A Parent S Guide To Sports Nutrition For Young Athletes

Expert Nutrition and Health Advice that Will Help Keep Your Child in the Game Whether it's training for a big track meet, rehearsing for tomorrow's dance recital, or playing a casual backyard game of catch, your child's athletic performance, development, and growth depend largely on eating the right foods. Now the largest and most prestigious organization of food and nutrition professionals in the world shows you how to help foster your child's development and maximize athletic performance. The American Dietetic Association's Play Hard, Eat Right gives insight into your active 6- to 12-year-old's changing nutrition needs and provides the tools you need to help your child get a head start, including: * The latest dietary guidelines for child athletes * Tips on selecting nutritious fast food * Important information on nutrition and your child's growth, body weight, and development * Tips to help you provide adequate nutrients--carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals--for a child athlete * Advice on meeting the fluid needs of children Complete with a toll-free hotline number for answers to your nutrition questions, this essential and easy-to-use guide also shows what kids should eat before or after competition, on the road, and during training And tasty, kid-tested menus and snack ideas make the book an essential tool for every active family. "Play Hard, Eat Right is clearly written, practical, and should go far to meet the needs and answer the important questions of parents of young athletes." -- Lyle J. Micheli, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School and Director, Division of Sports Medicine, The Children's Hospital, Boston "Play Hard, Eat Right contains a wealth of information for any family whose children participate in athletics. This book will show parents how to help their young athletes find the winning edge in the critical but often neglected area of nutrition." -- Wes Hamilton, NFL Player, Minnesota Vikings, 1976-1985 "Three cheers for Play Hard, Eat Right, an easy-to-read book that highlights what parents need to know about feeding young athletes. Now parents finally have a 'how-to' resource that can abate their worries about whether their children are properly fueled for growth, sports, and busy days." -- Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., Director of Nutrition Services, SportsMedicine, Brookline, MA, and author of Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Handbook

This book covers general dietary guidelines for healthy eating for active children as well as tips on pre- and post-exercise nutrition, staying hydrated while exercising, and healthy snacks.

Good nutritional habits can make a significant impact on athletic performance. This is particularly true for growing youth athletes. When planning what to feed young athletes, parents and coaches not only need to consider the demands of the activity itself, but also the nutritional requirements for growth and development. Research shows that many child athletes don't consume enough calories to sustain exercise and growth effectively. Busy lifestyles rushing from work/school to training can also present challenges for parents and coaches when planning what to feed children. This book provides an easy to follow guide to help parents and coaches determine exactly how much food and drink to provide, what type of foods and when to feed their aspiring athletes. The information in this book is supported by the most up-to-date scientific research and covers topics including: *macronutrient and micronutrient requirements*weight management*eating disorders *hydration *supplements and ergogenic aids*nutritional timingThe book also contains over 25 simple to make healthy recipes to help fuel your young athletes and optimise performance.

Metzl, medical director, sports Medicine Institute for Young Athletes, and Shookhoff, a writer specializing in education issues, want parents and young athletes to keep a sensible perspective on the benefits of organized sports. They offer information on preventing injuries, recognizing common injuries and evaluating their seriousness, and understanding nutritional and exercise needsas well as dealing with coaches and other parents, helping children handle team pressures, and recognizing when a child is doing too much.

In the United States alone, over 60 million youth participate in organized sports. This book is designed to assist coaches of these youth by providing a fundamental understanding of sports nutrition and how to correctly fuel athletes for athletic performance. Chapters include the basics of sports nutrition, fuel for the body, timing and type of meals and snacks, fluids and hydration, dietary supplements, eating disorders, and body image, and special considerations for athletes such as those who are vegetarian, diabetic, or have a food allergy. The final chapter provides practical suggestions for parents to appreciate the importance of sports nutrition for their athlete. A greater knowledge and application of sports nutrition will assist in optimal sports performances as well as improved overall health and well-being for the athlete.