When the Young Athlete Wants to Build Muscle: 5 Nutrition Practices to Start Now

I have worked with a lot of teen male athletes over the years who have come to me with weight gain and muscle building goals. They are typically football players but have also included athletes in soccer or baseball or a few other sports.  They want to build muscle but either (a) are not sure where to start so have not yet started making changes or (b) have been trying to build muscle for months but without much of a plan or direction and are not seeing the desired gains. They most often get to me at a point of high disappointment when they feel like giving up or they are thinking about turning to supplements. I know that it can be so tough for these athletes! With all of this being said, I thought now was the perfect time for this post. I always recommend making any kind of changes in the athlete’s off season, especially when those changes have to do with the athlete’s meals and snacks and fueling strategy. And for many athletes, summer is the off season, a time when many athletes I talk to are working on changes in preparation for fall and the start of school and their sport.

So, today I want to first give you five reasons your young athlete’s efforts may not be working. Then I want to follow with five key nutrition practices that he can start implementing today that can help him meet his weight gain / muscle building goals! Keep in mind, these are only the nutrition components. Certain exercises, like resistance training, as well as sleep and other good habits are important to seeing gains in muscle. Also, if your athlete has not gone through puberty yet, it’s important to remember that he will only see so much gain. This is because he does not yet have the hormones for those big muscle gains that he may see in his favorite collegiate or professional athlete, or even in an older teammate. It might be hard for some young athletes to hear, but it is always important to set realistic expectations as you get started and take changes and goals step by step and year by year.

Five reasons that your young athlete’s efforts may not be working:

1. He is not consuming enough total calories throughout the day.

2. He is not consuming enough protein throughout the day, spaced out evenly between meals and snacks.

3. He is not consuming enough carbohydrate throughout the day.

4. He is not implementing his food changes consistently every day (instead he focuses on it one day here and one day there - maybe about 3 or 4 days/week)

5. He is not being mindful of how his nutrition fits around his daily resistance training sessions.

So, we see why the athlete’s efforts may not be working. Now let’s take a look at actions he can take to make a change and head in the right direction…

5 key nutrition principles & actions to help your young athlete build muscle:

1. Consume adequate or increased calories each day.  

• The athlete cannot build muscle and gain weight if he is in a calorie deficit

2. Consume adequate / increased protein each day.

• Make sure it is spaced evenly between meals and snacks.

• Your athlete likely only needs about 20 to 30 grams of protein at once to build muscle (but that exact amount is athlete-specific).

3. Consume adequate carbohydrates each day.

• The body does not want to use protein for energy, but it will if it has to because there are not enough carbohydrates available!   Make sure your athlete is getting enough carbs so the body can use that for energy and use the protein to build muscle.

4. Make sure your athlete is fueling around his practices and resistance training sessions.

1. He should be going into a workout energized and implementing a good recovery snack or meal about 45 minutes after the session is over.

5. Consistency is Key! The young athlete should be mindful of these eating practices every day, not just a few times a week.  These small daily changes add up to big results that meet performance and muscle building goals. Stay consistent and don’t give up!

It can be hard for a young male athlete, busy with his school schedule, participating in daily practices for his sports, and going through rapid growth spurts to meet his daily needs to build muscle. It can be tempting to turn to fancy sounding supplements that claim big muscle-building results. However, those supplements can be harmful and may not get the athlete the long-term results he is wanting. It’s always best to choose food first and, with a little planning and by incorporating the five key nutrition principles above, the young athlete’s goal of building muscle can be met!

If your athlete has been trying but struggling to see results or if you want to set out a plan prior to getting started, reach out to me to book a call! We can get on the phone, discuss your athlete’s goals and then see if booking a session together would be a good next step. Don’t give up. You CAN do it. I’ve seen athletes meet their weight gain and muscle building goals before and I know you can do it too.

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Do You Really Need All of Those Protein Bars and Shakes?

Lately I have been working with athletes to help build meals and snacks that support their intense summer training schedules. I find that while the issue during the school year is maintaining sufficient intake with a busy school and sports schedule, the issue during the summer is maintaining sufficient intake or increasing intake to support the higher volume and intensity of training that occurs for many sports. Athletes that may have higher intensity summer training include distance runners (longer mileage in the summer in preparation for the fall season), dancers (with summer intensives), figure skaters (I went to camp for 6 weeks in the summer growing up and trained off and on ice for about 7 hours a day, whew!), football players with two-a-days in preparation for the fall, and many other club sport athletes that play year-round.

In working with these athletes and assessing intakes, it got me thinking about protein. I realized that, while I have written posts about how to meet protein needs or increase protein to meet needs, I have not written any posts talking about why you may be just fine and why you many NOT need to worry about your protein intake! I think it’s important to talk on this because the reality is that most teen athletes, if they are eating enough to support growth, training and activities of daily life are probably getting enough protein. Why? Well, because as I stated above, teen athletes need a lot of calories, especially during the height of their training! And in order to meet that increased need in a way that fills and satisfies the body, protein is usually increased as a byproduct. It’s hard to increase intake that much (I’m talking 3500 to 4000 calories a day here) and not use any protein-containing foods, especially when part of the goal with the increase is to help the athlete feel satisfied so he / she isn’t hungry ALL. DAY. LONG. Even our carbohydrate sources, like whole grain bread, pasta, milk and yogurt contain protein. And there is 7 grams of protein in just one ounce of meat! I rarely come across a male teen athlete who says he only eats two ounces of meat with his dinner…

So, what’s my point? My point is that many athletes (and many people in general) are consuming more protein than they think, especially when trying to increase their intake. It seems like society is soooo focused on protein these days and getting more protein. I actually had a hard time finding a non-Greek dairy yogurt at the store yesterday. Yes, protein is important and there are many athletes who have trouble meeting there needs but, before going out and buying all of the high protein bars, yogurts, milks, cereals and shakes out there, I would first challenge you to take a look at how much protein you are currently getting in a day . If you love non-Greek yogurts or regular granola bars vs protein bars, great! Chances are those “average products” contain some protein anyway all contributing to your needs at the end of the day.

Want to see an example of what I’m talking about? Let’s take a look!

Let’s say you’re a high school athlete that weights 121 pounds (55 kg) and your sports dietitian says you should be getting about 1.4 grams protein / kg / day, which is appropriate for some young athletes (but I don’t know you so please don’t take this as medical advise or a personal recommendation of what you should be getting in a day). The diagram below is what that would look like. And, y’all, that’s it! That’s all you need! The thing is, you are going to need way more calories (and other nutrients) than what the below chart shows and so my point is, you’re probably getting enough protein to meet your needs. What you should now be focusing on is increasing those carbs to fuel your brain and muscles, getting healthy fat to promote satiety, decrease inflammation and absorb other nutrients and micronutrients like calcium and vitamin D to protect your bones.

So, again, if you worry about your protein intake, I challenge you to take a closer look at what you are eating and drinking. Compare it to my example here and my list of protein-containing foods. If you still worry about your intake, I encourage you to reach out to a sports RD in your area. If you’re interested in working with me, I would love to work with you! You can reach out to me through the link here.

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

A Sample Menu for Injury Recovery

In my last post I talked all about nutrients needed for recovery after injury. I gave you guys some sample meals and sample snacks. Now I want to give you a little more detailed picture of what it looks like to get these nutrients in meals and snacks each day. What does it look like to get leucine every 3 hours? What does it look like to get whey protein before bed? How do you fit this in while also squeezing in the other nutrients to promote the best recovery possible? Below I have outlined a sample day for you. I didn’t get super detailed with portions except for the foods with leucine because every athlete will have different calorie, protein, carbohydrate needs, etc. This, however, is a great place to start and you can tailor portions to what works for you in your sport or phase of recovery. Let me know if you have any questions!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

LEUCINE CONTENT OF DIFFERENT FOODS

Some recommend about 2.5 grams of leucine per meal for adults

• 1 can of white tuna: 3.3 grams

• 3 ounce chicken breast: 1.8 grams

• 1 scoop whey protein isolate: 2.5 grams

• 3 eggs: 1.5 grams

• 1 Greek yogurt: 1.5 grams

• 8 ounces of chocolate milk: 0.8 grams
  

Ten Important Nutrients For Injury Recovery

I work with a lot of injured athletes. I see athletes with torn ACL’s, history of concussion and a handful of other issues, but I most often see athletes with some type of fracture, typically one or more stress fractures. While rest and physical therapy are essential to optimal recovery, so is the athlete’s nutrition. Unfortunately, nutrition can sometimes get forgotten during the recovery stage but but I’m here to say, “Don’t let it!” What you eat during this period can really speed up your recovery or it can hold you back. If used with purpose, what you eat can decrease inflammation, help rebuild the tissue you have injured, prevent loss of lean muscle and help maintain your strength. These all seem like good reasons to focus on nutrition to me! And, like I say with most of my other tips and ideas, you don’t have to make your nutrition recovery complicated! I’m here to give you the facts and then help you most easily incorporate those facts into something doable each day.

