By: Jesse Crabtree
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
INTRODUCTION
Many teens today participate in some kind of sport. Many of these sports high endurance as well as muscle strength and therefore require a healthy and specialized diet to meet their needs. This diet includes key macronutrients like carbs, proteins, and fats, and proper hydration, as well as other sources vitamins and minerals, that come from fruits and vegetables. This blog will lay out proper nutritional guidelines for a teen participating in a highly active sport such as wrestling, cross-country, football, swimming ECT.
Macronutrients
The macronutrients that an athlete should have in his/her body to perform at Optimum performance are Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats. The reason why athletes should increase their intake of these particular macronutrients is that these nutrients supply the energy needed for athletes to do their activity. Carbohydrates supply 50% of the energy used by athletes while fats supply 30% and the remaining 20% are supplied the proteins. And the recommended calorie intake for athletes is about 2000-5000 (depending on how intense or how active your sports is).
The carbohydrate intake should be even higher than normal for athletes that participate in sports that require endurance because carbohydrates are macronutrients that are stored and are used later. This is perfect for athletes who do endurance sports such as long distance running because when carbohydrates are consumed the body turns it into glycogen (stored energy (short term)) and is stored and used for fuel when your body demands energy (when you move), this means that if the athlete consumes more carbohydrates it means that the athlete will have more energy stored for the race and the athlete will last longer. Some foods that contain high amounts of carbohydrates are pastas, whole grains such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal.
The reason why we use more whole grains than processed grains is that whole grains provide the athlete energy to perform at higher levels and the fiber and other nutrients to keep that athlete healthy. Other foods that provide a high source of carbohydrates are vegetables and fruits.
But for athletes that require more muscle and strength they will need to have a regular intake of proteins. Proteins are nutrients that are used to build muscle mass and make them stronger in the human body. In fact most of our body is made up of proteins such as our skin, our hair, fingernails, toenails, and our muscles. Foods that are recommended that contain high amounts of protein are nuts, fish, lean meats, poultry, and eggs (try to avoid the red meats because they contain very unhealthy amounts of cholesterol). Also athletes should have a certain amount of fat everyday as well. The reason why athletes need fat is that active muscles quickly burn through carbohydrates and the body needs fats for long-lasting energy so that they can continue working at high levels. Try to avoid eating unhealthy fats such as saturated fats (French fries, cheetos, etc.), because they can lead to cardiovascular diseases.
By: Max Haworth
The carbohydrate intake should be even higher than normal for athletes that participate in sports that require endurance because carbohydrates are macronutrients that are stored and are used later. This is perfect for athletes who do endurance sports such as long distance running because when carbohydrates are consumed the body turns it into glycogen (stored energy (short term)) and is stored and used for fuel when your body demands energy (when you move), this means that if the athlete consumes more carbohydrates it means that the athlete will have more energy stored for the race and the athlete will last longer. Some foods that contain high amounts of carbohydrates are pastas, whole grains such as whole wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal.
The reason why we use more whole grains than processed grains is that whole grains provide the athlete energy to perform at higher levels and the fiber and other nutrients to keep that athlete healthy. Other foods that provide a high source of carbohydrates are vegetables and fruits.
But for athletes that require more muscle and strength they will need to have a regular intake of proteins. Proteins are nutrients that are used to build muscle mass and make them stronger in the human body. In fact most of our body is made up of proteins such as our skin, our hair, fingernails, toenails, and our muscles. Foods that are recommended that contain high amounts of protein are nuts, fish, lean meats, poultry, and eggs (try to avoid the red meats because they contain very unhealthy amounts of cholesterol). Also athletes should have a certain amount of fat everyday as well. The reason why athletes need fat is that active muscles quickly burn through carbohydrates and the body needs fats for long-lasting energy so that they can continue working at high levels. Try to avoid eating unhealthy fats such as saturated fats (French fries, cheetos, etc.), because they can lead to cardiovascular diseases.
