“Energetic and full of life.” Words that describe a young athlete, but the question is, “how can we conserve so much energy for training, studies and spending time with friends?” The answer
is simple; these future Olympians must maintain a balanced diet that will supplement all their energetic necessities.
Before commencing, parents should analyze what type of athlete their child is, then begin to plan the most convenient diet based on that information. Another alternative would be attaining advice from a nutritionist or their trainer.
Within the diet of someone young who practices sports, milk should be present to avoid broken bones, carbohydrates to gain energy, proteins to strengthen muscles, vitamins to strengthen the immune system and fats to have fuel, that will turn on "engines".
First, it is necessary for kids to have a balanced diet and to establish a routine before training. For example, eating two hours prior to practice in order to avoid nausea in case the digestion process has not started yet.
What can be worse is arriving to a competition or training on an empty stomach. Waiting a long time before a competition, it would be recommended to eat fruits, nuts or half a sandwich. The more balanced the diet, the more chances there will be to win.
Parents should also include in their children's diet fruits, vegetables and fish. The vegetables can be consumed at any time of the day, while experts recommend that fruits be ingested preferably in the mornings.
Certainly, we always hear that between 2 and 3 liters of water per day should be consumed, however, in athletes it is one of the most important factors for a good performance in sports. Reason being that you must stay hydrated while involve in any physical activity, in which you must replace liquids that are lost when sweating.
When your child combines a balanced diet with the passion they exert into their workouts every day and the persistence to achieve their greatest dreams, they are assured success. Join them on the path of sports and educate them with your example!