If you are an injured athlete or the parent, coach or caregiver of an injured athlete, I hope you can take some of these ideas below and put them to use for the best recovery possible.

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Why Should Nutrition Be Part of Your Recovery Plan?

1. Support the continued creation of muscle proteins.

   • Muscle protein synthesis (creation of muscle protein in the body) decreases after injury when activity declines and especially when a limb has to be immobilized (like getting a cast on a leg, arm, etc.)

2. Preserve the lean muscle mass you already have.

   • Nutrition becomes even more important to maintain your muscle mass since you cannot use exercise & your typical workouts to help.

3. Maintain appropriate energy balance.

   • While, yes, your energy needs may decrease some during your recovery phase, it’s important to realize that they may not decrease THAT much. This is especially true if you are on crutches, which require 2 to 3 times more energy than walking! If you decrease calories too much, you can slow down recovery due to the decrease muscle protein synthesis, increased muscle loss and impaired wound healing that this will cause.

4. Decrease Inflammation (not necessarily right after injury and surgery but starting a few days after, as inflammation right after an injury is important to the healing process)

   • Just as anti-inflammatory foods and antioxidants were important for recovery after games and practices, they are also important now as the body is working even harder to heal. Continue to include those foods high in antioxidants and those anti-inflammatory foods.

Ten Nutrients to Include in Your Recovery Plan

1. PROTEIN

   • Focus on foods high in the amino acid leucine, which stimulates the creation of protein.

     • Sources: lean chicken, beef and pork, fish, nuts & seeds, cheese, tempeh, milk, yogurt

   • Include a quality source of protein (ideally with leucine) about every 3 hours, after therapy sessions and before bed.

   • Include a quality source of whey protein before bed. Whey protein is released and digested more slowly so your body can work on maintaining and rebuilding muscle during the fasting state of sleep.

     • Sources: yogurt, milk, and cottage cheese

2. CARBOHYDRATE

   • Your body still needs carbohydrates for energy so it can use the protein you give it for muscle repair and building. You may need less carbohydrate than when you were training and competing but don’t cut them way back or out completely!

   • Focus on complex carbohydrates that take longer to digest. This will keep you fuller longer and prevent spikes and dips in your blood sugar.

     • Sources: whole grain bread, pasta, cereal, & crackers, fruit, yogurt, starchy veggies

3. HEALTHY FAT

   • Make sure to include sources of omega-3’s and some monounsaturated fats to help fight the inflammation and support your immune system.

     • Sources: nuts, seeds, avocado, oily fish (salmon & tuna), flax oil, extra virgin olive oil, nut and seed butter.

4. VITAMIN C

   • An important antioxidant that aids in wound healing , tissue repair, and a healthy immune system.

     • Sources: citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, cantaloup, potatoes

5. VITAMIN A

   • An important antioxidant that aids in cell growth and development and immune function.

     • Sources: sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, cantaloupe

6. VITAMIN D

   • Aids in calcium absorption and supports bone health.

   • Sources: sunlight, fatty fish, many dairy products (check the label), fortified foods, egg yolks

7. CALCIUM

   • Important for strong bones.

     • Sources: dairy products, broccoli, kale, chia seeds, almonds, fortified orange juice

8. MAGNESIUM

   • Important for making proteins in the body and aids in the absorption & metabolism of calcium and vitamin D.

     • Sources: almonds, sesame and sunflower seeds, cashews, peanuts, bananas, beans

9. ZINC

   • Aids in wound healing, creation of protein and immune function.

     • Sources: lean beef, crabmeat, chicken, cashews, fortified cereals, beans
       

10. COPPER

    • Helps form red blood cells, helps build a strong immune system and strong bones.

      • Sources: sesame, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, cashews and shiitake mushrooms

My Up & At ‘Em Egg Cups are packed with protein, vitamin D, as well as some vitamin C and calcium, all promoting recovery after injury!

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE:

Sample Injury Recovery Meals

• Grilled salmon with seasoned brown rice, roasted broccoli, a baked potato and glass of milk

• Peanut butter & banana sandwich on wheat bread + 8 oz milk + 1 cup diced cantaloupe

• Homemade lean ground beef cheeseburger + whole wheat bun + lettuce, tomato, mustard + homemade oven baked potato fries + kale salad

• Baked chicken + baked sweet potato + oven roasted broccoli + glass of milk

Salmon is an excellent source of omega 3’s. Try my Miso Ginger Glazed Salmon for a tasty twist on your average salmon dinner!

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE:

Sample Injury Recovery Snacks

• Greek yogurt + fresh or frozen mixed berries

• Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal + dry roasted almonds

• Slice of whole grain toast spread with almond butter and sliced bananas

• Cottage cheese + diced cantaloupe

• Hardboiled egg + whole grain granola bar

• Protein bar (like 88 Acres protein, Larabar protein, etc.) + glass of milk

Basic rolled or steel cut oats from the bulk bin at your local grocery store provide great fiber, carbohydrates, some protein (because it’s a whole grain), magnesium, and more. Top with a healthy fat like SunButter or almond butter and some fruit for a balance recovery-enhancing breakfast or snack.

Healthy Weight Gain for the Young Athlete: When It's Indicated and How to Take a Performance & Health-Enhancing Approach

The topic of weight gain has come up a lot in the last couple of months. I’m working with a handful of clients on this very goal and I have some friends who are parents of small children with food allergies who are trying to maintain weight with limited food options.

In a world where we hear so much about weight loss, I wanted to create a post geared towards those working towards the opposite. Just as frustrating as it is for those who are trying to lose weight, it is also frustrating for those trying to gain. For today’s post I’m talking about weight gain and optimizing nutrition for the child and teen athlete. You will hear me say “optimizing nutrition” a lot because, while a client may come to me with the goal of gaining weight, I see this as a chance to optimize his or her nutrition as well. Weight gain can be done in ways that help improve performance or ways that can hinder performance. I think that if we keep the phrase “optimizing nutrition” in mind, it makes sure that that the athlete and we, as the athlete’s support team, approach this goal in a way that doesn’t just lead to weight gain, but also enhances the athlete’s development, health and performance.

So, when might I work with an athlete on weight gain? When might weight gain be indicated?

4 Situations where weight gain is indicated:

1. The athlete needs to gain weight to make a certain position on his or her team.

2. The athlete has experienced sudden, unintentional and continuous weight loss with the start of a new sport, new season, or increased time and intensity of practices.

3. Along with weight loss the athlete has experienced stress fractures or, if a female, lost her period.

4. There is a potential eating disorder to consider (this topic is beyond the scope of this post)

If you fall into these categories, weight gain might be something you are working on. However, as I said initially, weight gain can be done in a way that promotes health and performance and a way that hinders it. Eating 20 chocolate chip cookies every night and a double cheese burger with an extra large french fry and large lemonade may promote weight gain, but it would not promote the building of lean muscle, brain health, speed and agility, and other benefits beneficial to the athlete (I’m not saying the athlete can’t ever have cookies, fries, etc., I’m saying, let’s diversify here). So, what are some key guidelines to follow when trying to achieve performance-enhancing and health-promoting weight gain? Here are 5 initial actions to start getting that weight trending upwards.

5 Tips for Healthy, Performance-Promoting Weight Gain in the Young Athlete:

1. Eat on a consistent meal and snack schedule every day. No skipping meals! Consistency is key. This means consistently eating 3 meals and, for many athletes, 3 snacks a day. It also means sticking to a schedule! An athlete may not feel hungry, but if the schedule says it’s time to eat, it’s important to do so.

2. Include 3 or more different food groups at each meal and at least 2 different food groups at each snack. This ensures the athlete is getting protein, carbohydrate and healthy fats from a variety of sources and a variety of needed micronutrients along with it.

3. Increase portion sizes at each meal and / or make some food swaps, trading out less energy-dense foods (ex: plain popcorn at a snack or regular bread for a sandwich) for more energy-dense foods (ex: a nut & seed granola bar at a snack or a bagel for a sandwich).*

4. Add spreads and sauces to your meals and snacks (ex: Add peanut butter to your granola bar, avocado spread to your sandwich, hummus with your carrots, and cheese with your crackers.*

5. Work with your sports dietitian to get your protein goal and space that protein out evenly throughout the day in your meals and snacks (this is especially important if looking to build lean muscle). Your dietitian will also make sure that you are increasing your energy intake enough and that this increase is coming from the amount of protein, carbs and fat needed to fuel performance and support good health!