By: Max Haworth
Hydration
Hydrating:
For active teens, hydrating is a big part of their life because without hydrating they would not perform well in whatever they’re doing. Hydrating is just as important as getting a good hearty meal because hydrating keeps your fluids clean and will help you feel better during the day.
When you hydrate, you should only drink water. Limit the sodas, and juices and only have water. Sodas and juices have sugars and caffeine’s that will give you energy for a short while and then will give you a lousy feeling called a sugar crash. They also can give you tooth problems like cavities.
Just having water is a good habit for a teenager and even adults. When you have snack during the day, which many teens do because of their busy schedules, you should have a bottle of water. Another good habit is to get a drink of water each time you past a water fountain.
But people say when you hydrate for a game, or event, you should drink lots two days before. I suggest drinking a lot everyday. Before a sports even drink a lot of water, and after drink a lot.
Water doesn’t have any useful vitamins or minerals but it is an essential ingredient in all humans’ lives. It serves a purpose, and you can’t wait until you really need it, so teens should drink even when they aren’t thirsty. If you are thirsty, it’s too late; you're not hydrated enough. Salts and sweating make you lose water, so hydrating will make sure it won’t be too late when you’re dehydrated. When you work out, it is easy to become overheated so being dehydrated will have an effect on your physical performance and your mental will. The main goal though, for athletes of endurance sports is to make your urine clear. If your urine is yellow, this might signify caffeine in your system, or not hydrated enough.
Some pros and cons about hydrating through the day should be obvious when you try it, but after a while it is worth it to hydrate. You might have to go the bathroom every forty-five minutes, but if you are really hydrating well it all pays off in the end. Hydrating is just another part of staying healthy, and if you create habits like staying away from certain foods, you will certainly have a better and more fun time whatever your doing.
For active teens, hydrating is a big part of their life because without hydrating they would not perform well in whatever they’re doing. Hydrating is just as important as getting a good hearty meal because hydrating keeps your fluids clean and will help you feel better during the day.
When you hydrate, you should only drink water. Limit the sodas, and juices and only have water. Sodas and juices have sugars and caffeine’s that will give you energy for a short while and then will give you a lousy feeling called a sugar crash. They also can give you tooth problems like cavities.
Just having water is a good habit for a teenager and even adults. When you have snack during the day, which many teens do because of their busy schedules, you should have a bottle of water. Another good habit is to get a drink of water each time you past a water fountain.
But people say when you hydrate for a game, or event, you should drink lots two days before. I suggest drinking a lot everyday. Before a sports even drink a lot of water, and after drink a lot.
Water doesn’t have any useful vitamins or minerals but it is an essential ingredient in all humans’ lives. It serves a purpose, and you can’t wait until you really need it, so teens should drink even when they aren’t thirsty. If you are thirsty, it’s too late; you're not hydrated enough. Salts and sweating make you lose water, so hydrating will make sure it won’t be too late when you’re dehydrated. When you work out, it is easy to become overheated so being dehydrated will have an effect on your physical performance and your mental will. The main goal though, for athletes of endurance sports is to make your urine clear. If your urine is yellow, this might signify caffeine in your system, or not hydrated enough.
Some pros and cons about hydrating through the day should be obvious when you try it, but after a while it is worth it to hydrate. You might have to go the bathroom every forty-five minutes, but if you are really hydrating well it all pays off in the end. Hydrating is just another part of staying healthy, and if you create habits like staying away from certain foods, you will certainly have a better and more fun time whatever your doing.
By: Croix Laconsay
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important for a highly active teen to get the proper amount of macronutrients like carbs, proteins, and fats, as well as other vitamins and minerals. It is also key that an athlete hydrate well, with out this everything else is useless, and dehydration can even lead to a lack of focus in the classroom. All of this nutrition and healthy living ties in together with exercising everyday. If an athlete does these too things along with getting enough sleep, it will provide him or her with a better chance at peak performance.
By: Jesse Crabtree
By: Jesse Crabtree
3 Diet Plan
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