Sports Nutrition

Introduction & Assessment

## Intro & Assessment What you eat before, during, and after you compete makes a bigger difference than most athletes realize. Sports nutrition is not about eating perfectly — it is about fueling your body so it can do what you are asking of it. Start with a two-day food log: write down everything you eat and drink on a day you train and a day you do not. Then answer three questions: Did you eat something before your last workout? Did you drink water throughout the day? Did you eat something within 30 minutes after you finished? Use ChooseMyPlate.gov free resources to see how your food groups stack up. You are ready for the next step when you have completed a two-day food log and identified one before-workout and one after-workout eating habit you want to improve.

Foundation Building

## Foundation Building Three nutrients power athletic performance: carbohydrates (your main fuel), protein (repairs muscles), and fluids (keeps everything running). Carbs are not the enemy — your muscles literally run on them. Before exercise, eat a carb-based snack like a banana or toast 30-60 minutes before you start. After exercise, pair protein with carbs within 30 minutes — chocolate milk actually works great and costs almost nothing. For fluids, the rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day, plus extra when you sweat. Check out ChooseMyPlate.gov free tools and the Team USA athlete nutrition guides at teamusa.org — both are completely free. You are ready for the next step when you can explain the role of carbs, protein, and fluids in athletic performance and name a good pre-workout and post-workout snack.

Skill Development

## Skill Development Now put the science into practice for one full week. Every day you train, eat a pre-workout snack 30-60 minutes before and a recovery snack within 30 minutes after. Track how you feel using a simple 1-5 energy rating before and after each session. Use the free Cronometer app to log your food and check that you are hitting your protein target (roughly 0.5 grams per pound of bodyweight is a good starting point for active youth athletes). Also focus on hydration: carry a water bottle to every practice or game — a common rule is to drink 8 ounces before, every 20 minutes during, and 16 ounces after activity. You are ready for the next step when you complete seven consecutive training days with consistent pre- and post-workout fueling and notice a pattern in how your energy ratings change.

Practice & Refinement

## Practice & Refinement Timing and quality both matter — let us dial in both. This week, experiment with two different pre-workout meals and track which one gives you better energy during practice. Try a banana-and-peanut-butter combo one day and oatmeal with fruit the next. Also start reading nutrition labels on sports drinks and energy bars: most have more sugar than you need. For Utah athletes specifically, altitude and dry air increase your fluid needs compared to sea level — if you are playing or training above 4,500 feet (which is basically everywhere along the Wasatch Front), add an extra 8 ounces of water per hour. Log everything in Cronometer for the full picture. You are ready for the next step when you can identify which pre-workout meal works best for your body and explain why hydration needs are higher in Utah altitude.

Challenge Mode

## Challenge Mode Build a full game-day nutrition plan from scratch. Map out exactly what you will eat and drink the night before a big game or competition, the morning of, two hours before, 30 minutes before, during (if it is a long event), and within 30 minutes after. Run this plan for two consecutive competition days and rate your performance and energy each time. Research one advanced topic: glycogen loading for endurance events, or electrolyte replacement for long training sessions in Utah summer heat. The free resources at teamusa.org and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at eatright.org both have solid athlete-specific content. You are ready for the next step when you execute your full game-day nutrition plan for two real competitions and can evaluate what worked and what you would change.

Mastery Demonstration

## Mastery Demonstration You now understand something most athletes figure out years too late. Share it. Create a one-page Sports Nutrition Game-Day Guide for your team, sport club, or a younger athlete you know. Cover the three key windows: before, during, and after exercise. Include two or three specific food examples for each window that are easy to find and affordable. Present it to your team, your coach, or post it at your school. Bonus challenge: run a short taste-test session where you bring two different recovery snacks and let your teammates rate them. Teaching nutrition makes you more accountable to your own habits too. You are ready for the next step when you have shared your Game-Day Guide with at least three other athletes and explained the reasoning behind each recommendation.