   * Notice that most of these additions and swaps offer a degree of nutrition as well as calcium, protein, healthy fats, fiber, magnesium, potassium, and more, all contributing to the athlete’s overall health and performance.

These are some general guidelines. I will always recommend you meet with a sports RD to know that what you are choosing is right for you. Some athletes may need 2 snacks a day, some may need 3 and some may need more! It all depends on you, your sport, and your season of training.

I hope this gets you started in the right directions. Please comment with questions or reach out to me via my contact page with questions or if you would like to work together on weight gain for you or your own young athlete!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

3 Key Components of a Great Recovery Snack

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Hope everyone is hanging in there. I’ve met with a few athletes lately who have taken training into their own hands during this time of canceled practices and sporting events and have begun regular daily practices and resistance training sessions, which I think is great! Anything to keep up your skill, agility, strength and endurance. I’ve loved talking with my athletes and families about how they are keeping up when regular practices are canceled and I have found that I’m still getting similar nutrition questions as I was before COVID-19 and social distancing arrived. One question I’m continuing to receive from athletes and families is about the ideal recovery snack. To help answer these questions I thought I would simply share a previous post on the subject but, after going back through my blog posts, I realized I have not written one about this particular topic yet! So, that is what today’s post is about - recovery fuel for the young athlete. The intention of this post is to share what to know to create your own recovery snacks and some examples of good recovery snacks that meet the criteria. Hope you find this helpful. Comment below or feel free to contact me with any questions!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

The 3 Components of a Great Recovery Snack

A recovery snack should contain the following 3 components:

1. Carbohydrate - to replenish depleted glycogen (energy/carbohydrate) stores

2. Protein - to repair and rebuild muscle

3. Fluid - to rehydrate the body

If you only give the body carbohydrate, it leaves it without sufficient protein to maintain or build lean muscle. However, if you only consume protein, your body doesn’t have the carbohydrate it needs to continue creating energy! The body is then left having to use protein as a source of energy instead of using it to build and repair lean muscle and other tissues. Without fluid the body may stay in a dehydrated state, leaving it unable to fully recover and setting the athlete up for a suboptimal next workout (especially if that workout is the same day).

As you can see, it’s very important to include all 3 of these items into the recovery snack or meal. While you need only 3 things, it’s important to realize that there are many foods to choose from in each category so the athlete can mix and match to figure out what works best for him or her and to prevent food burnout. If you are not sure what qualifies as carbohydrate, protein and fluid, keep reading for some examples to take with you!

Examples of Recovery Snacks for the Child & Teen Athlete

Below is an infographic I put together showing you how to think about piecing the recovery snack or meal together using the 3 key components. You can see that there are all different foods and varieties you can create and choose from. Make sure to play around with different foods and find what works for you!

Foods That Pack a Punch

There are some foods that actually can count as 2 or 3 components in one or can be in different categories depending on what snack you are creating. This can be really helpful for the athlete that doesn’t have a lot of time to prep snacks or a lot of time to eat them. This usually applies to the teen athlete during the school year.

These foods include:

1. Chocolate Milk: protein, carbohydrate & fluid all in one bottle!

2. 100% Fruit Juice: carbohydrate & fluid

3. White milk: this include carbs, protein and fluid, but it does not contain as many carbs as chocolate milk so try to get another quality carbohydrate food with it

4. Yogurts: protein + some carbohydrate. The athlete in very long or intense practices would most likely benefit from including another form of carbohydrate with his / her yogurt

10 Early Morning Fuel Ideas for the "Non Breakfast Eater" & Why It’s Important

“I just don’t eat breakfast”. “Eating upsets my stomach”. “I don’t like breakfast foods”.

These are just a few statements I get from the young athletes I work with after asking them about their morning pre-training fuel. For some athletes, depending on their sport and type of training session, skipping the morning meal may be just fine, but for many of the athletes who come to work with me, those in high intensity and endurance sports, skipping this chance for nutrition can really set the athlete back.

If you are a student athlete or the support team of a student athlete and this sounds familiar, I ask you to consider starting a new breakfast routine and, in doing do, consider these 3 things:

1. The pre-training meal does not have to be big

2. The pre-training meal does not have to be breakfast food

3. If you think you are performing fine as you are (with empty fuel stores), think of what you could do if your brain and muscles were well-stocked with fuel!

Size of the Pre-training Meal

I never recommend going from nothing to a full all-inclusive breakfast. For those just beginning to incorporate pre-training fuel, it’s important to start small no matter what and slowly increase portion or change type of fuel. It’s all about training the gut and, while it may seem impossible, it actually can be done! It’s something I work with athletes on all the time. Just don’t get overwhelmed and think this meal has to be big or 3 courses. It’s final composition is up to the athlete, what he/she tolerates, and what feels right. In fact, I often refer to this early morning pre-training meal it as “Breakfast 1”. The athlete should think about what he/she would have for breakfast and then pull out the carbohydrate portion to enjoy first. “Breakfast 1” can be as small or big as the athlete tolerates. “Breakfast 2” is the recovery fuel and follows after the training session is complete.

Composition of the Pre-training Meal

This pre-training meal does not have to be breakfast food but it does need to be a source of easily digested carbohydrates. Remember that carbohydrates are the best source of fuel for the brain and muscles. I always work with my athletes to determine what carbohydrate sources they will be able to tolerate as tolerance is key here.

Potential of the pre-training meal

Yes, I know many athletes that say “My practices are great and I never eat before practices”. However, I still challenge them to at least try a little something before they train. If it doesn’t work, then ok, but most of the time I hear them tell me that they have more energy, feel better during practice, don’t get so hungry during practice and don’t feel ravenous after. If you think you’re doing great now, imagine what you could do if you were actually running on fuel! If you’re an athlete reading this, I challenge you to take your off-season to try adding in an early morning pre-training meal. If you’re a parent, coach, AT or other member of the support team with early morning practices, I challenge you to challenge your athletes to find at least one food or meal that they can enjoy and tolerate pre-training.

Now that I’ve talked about the importance of including a little pre-training fuel, I want to transform that into food. What I’m sharing today are the simplest ideas. If the athlete tolerates these all well and feels he/she can start including more, then portions can be increased or small items can be added. But for now, we’ll stick with simple. If you want to work on improving your pre-training fuel or have an athlete that you think would benefit from this, I encourage you to work with a sports dietitian to create a plan and find what works for you or your athlete!

Early Morning Pre-Training Fuel Ideas for the “Non Breakfast Eater”

1. Sports drink

2. Dry cereal (ex: Cheerios, Chex, other low fiber, low protein & low fat cereals)

3. Plain Bagel or toast topped with jam or honey

4. Simple granola bar (ex: Quaker chewy, KIND Healthy Grain, NutriGrain, MadeGood)

5. Fruit bars (Fig Newton, Nature’s Bakery)

6. Diced fresh fruit

7. 1 small to medium banana

8. Snack size bag of pretzels (remember that breakfast does not have to mean breakfast food!)

9. Small fruit smoothie (made with fresh / frozen fruit, water, juice)

10. Remember to think about the night before. If you are not a big breakfast eater but have a difficult training session or long run the next morning, use dinner the night before to help get you ready. Include a mix of lean protein, quality carbohydrates and a little healthy fat. If dinner is really early and you go to bed late, add in an evening snack with quality carbohydrates like:

    • A bowl of cereal with milk,

    • Yogurt (Greek or regular)

    • Whole grain toast or waffle with peanut butter

    • Whole Grain granola bar with peanut butter or yogurt

    • Cheese & Crackers

      Including this evening snack and making dinner count will make you less dependent on your early morning fuel to carry you through your workout. You can instead think of your breakfast as “topping of the tank” or replenishing what may have been used while sleeping.

For more information and examples of early morning and late evening pre and post-exercise fuel give this previous blog post a read.

Hope this gets you started and makes you feel more energized and ready for those early morning practices to come!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

My Current Take on Meal Prep

So, lately I’ve found that I would prefer NOT to spend half, or more than half of every Saturday or Sunday cooking and pre-making meals for the week. Don’t get me wrong, I still love being in the kitchen, testing out different flavors and creating something wonderfully delicious (hopefully, ha). I love how something absolutely mouth watering can be made from a handful of select ingredients that, on their own, are not that captivating at all! However, while I love creating these types of recipes, in the last year or so, I’ve admitted to myself that creating a list of all these things I need to cook in preparation for the week and then actually getting them cooked, can be stressful! And, while cooking typically inspires me and calms me, this diligent meal prepping can leave me exhausted and worked up if I’m trying to prep and accomplish too much. Also, starting in 2019 I have really been trying to make Sundays more about a day of rest. My husband is much better at it than I am, but I’m catching on. And when we say “rest” we think anything from sitting on the couch reading to taking a nap to going on a post-brunch walk, or a spontaneous trip to the park to play with our niece and nephews. It’s something that rejuvenates us or leaves us inspired again. So, when I feel meal prep starting to become more of a burden or a stressor, taking away from quality family or recharge time, I have begun to take a step back.

