Whether it’s game day for your young athlete or you just want to give them the boost they need to start off the day strong, a nourishing, energizing breakfast should be a priority. The nutrients of a well-balanced breakfast provide foundational fuel for the brain and body while also supporting athletic performance. One [...]
TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD Helping young athletes stay hydrated is one of the simplest ways to support their health, safety, and performance. Water plays a key role in everything from focus and mood to muscle function and body temperature. When kids are active, their bodies rely on sweating [...]
Dennis Coonan, MSE, LAT, ATC People are often confused about how an athletic trainer fits into the sport ecosystem. What does an athletic trainer do for the team? And how can teams best take advantage of this resource? Often, athletic trainers are only mentioned in the context of an athlete who [...]
TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD Pre-exercise hydration can be a confusing topic for youth sports parents and coaches. Most people know that it is important, but the specifics of ‘why’ can seem murky. “How much water should my athletes be drinking before practices and games?,” “How can an athlete [...]
TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD Artificial food dyes have received plenty of attention in recent years. Some headlines suggest they may increase hyperactivity in children, while others argue they’re simply unnecessary additives that we don’t need in our food. As a caregiver, it’s natural to wonder how concerned you [...]
TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has been making headlines for years—and usually not in a positive light. Often used as a replacement for cane sugar in sodas, candies, and other sweet snacks, it’s frequently viewed as the “less healthy” option. For coaches working with [...]
Getting the right fuel before an early workout can be tough. Many athletes find that eating first thing in the morning feels unappetizing, upsets their stomach, or simply doesn’t fit into their morning routine. But your body still needs energy to perform—and there are simple ways to make pre-workout fueling easier. “If you’re [...]
As a parent of a young athlete, you’re likely going to be on snack duty at some point during the season. For some competitions or practices, this will be easier: a few granola bars, orange slices, and you’re good to go. But for longer days, like track and field meets or regional matches [...]
The headlines of wellness, fitness, and nutrition coverage have been shouting about the difference in fueling for males versus females in recent years, and as a caregiver for a young athlete, it can feel confusing. There are already so many other aspects of fueling to consider, but if your athlete has big goals, [...]
MICHELE LABOTZ, MD, FAAPSports Medicine Physician, InterMed Sports Medicine Clinic Muscle soreness is part of being an athlete: It's almost impossible to train in a way that improves strength or fitness without feeling sore. Most of the time, soreness isn't a bad thing. However, there's a delicate balance. If every workout [...]
In recent years, coaches across the U.S. have been forced to contend with increasingly severe heat waves, as well as episodes of poor air quality due to wildfires and pollution. It can be hard to know how hot is too hot or how smoky is too smoky before it's a potential health risk [...]
As a caregiver, you may read or hear about a lot of different nutrition "rules," especially for athletes. Recently, a lot of those rules and taboos are around processed foods. However, healthy athletes require a lot of fuel to maintain their energy for peak performance, and often, processed foods play a role in [...]
Being a plant-based athlete can be complicated, but it’s a choice that many athletes have made. If you’re considering switching to a plant-based, vegetarian, vegan, or flexitarian diet, there are a few things to consider, especially if your goal is peak athletic performance. “A plant-based diet is not inherently better or worse for health or [...]
Where do macronutrients come from? What role do they play in overall health and athletic performance? Here, TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD, the Director of Nutrition for the NWSL team, KC Current, is explaining macronutrients and breaking down the difference between fat, protein, and carbohydrates so you can help your athlete eat the right [...]
Kristen Ziesmer, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Fueling during training as a young athlete can be difficult. Often, practices are short and intense, and don’t include much time for snack breaks. However, your athlete will play their best if they are properly fueled for the work required of them, and that [...]
Kristen Ziesmer, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day, especially for busy athletes balancing sport, school, extracurriculars, and social activities. And unfortunately, breakfast is also an easy meal for athletes to skip, especially when the day starts with before-school practice or an early [...]
Kristen Ziesmer, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Busy lives for caregivers and athletes can make healthy meal prep seem impossible. But it is possible to add more whole foods to breakfast, lunch, and dinner—and skip the fast-food stops after practice—with a bit of meal prep and some simple changes to avoid [...]
KRISTEN ZIESMER, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Registered Dietitian, Founder Elite Nutrition & Performance Struggling to get dinner on the table after a long day of shuttling athletes to and from practice? Or maybe you're frustrated with the small amounts of leftovers sitting uneaten in the fridge. Good news: Freezer meals [...]
KRISTEN ZIESMER, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Registered Dietitian, Founder Elite Nutrition & Performance The topic of weight gain for athletic performance is an incredibly complex, tricky topic, especially for caregivers of young athletes. It can be difficult helping an athlete gain weight in a way that's healthy from a nutritional [...]
In youth sports, parents and caregivers are often tasked with providing team snacks for everyone at least once during the season. Deciding what to bring can be stressful—and it can be expensive, depending on what you choose! KRISTEN ZIESMER, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Registered Dietitian, Founder Elite Nutrition & Performance [...]
Laura Lewis, PhDDirector of Science, USADA It’s no secret: We know that sleep is an athlete's superpower. Athletes who get enough sleep and have good sleep hygiene are able to recover faster, while those with poor sleep quality tend to be injured more and recover slower. So, is it important [...]
It can be confusing when you’re shopping for a sports drink for your athlete and are confronted with an entire aisle of options. There are sports drink mixes and bottles, oral rehydration solutions in bottle and packet form, electrolyte tabs and mixes, and blends designed to promote recovery. Choosing the right one [...]
KRISTEN ZIESMER, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Registered Dietitian, Founder Elite Nutrition & Performance If your athlete is struggling with gut issues, from constipation to bloating to diarrhea and everything in between, it can be overwhelming and stressful. There's a vast amount of conflicting advice, and what works for one person [...]
Whether inflation is increasing the cost of your normal trip to the grocery store or you’re suddenly buying a lot more food for growing athletes, you may KRISTEN ZIESMER, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN Registered Dietitian, Founder Elite Nutrition & Performance be looking for ways to save some money while buying [...]
Dealing with the preferences and needs of different family members at mealtime can be extremely difficult for caregivers. You may have one child who’s going through a ‘picky eater’ phase, another who’s a vegetarian, and a third who comes home famished after two-a-day practices. You may have your own food preferences as [...]