The world of sports is competitive. Nutrition is an incredible tool that high school athletes can use to separate from their competition and elevate their game.

You already see nutrition as a tool… you are here reading this!

Nutrition is a big piece of your performance on the field. Your fueling plan plays a significant role in energizing your muscles, strengthening your bones, supporting your hormones, enhancing your immune system, and keeping your brain focused. All things that keep you healthy and on the field playing the game you love!

My favorite part of being a Sports Dietitian for high school athletes is sharing simple tips that have a huge impact on your performance. Here are my top three nutrition tips for high school athletes.

ONE: Protein for Athletes

How does protein support your performance?

Protein is important for high school athletes because it supports your hormones, growth and development! The protein on your plate helps you build and recover your muscle after a long hard practice. It also strengthens your bones, along with calcium and vitamin D, to reduce your injury risk. Protein also keeps your immune system strong so you don’t have to sit out battling a cold.

There is a strategy for eating protein to improve your game. The strategy is all about consistency. You do NOT want to focus on protein shakes and bars. You DO want to include a serving of protein at every meal and with most of your snacks. Eating protein consistently throughout the day will have the most significant impact on your muscle recovery and strength.

Protein for high school athletes:

Now that you know why you should eat protein, we need to talk about how you can be consistent. You will perform at your best when you fuel with protein consistently during the day. This means you are eating 20 to 30 grams of protein at meals and 10 to 15 grams of protein at most snacks.

You should choose a variety of plant and animal protein sources throughout the day. Animal proteins like chicken, beef, fish, milk, yogurt, cheese, and eggs are great protein sources. They also provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients like – vitamin B12, iron, calcium, vitamin D, and omega-3 fatty acids. You should also include a variety of plant based options like – tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, soy milk, quinoa, and even oatmeal has some protein!

When it comes to protein, consistency and variety are important. By focusing on variety you will give your body the building blocks (amino acids, vitamins, and minerals) it needs to perform at the top!

TWO: Carbohydrates choices for athletes

High school athletes need a lot of energy! Most of that energy should come from carbohydrates. 

Do you want to know the secret to keeping your muscles energized? Carbohydrates.

How do you make sure your brain is focused and you can make quick decisions on the field? Carbohydrates.

The foundation of every meal should be carbohydrates because these foods fuel your success!

The more you train the more carbohydrates you need to eat. On my podcast I break down how to adjust your fuel based on your training time and intensity – following the performance plates. The more you train, the more carbohydrates you need – it really is that simple!

Here are some great carbohydrate choices for high school athletes: oats, bagel, bread, crackers, pretzels, potatoes, bananas, crackers, rice, and pasta.

THREE: Snacks for High School Athletes

At this point, you know how nutrition can improve your game. We have talked a lot about your meals, but snacks are just as important. Strategic snacks will help you to continue to give your body the energy, carbohydrates, proteins, and fats you need throughout the day.

Here are a few basic snacks every athlete needs:

Pre workout snack: A quick carbohydrate choice before practice that helps to energize your training. Think really simple – apple sauce, banana, waffle, fruit snacks, or cereal 20 to 60 minutes before training.

Recovery snack: Kick start your muscle recovery with a snack after practice that has carbohydrates and protein. Chocolate milk or chocolate soy milk are great choices with the bonus of calcium and vitamin D!

Any time snacks: Listen to your body! If you are hungry between meals, sneak in a snack that has protein and carbs. A few portable examples include – yogurt drinks, trail mix, and granola bars.

The world of sports is competitive! It is time to use nutrition as a tool to take your game to the next level.

Ready to take your performance to the next level? Grab your FREE download now! It’s packed with simple snack ideas to help you fuel and perform your best. Click here to get your game day snack list!