In 2020 I’m taking a new approach to meal prep. I, of course, still want to play and create in the kitchen, but I want to loosen the rules and allow myself some flexibility, some space to deviate from the “plan”. I’ve developed a simpler definition of “meal prep” that involves having a basic idea of meals for the week and then cooking a few of the ingredients that I know will hold up in the fridge for the week and then washing, chopping, slicing and dicing the rest, and storing them in airtight containers in the fridge for easy use during the week. I also try to choose meals / recipes with similar ingredients. What I’ve also realized about myself this past year is that my biggest barrier to cooking after work on a weeknight is realizing how long it will take to prep everything before I even start cooking. So, if I can just get that time-consuming prep part out of the way and everything is then ready to throw in a skillet, in the oven or on the grill when I get home, I am much more likely to follow through with our dinner plans, which also leads to less waste (I hate wasted food)! This also allows us a little flexibility in case we do move away from the plan. Maybe those prepped veggies will be added to leftover pasta, or Chinese food or tacos, instead of the homemade dish I had originally intended! Now, don’t get me wrong, I like structure and a plan because it means less decisions once the work week starts. And, at times, I love spending time on a really fantastic, but more labor intensive dishes. However, this year, I’m learning the peace in a little more flexibility.

So, what is an example of a menu using my new meal prep method? I’ll give you an example from a week or so ago. I ate out with a girlfriend one night and my husband traveled one night and we had some leftovers from the weekend, which I fully intended to utilize to simplify our weeknight dinners! Here is a list of what I prepped and how I incorporated it into our weeknight dinners…

Meals Planned:

• Pita sandwiches

• Chicken Caprese Salad Jars

• Kale Caesar Salad Jars

• Chinese (leftovers from a restaurant) or Spaghetti (home cooked leftovers from the weekend)

Items prepped:

My Chicken Caprese Salad Jar. One of the items I fully prepped for the week! Only had to cook 1 item in this jar, and I used the remaining quinoa for my other salad jars for the week!

• yellow squash sliced and quartered

  • to be sauteed and used with leftover Chinese or spaghetti and then used in my pita sandwiches

• zucchini squash sliced & quartered

  • to be sauteed and used with leftover Chinese or spaghetti and then used in my pita sandwiches

• Baby bella mushrooms, washed and quartered (stems removed)

  • o to be sauteed and used with leftover Chinese or spaghetti

• Kale, washed, ribs removed and chopped

  • to be added to my Tahini Caesar Salad Jar

• 2 Portobella mushrooms, cooked according to my Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms recipe.

  • One is in large dices (to go in my Tahini Caesar Salad Jar this week) and the other is thinly sliced (to fit into my pita sandwiches). Both mushrooms are stored in airtight containers for the week.

• Cucumber, washed and thinly sliced

  • to go in salads, pita sandwiches or used as snacks for dips this week

• My Chicken Caprese Salad Jar, prepped and ready to go for one lunch this week.

• Cherry tomatoes

  • These will go in salads, my pita sandwiches or snacks with hummus. I leave them as is until ready to use b/c they will not hold up as long after being washed and diced.

Do you have items that you prep weekly? What are your go-to meals in a pinch? I would love to hear as we start out this 2020 year!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Meal & Snack Roundup for the Young Athlete & Family

A little non-food pic. Husband and I kicked the new year off in Chicago for a good friend’s wedding. We absolutely love this city!

Good morning and happy 2020! I hope everyone has had a good start to the year. My husband and I started ours out in Chicago, one of our favorite cities to visit. We were there for a wedding and it was so fun to see old friends, explore new parts of the city and visit some of our classic favorites. I came back refreshed and ready to move into this new year and ready to share more ideas and information for you guys that have chosen to follow along with me.

As I sat and thought about what I felt both inspired to share and what I thought my readers wanted or needed to know, I decided it might be important to make this first post a re-cap of some of my favorite snack and recipes from 2019. One thing I have learned from working with athletes, parents, coaches and AT’s this past year is that one of the key needs is actual meal and snack ideas. Sometimes the general knowledge is there, but what is most needed are tangible, visible meals and snacks that incorporate and apply the nutrition knowledge and needs of the athlete. Everyone is so busy and often the time it takes to plan meals and snacks when nutrition and / or cooking isn’t your strong suite is not there.

So, for my first post of 2020, I have decided to highlight some of my favorite and most popular meals as well as give you guys some snack ideas to incorporate throughout the year. These all offer nutrition that the young athlete needs, but they are also full of flavor and easy to throw together! These follow my “minimal ingredient” guidelines so you won’t be shopping for 30 odd ingredients that you’ll only use once, ha. I hope you find this helpful and I look forward to helping you more and providing more meal and snack ideas in 2020!

My 15 Most Popular Recipes for Busy Families of Young Athletes

I’ve had lots of positive feedback about this tuna melt! It’s so fast to throw together as a snack or meal before or after a game or practice! It’s one easy recipe that packs in protein, healthy fats, and quality carbohydrate!

1. Honey Dijon Chicken Salad (dairy-free)

2. Up and At ‘Em Egg Cups

3. Sun Butter Banana Overnight Oats

4. Easy Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Feta

5. Grilled Pesto Garden Salad with Warm Balsamic Shrimp

6. Simple Seven Ingredient Tuna Burgers

7. Miso Ginger Glazed Salmon

8. Ten Minute Mediterranean Tuna Melt

9. No Bake Cherry Sun Butter Squares

10. Roasted Red Pepper and Pesto Chicken Salad

11. Confetti Chicken Salad

12. Balsamic Tomato Ricotta Toast

13. Fig & Cheddar Turkey Melt

14. Mediterranean Lunch Wrap

15. Chili Lime Shrimp with Mango & Avocado Salad

15 Snack Ideas for the Young Athlete in 2020

(Note: none of these are affiliate links. These are all my own suggestions & recommendations)

1. 88 Acres Granola Bars (Nut free) - they now have 2 protein bar options!!

2. KIND bars

3. Made Good Bars (Nut, allergen free)

4. Lara Bars

5. No Bake Cherry Sun Butter Squares

6. Fruit + 1 string cheese

7. Greek yogurt + diced fresh or frozen fruit

8. 8 oz glass of milk or Horizon 8 oz tetrapack

9. Sun Butter Banana Oat Bites

10. Dark Chocolate Grahams

11. Kashi TLC crackers or Mary’s Gone Crackers + hummus

12. Homemade Trail Mix (Quaker Oat Squares, dark chocolate chips, dry roasted almonds)

13. 1/2 cup plain oatmeal made with milk + blueberries + slivered toasted almonds

14. Apple slices with peanut butter

15. 1/2 cup cottage cheese with diced tomatoes + dash of Season-All or balsamic dressing

6 Protein - Boosting Vegetarian Meals

Today is the last protein post for the month. We’ve talked about key principles and facts to know before setting out to build lean muscle in the young student athlete. We’ve talked about what it takes to build that lean muscle. I’ve shared my go to protein-boosting breakfast ideas and then touched on getting adequate protein for the athlete who is a vegetarian. Today I’m signing off with a few last thoughts and facts and leaving you with some of my favorite vegetarian recipes that pack in some protein that I have discovered over the years.

As we wrap up this topic I want to say that I do believe, and position papers support, that a few questions need to be asked first to ensure the athlete has chosen this lifestyle for healthy appropriate reasons (vs an inappropriate means of restriction) and the athlete and family needs to be clear on the extra planning and work it can take to meet nutrition needs of a vegetarian athlete. However, once these items have been addressed and the athlete has shown the ability to do what it takes and follow recommendations to meet his or her nutrition needs, a vegetarian athlete can meet his or her protein and nutrition needs.

To help you create a meat-free menu that meets your young athlete’s needs, I’m giving you six of my favorite meat - free recipes plus links to some others I enjoy or have heard great things about!

Have more questions about protein for the young athlete? Reach out to me through my Contact page or please comment on the post below!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

SIX PROTEIN-BOOSTING VEGETARIAN MEALS FOR THE YOUNG ATHLETE

Goat Cheese & Thyme Pizza

Mediterranean Stuffed Sweet Potato

Up & At ‘Em Egg Cups

Mediterranean Veggie Wrap

Cherry Sun Butter Bars

Warm Peanut Butter Apple Crunch Waffle

I also follow Eleat Sports Nutrition, another sports dietitian, and she has a whole section of vegetarian recipes that would be worth a try!

