Somewhere along the way, carbs got a bad reputation. You've probably heard someone say they're "cutting carbs" out of their diet to lose weight. At first this might seem like a good idea. However, for a teen athlete it's the fastest way to feel slow, weak, and foggy in your sport. Here's what carbs actually do and how to use them.
Carbs are your body's main fuel
When you sprint, jump, lift, or push through the last mile of a race, your muscles are burning glycogen, which is the stored form of carbs. Your brain runs on carbs too, which is why skipping them makes you feel foggy in class and flat at practice.
Think of your body like a car. Protein builds the engine, but carbs are the gas. You can have the strongest engine on the team, but with an empty tank you're not going anywhere fast.
What happens when you cut carbs
- You feel slow and heavy. Low glycogen means your muscles literally have less energy to burn.
- You fade early. That second half, fourth quarter, or final rep gets way harder.
- Recovery decreases. Your body refills glycogen after training, and it can't do that without carbs.
- Your brain suffers. Focus, reaction time, and even mood take a hit.
Low-carb diets exist for adults with specific goals. A growing athlete who trains most days of the week is not that person. You burn through carbs constantly, so you need to keep putting them back.
The best carb sources
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Everyday staples | Rice, pasta, bread, oats, potatoes, tortillas, cereal |
| Fruit | Bananas, dates, grapes, apples, berries, applesauce |
| Dairy | Milk, chocolate milk, yogurt with granola |
| Quick pre-workout | Toast with honey or jelly, granola bars, fruit pouches, banana |
Whole-grain versions add fiber and steadier energy, so you can include them for regular meals. However, when it's close to training eat simple carbs because they digest faster. There's a place for both.
When to eat them
Carbs matter most around your training. A carb-heavy meal 2 to 3 hours before practice, a quick top-off like a banana or toast 30 to 60 minutes before, and carbs plus protein within an hour after to refill the tank is ideal. On hard training days eat even more carbs than normal due to increased intensity of your training.
If you want the full timing breakdown, it's on the Nutrition page under fueling around practice and games.
My experience
I used to lean on caffeine for energy until I realized what I was actually missing was carbs. Once I started eating more carbs I had more energy, and I was able to push myself further. I felt stable energy throughout the day, ran stronger, and stopped crashing. Carbs did what caffeine never could.
Carbs are not something to cut. They're the fuel you need to perform your best. Make sure that all of your meals have a carb source like rice, pasta, bread, oats, potatoes, and fruit. Eat carbs throughout the day, especially around your training. Make sure to eat something with carbs every 2-4 hours.