Fueling performance and recovery

Discover the crucial role of nutrition before and after exercise to optimize your athletic potential. Learn practical strategies and snack ideas to keep high school athletes at their best.

Top snack ideas for high school athletes

Fueling your body before and after activity helps improve performance and recovery. Here are some quick and easy options:

Night before practice or games:

  • Eat a balanced meal with carbs + protein:

    • Pasta, rice, potatoes
    • Chicken, vegetables

3-4 hours before practice or games:

  • Eat a nutritious meal (not too big):

    • 50% carbs
    • 25% protein
    • 25% fruits/vegetables

30 minutes before practice or games:

  • Granola bar
  • Crackers
  • Trail mix

After exercise:

  • Refuel with plenty of carbohydrates and protein to recover.

The importance of pre and post-exercise nutrition

Eating the right foods before and after exercise is vital for young athletes. Athletes in endurance sports often practice carb-loading to prepare for events that demand a lot of energy. This strategy helps the body store enough glycogen, which is a form of glucose, to use as fuel during the activity. Since endurance athletes typically have low levels of stored fat, which serves as a backup energy source, running out of glycogen can cause the body to struggle for energy and may result in cramping.

Common nutritional mistakes

One common mistake high school athletes make is neglecting proper meal planning around their workouts, often relying on sugary drinks or highly processed snacks that provide quick but unsustainable energy. This can lead to energy crashes and hinder their performance and recovery.

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