Nine Protein-Boosting Breakfasts for the Young Athlete

Breakfast seems to be the hardest meal of the day for adults, kids and teens alike. While, yes, some adults can get along just fine with a coffee-only breakfast, there are certain groups of people that really need this first meal of the day. If you have read my previous posts, you now know that the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is not just some silly phrase. This statement holds a lot of truth, especially for athletes and active individuals. For these groups breakfast really is necessary because athletes, particularly young athletes, cannot typically get all of the nutrition they need to support growth, development, regular functioning AND sport from just two meals a day! Our bodies can only utilize a certain amount of protein per meal or snack for muscle building and maintenance and other necessary body functions. We now know the rest of it gets excreted as seen with increased urea levels. So, if your high intensity or power athlete needs a higher amount of protein, it’s going to be pretty important that your athlete include breakfast as a chance to get some of that protein! Of course, the breakfast meal is also a chance to get quality carbs and healthy fats + micronutrients like calcium, zinc, iron and vitamin D, but today we’re talking about protein so I’m going to try and stay on track!

Today, I’m tying all of my previous posts together with these ten protein-boosting breakfasts for the young athlete. I hope it helps make your mornings easier and your athletes stronger.

And remember, it doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated to be effective!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

NINE PROTEIN- BOOSTING BREAKFASTS FOR THE YOUNG ATHLETE

1.

Whole Grain English Muffin + 1 Tbsp PB + Mixed Berries

~ 12 grams of protein

2.

1/2 cup Cottage Cheese + Sliced Berries

~14 grams of protein

3.

Whole Grain Oatmeal + Peanut Butter

15 grams of protein

4.

Greek Yogurt + Egg + Mixed Fruit

~21 grams protein

5.

Greek Yogurt + Whole Grain Granola Bar

~20 grams protein

6.

Make-Ahead Egg Cups: Up & At ‘Em Eggs Cups

You can have 3 egg cups for about 15 grams of protein or have 2 + an 8 ounce glass of milk for about 18 grams!

Get Recipe!

7.

Egg Sandwiches

You can make these simple with one or two eggs & a slice of cheese on a whole grain English Muffin or, I love my 5-Ingredient Breakfast Sandwiches! About 18 grams of protein!

Get Recipe!

8.

SunButter Banana Overnight Oats

Get Recipe!

9.

Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats

Get Recipe!

Keys to Building Lean Muscle in the Young Athlete

Something as easy as a sandwich can get you the protein you need. I love my Red Pepper Pesto Chicken Salad and this grilled panini that it creates!

Hey there! I thought today’s post would be a brief reminder on what it takes to build lean muscle. This is probably one of my most common requests from athletes, adult and teens alike. Everyone wants to be leaner or bigger or stronger. So, I’m touching on the topic today as a reminder of what it takes. If you have really specific goals, I highly recommend you get with a registered sports dietitian to help fine-tune your goals and walk with you through the process.

5 Keys to Building Muscle in the Young Athlete

1. Resistance Training. I think this goes without saying, but, if you want to build lean muscle, you have to work those muscles! Changing your diet without doing anything to stimulate the muscles will not lead to muscle growth. But remember, as I said in my previous post, children and teens cannot build muscle (or mass) like adults until they hit or finish puberty.

2. Protein. You’ve gotta get your protein. However, you can’t load up on protein in one meal and call it a day. No, you need to space your protein intake out evenly throughout the day for optimal utilization. To all of my high school athletes out there, that means eating breakfast (or at least something in the morning)! A missed meal is a missed opportunity to build or maintain lean muscle.

3. Carbohydrate. It’s sad to me how carbohydrates get such a bad wrap because they are so necessary for all humans, but especially, athletes! Not only are they a major energy source but they are necessary for building lean muscle. If we don’t give our bodies adequate carbohydrate for energy, they will have to turn to protein as an energy source during our more intense workouts and events. This completely defeats our efforts of resistance training and increased protein intake. If you’re trying to build muscle for your sport, allow yourself carbohydrates so your body can use it as fuel and allow the protein to build or maintain that lean muscle!

4. Calories. I don’t often talk about calories on my blog, but it does require a mention here. If you want to build muscle (or mass), you need to increase your intake to allow for this. It’s hard for our bodies to add mass if we don’t give it additional calories (or energy) to work with.

5. Rest & Recovery. And remember, while often overlooked, rest and recovery are also needed. Our bodies need time to rest and recover from workouts in order to see the best results.

I hope this was a helpful post. I’m not getting too specific because every person and every athlete is different, but, if, you need specific recommendations, reach out to a sports dietitian in your area or you can contact me! I am happy to try and connect you with a sports RD in your area or we can set up a session and see about working together.

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

How Much Is Enough? 3 Things to Remember About Protein and the Young Athlete

I would say one of the most frequent conversations that I get is about protein, especially when talking to young male athletes. Everyone wants to be bigger, stronger, or leaner. Of course protein has its place in the young athlete’s diet but, just like all other components, protein has a time, a place and an appropriate amount. So often we have this “bigger is always better” or “more is always better” mentality. Well, this actually is not the case with protein. Our bodies can only utilize up to a certain amount of protein at once to help build or maintain lean muscle. After that threshold, studies continue to find that any gains in lean mass simply plateau and excess protein is excreted from the body seen with increased urea levels. Not only is there a threshold, but athletes must remember that the increased protein intake will not yield the best results if a resistance training program is not accompanied with the protein intake. There must be an actual stimulus on the muscle. Finally and, actually, most importantly we need to remember that guys cannot gain large amounts of lean muscle until they get through puberty. They simply don’t have the hormones needed to achieve the high increases in muscle mass.

This egg cups are such an easy morning option (or snack) packed with protein! It’s one of my favorites and a favorite of friends and family. Enjoy!

When I walk into a school, classroom, or onto a field I usually get a LOT of questions about supplements and shakes and protein powders from the guys. I like to remind athletes that you can get just as much protein from real food plus so many additional benefits (like calcium and vitamin D for bone health, potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, fiber, etc.). I also make sure the student athletes are aware that supplements are not regulated by the FDA and so there could be ingredients in the product that are not listed on the label or there could be too much of an ingredient in the product or not enough to have any effect at all. It’s important to pick a 3rd party tested supplement if you will be using one! I have a whole post on supplements here. Lastly, it’s also important to realize that supplements that are approved are typically approved for use in adults. The effects on a growing and developing child or teen are not completely known. If you feel that your young athlete must supplement get with a registered sports dietitian and / or a sports medicine physician to make sure it is appropriate.

So, with all of that said, what are my takeaways when talking with young athletes and their parents, coaches, athletic trainers and others who guide young athletes? Here are my top 3 nuggets to take with you….

Top 3 Things To Remember About Protein & Your Young Athlete

1. Remember that young male athletes cannot build the amount of muscle that adult men can until they go through puberty. Tons of protein and resistance training are not going to be beneficial until they have the hormones to support that muscle development.

2. While protein needs really depend on your athlete’s individual weight, a good general estimate is that our bodies can only utilize roughly 20 to 30 grams of protein at one time for muscle building. Therefore, it’s better to have 20-ish grams a few times a day vs. 40, 50 or 60+ at one sitting (another reason young athletes should get breakfast and not skip meals!).

3. Be careful with protein supplements. Supplements (a) are not regulated by the FDA and (b) are not tested on children. So, even if it is proven safe in adults, that doesn’t mean it will have the same effect or results on children. Check out my previous post linked above to learn about 3rd party testing agencies for safe supplements.

If you have questions about the specific protein needs for your young athlete, meet with a sports dietitian, specifically one specializing in pediatrics, to come up with an appropriate goal and plan.

If you have any questions about this post, please comment below and I’ll get back with you!

Oh, and stay tuned for more posts this month where I’ll be sharing sample meals that are packed with protein to help you plan for the weeks!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Navigating the Young Athlete's Early Morning & Evening Practices

One of the most common questions I get from parents and athletes is how to eat around early morning before-school practices and those tricky 6PM and 7PM games and practices. What should you eat before that won’t interfere with the athlete’s event? Should they eat something before? What about after? What do you do about these games and practices that are smack in the middle of meal time?

My answer to this question, whether it is breakfast or dinner is to divide the meal into Meal 1 and Meal 2 and include the more easily digested items in Meal 1 (think quality carbohydrates) and those less-easily digested items in Meal 2 (think more protein, fiber and healthy fats). In this post I’m going to try to simplify and break it down for you to get a better picture of what this would look like and why….

