. Forget the three squares a day; think about five small meals. Your athlete needs to fuel consistently through the day.
9. Hydration is No. 1. This doesn't just mean quaffing gallons during competition or right after. Encourage your teen to drink water throughout the day, not just when he or she is thirsty.
10. Don't sweat it. They are teenagers after all: Some days they will eat better than other days. They will eat pizza. They will want chips. Cheeseburgers tempt them. Keep everything in perspective and allow them to enjoy all foods, but help them recognize which ones should be limited.
