A Guide to Eating for Teen Athletes
Teen athletes have distinct nutritional needs compared to their peers who do not engage in regular sports activities. Typically, athletes exert themselves more in sports, meaning they require extra calories to fuel both their athletic performance and growth. So, what happens if these athletes are undernourished? Their bodies tend to underperform. In some cases, they might even lose muscle mass. Athletes failing to consume adequate calories daily will struggle to meet their performance requirements. Athletes and Dieting Teen athletes need extra fuel. Therefore, dieting is usually not a good choice. Those involved in weight-focused sports — such as wrestling, swimming, dancing, or gymnastics — might need to keep an eye on their weight. However, certain measures should be consistently taken to ensure they meet their nutritional requirements. If a coach,…