Bookmark: Eating On the Run (pdf)
Teenage athletes need enough calories to maintain their growth and an additional amount to accommodate their working muscles. Spreading meals throughout the day is a good way to get the fuel teens need.
Plan meals around carbohydrates and protein. Good food choices include:
Add fruits, vegetables and dairy foods to all meals and snacks to round out the nutritional benefits and training needs.
Visit eatright.org for more information.
Bookmark:Fueling Before Practice (pdf)
Post-Practice or Afternoon Game SnackThe hours after practice or a weekday competition may necessitate snacking before the family dinner. Make sure to have pre-prepared snacks ready when you arrive home hungry from a tough after-school practice or game. This can include cut-up fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt and smoothies (recipes provided). Make sure you eat within 1 hour after a workout.
Post-Game Family DinnerFor a tasty and filling post-game family dinner, include baked or broiled lean cuts of meat such as chicken breast, lean beef, wild game, salmon or tuna. Include whole grains, for example, whole-wheat pasta with a low-fat tomato or cheese sauce. Toss in vegetables or include a side green salad.
Complete your meal with fruit for dessert, such as baked apples or pears accompanied by a glass of low-fat or fat-free milk. Or create an instant yogurt parfait with layers of low-fat vanilla yogurt, fresh, frozen or canned fruit, and crunchy whole-grain cereal.
Include all five food groups — protein, grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy for the nutrients you need for energy throughout the day.
Bookmark:Fueling After Practice (pdf)
Most Americans regularly take one or more dietary supplements. In fact, we spend over $30 Billion annually on these products—many of them untested and unproven, and some unsafe! The following tips will help you to make informed decisions about your supplement use:
Is it safe? Is it effective?Supplements are not tested for safety or effectiveness before being sold. ‘Natural’ does not mean safe. Do your research before taking any dietary supplement.
Check your sourceGovernment (.gov) or educational institutions (.edu) are usually great sources of unbiased information. Someone who is selling a product or receives money (advertising or other) from a supplement company is not a good source.
Beware of bargain shopping, consider quality/purityA few 3rd party companies help to certify that products meet purity standards: USP, Consumer Lab, NSF. Bargain supplements can be a gamble—you may be getting less (or MORE!) than you think you are.
Speak with an unbiased health care professionalDepending on the product you’re interested in you may want to talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian. Many supplements can have adverse effects or negative interactions with other drugs or supplements you might be taking.
Bookmark: Dietary Supplements (pdf)
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For more information, contact a University of Wyoming Nutrition and Food Safety Educator at nfs@uwyo.edu or Ask an Expert.
Email: nfs@uwyo.edu
Extension Educator: Vicki Hayman – (307) 746-3531
Issued in furtherance of extension work, acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kelly Crane, Director, University of Wyoming Extension, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming Extension, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071.
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