Meal #1 (the pre-event meal)

• The focus of this Meal #1 is to provide energy to the athlete. To make sure energy stores are full and ready for play and practice. If an athlete heads out to practice with an empty tank or depleted energy stores (from running around at school all day and not having eaten since school lunch) they will not be able to play or practice at their best and could even run a higher risk of injury.

• This meal should consist of quality carbohydrates because these are more easily digested in the body, which means they can act as a quicker source of energy that will not lead to digestive problems mid-event.

• Examples of these quality carbohydrate meal components might be: pasta, rice, fruit, baked potatoes or sweet potatoes, whole or half of a PB&J or turkey sandwich, chicken noodle soup, crackers with some hummus or peanut butter (careful with too much of peanut butter or hummus because they do contain fat and, if eaten too close to events, could cause stomach problems during the event), dry cereal, waffle(s), slice or two of toast with jam, simple granola bar.

Meal #2 (the post-event meal)

• The focus of Meal #2 is to replenish used up energy stores, to provide protein and other nutrients to the muscles so that they can repair and rebuild, to provide some healthy fats which can aid in recovery and decreased inflammation, and to overall satisfy and fill up the athlete.

• This meal is especially important if the athlete has another game or practice the following morning or later that day.

• Examples of these meal components might be:

  • Protein: chicken, turkey, lean ground beef, fish, beans, nuts, seeds, tofu, milk, yogurt, cheese

  • Healthy fats: salmon, tuna, avocado, flaxseed, chia seeds, nuts and seeds, nut and seed butters, olive oil (can be in salad dressings, etc.), tahini

  • Quality Carbohydrate: use the examples listed for Meal #1 ideas

A SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT EARLY MORNING PRACTICE NUTRITION

Sometimes the athlete really cannot eat in the mornings before an early morning before-school practice (I see this a lot with runners, sometimes gymnasts, and I struggled with it as a figure skater growing up). In these cases it could be good to try:

1. Have a liquid form of nutrition or something very basic for breakfast. Examples include: fruit juice, fresh or dried fruit, a shake, a little bit of a sports drink.

2. If an early morning bite or drink is absolutely not doable, move over to focusing on dinner the night before. If dinner was early, incorporate a before-bed snack like a bowl of cereal, yogurt, granola bar with some peanut butter, something that can carry over so that the athlete’s fuel tank is not completely depleted when they wake up in the morning and head to practice.

3. In these cases, make sure the athlete is getting something substantial as his or her post-event Breakfast #2. This could look like anything from a Greek yogurt with granola and a banana, to a granola bar, a milk carton and grapes, to 2 hard boiled eggs + fruit, to a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a carton of milk.

Those odd-hour events can be tricky, but with a plan and simple meal or food ideas, keeping your young athlete fueled can be done! As I sign off, I’m leaving you with one last list of ideas to take with you this month.

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Early Morning Practice Meal Ideas for the Young Athlete

BREAKFAST 1

• Glass of juice

• Medium banana or other fruit

• Dry cereal (ex: Cheerios, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Chex, etc.)

• Dried fruit

• Fruit smoothie (made with fruit and water or some juice)

• Breakfast shake like Carnation Instant Breakfast (tolerance may depend on athlete and on sport being played)

• Slice(s) of toast with jam or honey

• Simple granola bar (ex: Quaker chewy or soft Nutrigrain) or fig bar (low in fiber & protein)

• Low-fat yogurt

BREAKFAST 2

I LOVE these easy Egg Cups!

• Hardboiled egg(s) + cheese stick + grapes

• Peanut butter and jelly or honey sandwich

• Greek yogurt + granola + sliced strawberries

• Pre-made egg sandwich (egg(s) on a whole wheat English muffin with cheese) + fruit

• Chocolate milk + whole grain granola bar

• Turkey & cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread (remember that Breakfast doesn’t have to mean only breakfast foods!)

• Peanut butter crackers + glass of white or chocolate milk

• To-go oatmeal cup (just add milk or water) + banana

• Cottage cheese + fresh fruit + whole grain crackers

• Pre-baked egg cups + fruit or a granola bar or whole grain crackers

Evening Event Meal Ideas for the Young Athlete

DINNER 1

• Baked white or baked sweet potato

• Pasta with marinara sauce

• Turkey sandwich

• Pasta salad

• Bowl of cereal (just like breakfast doesn’t have to mean “breakfast food”, dinner doesn’t always have to mean “dinner food”!)

• Mini pizzas (on flatbread or English muffins with marinara, a sprinkle of cheese and any veggie toppings your athlete would like)

DINNER 2

I’m such of fan of this simple mayo-free chicken salad!

And these hearty flavor-packed 7-ingredient tuna burgers!

• Baked chicken + veggies + whole grain roll

• Grilled salmon + salad + glass of milk

• Spaghetti with meatballs

• Tuna or chicken salad

• Omelet with veggies and cheese + slice of whole wheat bread

• Glass of milk / chocolate milk

• Greek yogurt with fruit

• Avocado toast topped with a scrambled egg(s)

• Chicken sandwich + veggies

• Lean ground hamburger + veggies

• Tuna Burgers - just the patty or with the bun - whatever your athlete needs!

Farewell to Lunchtime Chicken Fingers: Mastering the Pre-Game Meal

Yesssss.  It was chicken tender & french fry day at school.  My favorite.  For whatever reason, french fry day was a huge deal at our school.  Not sure why but once a week they were served.  And something about those chicken tenders... mmmm mmmmm.  Mouth watering just thinking about them.

Right... mouth - watering until we fast-forward to about 4:00 that afternoon in the middle of cross country practice when I wanted to fall out on the Tuckahoe pavement (the street our practice runs often included), thinking maybe the SMS golf cart would appear like a knight in shining armor and cruise me back to the school (wishful thinking).  I realized in that moment that chicken tenders and fries may not be my body's fuel of choice and this was the way it decided to get my attention.

Cross country practice began at 3:30 and that particular day was a long run day.  Typically I would run at a pretty nice clip.  I'm mentally competitive with myself more than anyone else and would refuse to stop until I had reached the end.  Well, clearly this day was different.  I made it about 8 minutes and it all fell apart.  Nausea, stomach cramping, fatigue, you name it.  After deciding that lying down in the middle of the street waiting for a golf cart to come pick me up was probably not going to end in my favor, I walked the majority of the route back and finally finished with not only my worst time, but also feeling the worst I had ever felt after a run.  Now, I don't know if my lunchtime choice was the only culprit, but that was the only factor different than any other day.  I decided then and there that future lunches would be different.  Fried food clearly did nothing for me and if I was going to go to practice, I wanted it to be beneficial.

The next day and all of the days following were new days.  Of course I still enjoyed my chicken tenders and fries, but certainly not as my pre-run meal.  I started experimenting with different foods and different food combinations and took notice of how I practiced and how I felt at afternoon practices.  I found my ideal fueling lunch to include complex carbohydrates (fruits, whole grain crackers, whole-wheat pita, and / or low fat yogurts), a source of protein (peanut butter, string cheese, tuna, turkey, or chicken) and some healthy fats here and there (peanut butter, almonds, hummus, avocado, and olive oil).  I never had a practice like that again and, as I started to be more thoughtful with my school lunches and meal and snack timing, I saw myself get stronger and faster, both in my running and in my skating, as the weeks went on.  

Now, with this post I'm not saying no more fried food ever again.  I'm simply saying that if you want better performances and better practices, it's time to move the fried foods (or any other foods that can be harder to digest or leave you tired during events) over to make room for the more nutrient-dense foods that fuel those hard-working muscles and brain and propel you towards the finish line (especially when planning your pre-event meal!!).

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

10 simple ideas for the Young Athlete’s pre-game meal

(This meal is typically consumed 3 to 4 hours before the event. you may also need a pre-event snack, which you can find ideas for in my previous post here.)

• Turkey sandwich with lettuce, tomato and dijon mustard. Cheese, if tolerated. I love my Turkey Melt that I posted a while back!

• Stuffed Sweet Potato (I love my 9-Ingredient Stuffed Sweet Potato as a vegetarian option!)

• Breakfast Sandwich like my 5-Ingredient Breakfast Sandwich!

• A yogurt parfait or overnight oats (my go-to’s are these and these)

• Peanut Butter and Jelly or Honey Sandwich with an apple and / or glass of milk

• Pasta salad with chicken + yogurt or glass of milk and fruit

• Chicken & Vegetable Soup + a whole grain roll or whole grain crackers (I love Kashi, Mary’s Gone Crackers and Crunchmaster) + mixed fruit

• Low-fat cottage cheese + fruit + whole grain crackers and hummus

• Tuna salad (made without mayo) sandwich or on crackers + an apple + yogurt

• Homemade pizzas (ex: thick English muffins, marinara sauce, some veggies of choice, sliced chicken and a sprinkle of cheese) + fruit.

