Food is your first piece of gear.

Before the fancy supplements and the hype, there's this: eat enough, eat real, and time it around your training. Here's how fuel actually works for a growing athlete — no restriction, no diet talk, just what your body needs to build.

See it on a plate Jump to macros

The big three

Meet your macros

Protein, carbs and fats each do a different job. You need all three — every single day.

Build & repair

Protein

~1.4–1.7 g/kg/day

The repair crew. Every hard session creates tiny tears in your muscle — protein rebuilds them a little stronger.

Spread it across the day, not all at dinner
Aim for a palm-sized source at each meal
Eggs, chicken, fish, beef, dairy, beans, tofu

Energy

Carbs

~45–60 % of calories

Your main fuel. Carbs top off the energy your muscles burn during sprints, lifts and games. Not the enemy — the gas tank.

Lean on them around training
Rice, oats, pasta, potatoes, fruit, bread
Whole-grain when you can, but any carb fuels you

Hormones & growth

Fats

~25–35 % of calories

The long-game fuel. Healthy fats support the hormones that help a teen body grow and recover. Don't fear them.

Nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado
Salmon and eggs bring bonus protein
A little at most meals is plenty

How much do I need?

More than you think.

Here's the part most teen athletes get wrong: you're growing AND training at the same time. That takes serious fuel. Under-eating stalls growth, tanks energy, and slows recovery. When in doubt, eat a bit more — especially carbs and protein.

Quick gut-check

Always hungry, sluggish at practice, or not recovering between sessions? That's usually a sign to eat more, not less.

solid meals a day, every day

2–3

snacks to fill the gaps

cups of fruit & veg for recovery

meals worth skipping on a training day

Don't forget water

Hydration moves you faster

Even a little dehydration makes you slower, weaker and foggier. Most of it is just building a habit.

Before

Sip water through the day so you start practice topped off — not chugging at the last second.

During

A few gulps every 15–20 minutes. For sessions over an hour or in the heat, an electrolyte drink helps.

After

Keep drinking with your recovery meal. Pale-yellow pee is the easy at-a-glance check that you're good.

Timing it right

Fueling around practice & games

What you eat matters — but when can be the difference between flying and dragging.

2–3 hours before — the real meal

A balanced plate: carbs for fuel, some protein, light on heavy fats. Think chicken, rice and veg, or a turkey sandwich with fruit.

30–60 min before — the top-off

If you're hungry or it's been a while, grab a quick carb snack: a banana, a granola bar, toast with honey. Easy to digest, no heavy meals.

During — stay topped up

Water for most sessions. For long games or tournaments, sip a sports drink or grab fruit at breaks to keep energy steady.

Within ~60 min after — the rebuild

This is the golden window. Pair carbs + protein to refuel and start repair: chocolate milk, a power bowl, yogurt and fruit, or a real meal if it's close.

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