Sports nutrition is big business in our country. Americans, including high school athletes, have bought into dietary supplements to the tune of $35 billion, as reflected in the 2014 Supplements Position Statement by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Teams that fail to build a culture focused on sports nutrition fundamentals over industry-driven hype pay a price, trading long-term health and athletic development for the promise of short-term performance.
Three fundamentals of sports nutrition apply to every sport. Help your team eat to win by focusing on these principles:
Power Up with Breakfast – Peak performance starts with eating before running out of fuel. Overnight Oats are cost effective, require no cooking and are packed with protein and carbs to sustain performance.
Eat and Snack for Endurance – Growing athletes need three meals a day plus snacks. High school athletes, in particular, need help making healthy snack choices. This Grand Slam Snack Mix is easy to pack for on-the-go athletes and is a balanced snack to support performance.
Fuel Up to Recover – The quality of tomorrow’s practice depends on what happens today. A serving of chocolate milk after practice replaces lost fluids and electrolytes for much less than engineered ‘recovery drinks’ and serves the athlete in the long term with bone-building calcium and vitamin D. Within two hours, follow up with a well-balanced meal and another glass of milk on the side.
Mickela Mitchell, MS, RDN, LDN, CSSD
![Mickela Mitchell](https://thedairyalliance.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Mickela-Mitchell_2015_headshot.jpg")