Jello Legs & Strategizing Pre-Event Snacks: Something I Learned the Hard Way

"Shoot!", I thought as I was about fifteen minutes from taking the ice for my warmup.  "I forgot my snack.  Oh well, too late now.  I'm sure I'll be fine.  I'm sure I don't actually need that banana.  I feel fine.  It's just like eight total minutes of skating."

An easy snack that I love pre or post exercise! Sun Butter Banana Oat Bites can also be found here

Fast forward about twenty-five minutes later.  I made it through my warmup and, I'll say, it was decent.  I did not feel strong like I knew I could feel.  However, I just rationalized it as nerves that always vanish as soon as my music begins and carried on.  After a mediocre warmup I exited the ice and kept warm while talking with my coach. "I'm feeling stronger", I thought.  "I can do this."  I removed my skate guards and handed my sweater to my coach.  The announcer called my name and as the cold icy air pierced my skin, I lifted my head high, took a deep breath, and skated out to my beginning pose, trying to leave my hesitations in the warmup room.

At this point in my skating life, I felt like I at least had my early morning pre-performance eating strategy pretty much down.  I knew my go-to meal, timing and routine for these early morning competitors.  What I was still working on, however, was the timing for those awkward mid-day to late - afternoon performances.  This competition happened to be around 12:30 p.m., smack in the middle of the day and lunchtime. At that point breakfast had certainly worn off and the question was, do I eat lunch before or after my skate? I couldn't eat a huge lunch because then it might not digest in time.  But should I eat a little something before I compete or wait until after I finish?  With limited time to go, I brushed off the necessity of this pre-performance snack, telling myself it was simple superstition and went on with my warmup routine.

Now I was standing on the ice, focused on the task at hand, ready to go.  My music began and I pressed into my first strokes and leaned into those beginning edges.  Unfortunately that is as good as it got.  The program was rough, to say it kindly.  I remember literally talking to my legs while skating, saying "What are you doing?  Get it together!"  But it was useless.  My legs felt like jello and my body was shaky, making landing any jump next to impossible and causing spins to be far from tight and centered.  That was one of those performances that I was happy to end and as I put my skate guards back on and made my way to my family I realized how low my blood sugar was. I was hungry and a pre-performance snack would from then on be a pre-performance staple.

Athletes work hard every day so that they can perform their best when it counts and it is important not to let a lack of pre-performance nutrition be the reason those practices don’t pay off. It is important to determine what nutrition your body needs for an optimal performance and to determine not only what but also when the body needs it, then making it a necessity in your practice and performance day plan (remember, never perform on something you have not practiced on first!).. Now, if a meal was eaten an hour or two or three before the event, a snack may not be needed. However, in the instance like I have talked about here, where the last meal was far away, a snack is most-likely a benefit or necessity.

Remember that the closer you are to the event, the simpler your snack should be. That means the closer you get to the event the less protein, fiber, and fat a snack should contain as these components are all more difficult for the body to digest. Need some ideas? I’m leaving you with a few of my tried and true favorites below.

Happy fueling!

Taylor

10 simple pre-event snacks for the young athlete

• Fresh fruit (banana, grapes, orange slices, melon, etc. whatever is best tolerated by the athlete)

• Dried fruit (raisins, cherries, apple, etc.)

• Simple granola bar (low fiber, low fat, low protein - think "easy to digest", like a Quaker Chewy granola bar)

• Pretzels

• Crackers (salty crackers if you’re a heavy and / or salty sweater)

• Jam sandwich

• Slice of toast with honey

• Dry cereal (My go-to’s are Cheerios & Quaker Oatmeal Squares)

• Small fig bar ( I really like these)

• Pre-event homemade trial mix (dry cereal + dried fruit)

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Are You Eating Enough?? How Getting Competitive Changed the Way I Ate

One of my favorite mid-day snacks or an easy part of breakfast is an 88-Acres bar with a nut or seed butter!

There is often times a misconception that athletes in aesthetic sports eat less or need to eat less to be "better".  Cue the ballerina, the gymnast, the figure skater, and the dancer, to name a few.  In sports with constricting and limited attire, where jumping, speed and agility are crucial, athletes may often restrict intake, skip meals, or fill standard size meals with only low-calorie items.  However, something the sports community is realizing is that a lower number on the scale and bony prominences are not a sign of success and certainly not a fast track to the gold.

I have read about this in numerous articles over the past few years but actually experienced this on my own in high school.  These articles that I read later were a scientific confirmation of what I already discovered based off of personal experience and performance.

Growing up as a figure skater, I would say that I got really "competitive" in the USFS (U.S. Figure Skating) realm somewhere around sophomore year of high school (although I was serious about it and competing from somewhere around the age of 8).  After years of falls and frustrations, summer training camps away, and six days a week at the rink, I finally landed a very difficult element for me, and one I needed to compete at the next level, my double axel.  Alongside this I was also running cross country with my high school.  Top six days a week of skating with cross country and you find quite a physical and mental demand.  This was the point when I realized that to really compete I needed speed, I needed strength and I needed massive amounts of focus.  I quickly realized that none of those could be obtained when under-fueled or under-nourished.  While I felt like I was a fairly healthy eater, I realized that maybe that wasn't enough.  My practices were longer and more intense and I was looking to improve, not to maintain. In the past I might have arrived to the rink slightly hungry but would wait it out until a break or dinner.  However, returning from skating camp the summer I landed my double axel and beginning the new school year, I noticed this usual eating pattern only leaving me exhausted and with a sometimes sloppy practice.  I had my jumps, I had my spins, now I wanted to increase my speed, making those jumps higher and those spins faster, and nailing my routines nine times out of ten.  I quickly realized that to meet these expectations I had to show up to the rink ready.  I don't mean just having the right outfit, gloves, music, etc.  I mean ready in its entirety - fueled, nourished and ready to give practice my all.

We all know what our "A" game is.  Well, my thoughts are that if we can't bring it to practice how are we ever going to improve upon it and advance?  Of course we always have our off-days. However, for the most part, we have got to practice at our best as much as we can so that with each practice and each performance we can improve upon the last, thereby improving our performance and outcomes when it really counts - in competition.

It was during this time when my skating got more serious and I started to consider myself a real competitor that I realized just being “healthy” wasn't always going to cut it.  I needed extra fuel and more nutrition.  This was the year I (A) started to bring my lunch to school, (B) ate more food and ate it more frequently (packed my lunch and always made sure to include an afternoon snack within about 1 hour of getting to the rink) and (C) saw the biggest improvement in my skating AND my running. I was faster and stronger which made for an exciting year in my sports, in my schoolwork and in my overall attitude.  Many people that I have spoken with or clients that I have worked with have seemed to share or understand this common belief that to be more competitive an aesthetic sport athlete needs lighter meals, which often materialize as more salads, more fruits, and sticking to only three meals a day.  However, the reality is that athletes, including aesthetic athletes, actually need MORE if they to improve (and prevent injury). That may mean more food at meals or more eating opportunities or more energy than fruits & vegetables can supply.

A note to the young athlete

To all of those aesthetic athletes out there afraid of "eating too much”, if you're feeling fatigued and your performances and practices have not been up to your normal standards, or worse, you are suffering from multiple or non-healing injuries, take a good look at your daily intake and find room for improvement or small dietary additions here and there.  While those salads, fruits, and scheduled meals are great, they can leave you lacking in the energy required for your sport.  It may be that you simply need an extra apple, some peanut butter with your banana, a bigger salad with some almonds or avocado added, an extra slice of whole-wheat toast in the morning, or a small whole grain granola bar before practice. On the other end of the spectrum, maybe you’re a multi-sport athlete. Maybe you play school and club soccer and decided to join the cross country or track team and you’re going through your growth spurt. Remember that with your increased practices, games and tournaments, especially during this growing period, comes the necessity of a little or a lot more food whether that’s more at lunch, actually eating breakfast (for many of you non-breakfast eaters out there) or adding in an afternoon or evening snack.  Remember that it doesn’t have to be complicated and that there is not one universal prescription for every athlete. Your extra nutrition needs depend on you as an individual and your sport.  However, if you're looking to improve, remember that with each day and with each practice you have to fuel up to power up.  Give your body enough nutrition (along with sleep and a few other factors), and watch it hand you more energy, better focus and improved performance in return.

to the parent, coach & support team of the young athlete

Stay tuned for more posts this month as I dive more into pre and post event meal and snack ideas!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Ten Calcium - Boosting Breakfasts Ideas

I always talk to young elite or multi-sport athletes about the importance of not skipping a meal. Each meal is an opportunity for the young athlete to get needed protein to repair torn muscles, carbohydrate to replenish energy stores, fat for brain health, satiety and inflammation-fighting, and certain nutrients like calcium to keep bones strong. Just as skipping a meal puts the young athlete at a disadvantage, not skipping meals can be one simple way to take your training and performance up a notch. Today I’m talking about calcium and I’m specifically focusing on ways to get calcium in breakfast because, of all the schools and sports teams I visit, the athletes skip breakfast the most often. Keep on reading for some breakfast ideas that will boost your young athlete’s calcium intake. Questions? Comment below!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

Love simple breakfasts that include filling a small mason jar with my favorite yogurt, fruit and homemade flax & chia seed granola.

