Successful athletes know that a proper diet is the foundation of optimal physical performance…
When it comes to athletes, the amount of daily effort they have to go through is hugely dependant on what they eat before, during, as well as after exercising. In order to keep in line with the daily requirements of a professional athlete, people have come up with various supplements. Young athletes, however, cannot simply do as they please. You need to keep a watchful eye on what you feed kids with, they are, after all, still in development.
In order to excel at sports, as well as function normally during the day, athletic children need balanced meals and snacks, which obtain all the necessary nutrients for their lifestyle. This is especially true for endurance sports, such as soccer, rowing, swimming and cross-country running, where it is expected of them to perform for 2 or more consecutive hours at a time. If you are worried that your child is getting too little or too much food, the best advice would be to consult with both a coach and a nutritionist.
For athletes, there’s more to it than just eating right…
The variety of nutrients your young athlete needs is quite big. Therefore, if you want them to do their very best at practice, make sure that they take the following:
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Protein
Yet another key dietary element. Proteins inspire muscle growth, and they help repair any damage done during practice, allowing for quicker recovery and shorter recuperation periods. When it comes to young athletes, a balanced diet with protein-rich foods such as dairy products, lean meat and soy products, accompanied with Amino Z supplements, are more than enough to supply and balance out optimal amounts of protein.
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Carbs
It is a shame that so many diets advise adults to keep away from carbohydrates when their essential task is to provide pure energy to the human body. Whether or not there is truth to this opinion is debatable, but it is absolutely vital that you disregard it, when it comes to children. Whole-grain foods such as brown rice, whole-grain bread, whole-wheat pasta and cereal are the way to go, when it comes to carbs.
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Vitamins and minerals
Our kids require large amounts of vitamins and minerals in their formative period. This is especially true for young athletes. Calcium is absolutely crucial for proper bone development, which is further vital for the rest of their lives. Iron, on the other hand, helps carry oxygen to a variety of body parts in need, through iron-rich foods, such as eggs, salmon, tuna, lean meat and fortified whole grains.
The nutrition of especially athletes and children has always been a hot topic, but you have to pay a special amount of attention to the development of children who practice sports. Professional athleticism can easily become an unhealthy lifestyle, and it is important to instil core values and prepare their bodies for the hardships of sports from an early age.
By Derek Lotts | [email protected]
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