Challenges of a young athlete

Every young athlete who is in the period of constant growth needs to provide many valuable nutrients, especially if he trains. Precise planning of ingredients for a teenage player is a very difficult issue due to the individual nature of the player, among others, growth rate, sex - young athletes are characterized by a large level of diversity. Additionally, nutritional recommendations should be adapted not only to body weight, height, or age, adolescence, but also to physical activity, i.e. the number of workouts, positions and goals. Despite establishing all the above, there is one more important issue, namely, day schedule. Even an ideal eating plan is not good if it does not harmonize with the schedule of a sports day.
Here are some questions that you should consider when creating a personal eating plan:

1. What is the training schedule like?
2. What is the plan of classes at school and an additional activities of a young athlete?
3. Are there any individual and family barriers such as possibility of eating with access to food?
4. What are the eating preferences of young athletes?

Step one: Categories of food products.
The first step in planning meals is to understand the importance of individual nutrients in the daily menu. When choosing products, you need to be sure which one is included in the appropriate category of nutrients, i.e. proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

Carbohydrate source:
Carbohydrates are the source of energy for working muscles, and they support the brain and the nervous system. Products included in this group can be divided into simple and complex. They come from cereal products, fruits and vegetables, including legume vegetables, we also find them in dairy products, products for athletes: energy bars, isotonic drinks and in sweets, confectionery and candy. Some of them are allowed in the diet of young players, they are a source of fast-released energy that can support prolonged physical activity or a soccer tournament. However, try to reach for unprocessed products that do not contain trans fats, such as fruits, honey, date bars, and isotonic drinks.

Protein source:
Proteins contain amino acids that build or repair muscles after physical activity. The source of protein is meat products such as: poultry, beef, fish, milk, eggs, cheese and legumes such as: soy beans, beans and lentils. Some of the products contain only protein, such as egg white, chicken breast, which contains very little fat, others such as legumes also have carbohydrates alongside the protein. We will also find a group of products that, in addition to proteins, also contain fats - nuts or whole chicken eggs.

Fat source:
Fats form a very important nutrient for young athletes. They participate in the absorption of nutrients, provide unsaturated fatty acids, protect internal organs, and are a source of energy. They contribute to the feeling of fullness and improve the taste of food. They are found in a form added to products during their preparation, e.g. cookies, cakes or a natural form in solid products such as seeds, butter, peanut butter, nuts, oils. They should be the main skeleton of prepared meals.

In the next article you will read about the portions of meals, and learn how to keep the right one for you.