Ten Calcium - Boosting Breakfast Ideas

for the Young Athlete

1. Sun Butter Banana and Chia Seed Oatmeal

   This is my newest morning oatmeal go-to recipe. Bump up the calcium by using some almond butter instead of Sun Butter or peanut butter!

2. Sun butter banana overnight oats

   Still love the simplicity of these overnight oats. Again, use almond butter instead of Sun Butter or peanut butter for a little boost in calcium.

3. Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats

   A non-nut or non-seed butter option, this breakfast is packed with flavor and offers some calcium to busy mornings!

4. Yogurt & Fruit Parfait with Flax Seeds

   No recipe needed here. Just layer your favorite yogurt, fruit and a sprinkle of flaxseed into a glass or bowl. Super simple and full of calcium.

   REMEMBER: Greek or higher protein yogurts tend to have less calcium than your regular yogurts. It’s due to how the Greek yogurt is strained / made. So, while your Greek - type yogurts boast more protein, they often have less calcium. If both protein and calcium are a concern, I always say, just mix it up! My favorite yogurts are Siggi’s, Chobani, and this Icelandic brand.

5. Smoothie made with yogurt or almond milk

   Use whatever your favorite smoothie recipe is and try to get about 8 ounces of milk or almond milk or about 4 to 6 ounces of milk and 4 to 6 ounces of yogurt. Throw in chia seeds, flaxseeds or kale for a little more of a boost!

6. Cheese Toast

   Growing up, on Saturday mornings I would often walk into the kitchen to mom eating a piece of toast with cheese on top that she had broiled in the oven. Guess you could call it an open faced grilled cheese if you need a better picture but we just called it what it was - cheese toast. This was typically a breakfast option in our household. Well, one morning last year at a high school, after I had finished a talk to a girls volleyball and soccer team, I was answering questions. I was talking with one young lady about easy breakfast ideas that could get her some protein and calcium quickly. I mentioned this cheese toast and she just looked at me curiously and with so much skepticism in her eyes and said, “like a bad grilled cheese??” . Ha! Touche. All I could do was laugh. Fair point I guess, if you didn’t grow up with it. So, with all that said. Take or leave the cheese toast. But it is an option! You could even dress it up by topping it with a slice of tomato and sprinkle of Italian season before broiled it in the oven.

7. Mini Wafflewiches

   This idea came straight from the Kids in the Kitchen program that I was a part of for three years with the Junior League of Dallas. The kids made these in schools and it was by far one of the favorites in all of the schools. I downsized it a little here to be more compact and portable if you wanted.

   • 4 mini waffles (for 2 mini sandwiches)

   • vanilla yogurt

   • nut or seed butter (optional)

   • sliced banana

8. Eggs with cheese & sauted kale. dried figs on the side

   Easy eggs. You could even add this into egg cups like the ones here to have ahead of time!

9. Cottage cheese with drizzles of honey & fruit

   About 1/2 cup of cottage cheese gives you about 100 mg of calcium!

10. Almond butter toast and an 8 to 12 ounce glass of milk or almond milk

    Go with your favorite toast. If you use almond butter you could get even an extra little boost of calcium! Pair it with milk, or almond milk to maximize your calcium in the meal.

A Sample 1300 mg Meal Plan Without Dairy

The always tricky situation occurs when working with a high level, multi sport young athlete who eats little to no dairy. Often times this is when I end up talking about supplements and make recommendations for supplement brands that are 3rd party tested for safety. To learn more about safe supplements for you or your young athlete, visit this previous post.

However, before jumping on the supplement train, I always like to demonstrate that calcium goals can be met from food alone even when a young athlete does not care for dairy foods. That is what I am showing you today. Below you will find one Sample Meal Plan that meets the 1300 mg calcium a day goal without the use of dairy. Again, this only reflects calcium. Calories, carbs, protein, and fat are not taken specifically into account Comment with questions! For the list of non-dairy food and beverage sources of calcium check out this previous post. And, don’t forget your vitamin D along with it to make sure that calcium gets to your bones!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

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1300 mg CALCIUM MEAL PLAN WITHOUT DAIRY

BREAKFAST:

• 1 to 2 scrambled eggs

• 8 oz. of almond milk (300 mg)

• Fresh fruit

SNACK:

• 1/2 cup dried figs (90 mg)

LUNCH:

• Kale Salad

  • 4 cups fresh kale (360 mg)

  • grilled chicken

  • toasted almonds (12 nuts) (37 mg)

  • veggies of choice

  • 1/2 cup kidney beans (95 mg)

  • dressing of choice

• Fresh fruit

SNACK:

• Diced pears and apples

DINNER:

• Grilled miso salmon (~76 mg)

• Grilled Bok choy (~88mg)

• Roasted potatoes (~30 mg)

• kale salad (2 cups) (180mg)

SNACK:

• Chocolate soy milk (300 mg)

TOTAL CALCIUM: ~1556 mg*

* I surpassed the recommended amount of 1300 mg here because the calcium in these plant sources may not all be fully absorbed and utilized in the body.

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A Sample 1300 mg Calcium Meal Plan

Hey there! Hope everyone had a great weekend. If you follow me on my Instagram you know that I got to spend Sunday doing one of my favorite activities with the family, ice skating. It was so much fun to skate but to also get to help my niece and nephew skate.

I just posted my blog post about calcium & vitamin D needs for kids and teens and the young athlete last week. This week, because I’m such an advocate for food first if possible, I want to share with you a couple of examples of what meeting needs through diet alone can look like. For my examples I have chosen the 1300 mg goal because teens are who I most often see with stress fractures and who I most often educate. See previous post for calcium recommended daily amounts for different ages. Remember that I’m really only considering calcium here. This does not reflect any particular energy, protein, carbohydrate or fat intake. Nor does it address other micronutrients. Comment with questions!

Happy Fueling!

Taylor

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1300 mg CALCIUM PER DAY MEAL PLANS (with dairy)

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CALCIUM SAMPLE PLAN 1:

BREAKFAST

• 5 oz yogurt (250 mg)

• 1/2 tsp chia seeds (85 mg)

• fruit

SNACK

• 1 oz raw or dry roasted almonds (75 mg)

LUNCH

• Grilled chicken sandwich

• With 1 slice of cheese (150 mg)

• Side kale salad (2 cups fresh kale) (180 mg)

SNACK

• 8 oz. chocolate milk (300 mg)
  

DINNER

• Pork tenderloin

• 1 baked potato (~30 mg)

  • 1 slice cheese (~150 mg)

  • plain yogurt (~50 mg)

• 1 cup cooked broccoli (62 mg)

TOTAL CALCIUM: ~ 1332 mg

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CALCIUM SAMPLE PLAN 2

BREAKFAST

• 1 cup cooked oatmeal (1/2 cup dry oats + 1 cup milk) (~328 mg)

• 2 tsp almond butter (~28 mg)

• 1/2 banana
  
  

SNACK

• 1 yogurt, not Greek (~ 5 oz.) (~250 mg)
  
  

LUNCH

• Grilled salmon salad

  • 3 cups chopped fresh kale (270 mg)

  • 4 oz grilled Coho salmon (50 mg)

  • diced veggies of choice

  • 2 tbsp feta (~90 mg)

  • dressing of choice

• fruit / crackers on the side

SNACK

• 5 figs (~135 mg)

DINNER

• Grilled chicken breast

  • 1 slice melted mozzarella cheese (~150 mg)

  • fresh sliced tomatoes + basil

• 1 cup cooked broccoli (~60 mg)

• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice

• 8 oz. milk (300 mg)

TOTAL CALCIUM: ~1500 mg

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If your athlete is really struggling with their fueling for sport and you’re looking for a place to start to help them start improving their nutrition, I invite you to download my FREE Getting Started Guide to a Well-Fueled Young Athlete! It has some of the basic info to know and think about when it comes to getting the young athlete well-fueled for their sport. Enjoy!