I recently read the April 2013 edition of Family Circle Magazine and in it was an interesting article on teen health and fitness. Being a mother of 16 and 11 year old girls, who are very actively involved in sports, I found the article very informative; which sparked me to dig in a little further when it comes to the food they should be eating.

Photo: Clara Hargraves

Growing up, I didn’t play organized sports. Being a single mother raising two girls virtually alone, my mom just couldn’t afford the extra cost associated with doing so. I did manage to participate in gymnastics for a short stint as part of an after school program when I was around 12 or 13, but most of my activity came from playing outside with the neighborhood kids.

Today, both of my girls love cheerleading and I have to tell you, it is a sport no matter what preconceived notions there may be and it certainly isn’t the same sport as when I was in high school in the mid-1980’s. Our cheerleaders still wore saddle shoes and only one or two members even knew how to do any sort of tumbling and that was because they were also on the gymnastics team.  Today’s cheerleaders incorporate tumbling, stunts and dance into their routines as well. Here’s a peek at a National Competition to see what’s involved:

A typical day for my daughter starts at 5:45am and ends with her getting home between 8-9pm at night 2-4 nights per week (not including weekends); depending on the season which runs from August-February.  As you can see, it leaves little time for her to focus on what her body needs to fuel itself;  which is where we as parents have to step in to make sure they’re getting the right balance of nutrition and rest (researchers recommend a minimum of 8 hours per night); which helps maintain coordination.

According to KidsHealth.org, eating while doing sports, is more than just consuming large amounts of carbs or drinking sports drinks. It’s all about consuming the right foods in the right amounts and incorporating them into your daily diet. They also stated “If an athlete doesn’t eat enough, their bodies are less likely to achieve peak performance and may even break down rather than build up muscles.”

According to PowerBar.com, playing sports boosts your need for extra calories.A typical teenage boy requires a base level of about 2,100–2,400 calories daily, while a typical girl needs around 1700 calories. Adding sports into the mix, girls need an extra 750 calories per day, while boys need an extra 900 calories per day to meet the energy demands of training and competing.  It’s not always easy, but not eating enough calories while you’re training is asking for trouble. Too few calories will cause your performance to suffer, you’ll get sick more frequently, and for girls, it can negatively impact their hormone balance, leading to devastating long-term consequences on bone health.

The following foods are the foundation of healthy eating, and healthy eating is what all athletes need to do in order to perform at their best:

• Should make up 3/4 of your meal
• Provides carbohydrates
• Contain essential vitamins, minerals and fiber
• Consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day such as apples, bananas, oranges, carrots, celery, broccoli
•  Choose whole grain or multi grain breads when available, oatmeal and brown rice