As a college coach one of the things I have a hard time with is my athlete’s eating habits. I cannot tell you how many times I have asked my athletes when the last time they ate was and they say the day before, and we are in the middle of practice the next day! I encourage my athletes to try to eat a decent breakfast and HYDRATE and try to have a snack before lunch. For a large part of the year the heat combed with a high workload can be tough to manage so if the athletes are not properly fueled practice will be a nightmare.

When I was an athlete both in college and professionally I did well with oatmeal in the morning. I could keep it down and not feel bubbly before practice like I might with milk or yogurt. I always recommend that you have your athlete, or you on their behalf, consult a nutritionist if possible. You can read up on as much information as possible yourself so you do not go in blind and give bad advice but be warned there is also a ton of BAD information on the internet that could be detrimental. I consulted a professional, which I would highly recommend. Someone with real knowledge of what they are doing and how the body fuels itself can help you take your athleticism to a whole different level.

When I was training I was different in that I had to manage a lean body mass as a long sprinter while not gaining weight, and running at a high intensity. I was nervous about different advise I was getting because I was feeling drained and had a big issue with cramping. Dealing with all of that and being in the extreme heat of Florida a high fat and high protein diet was what I needed to go with and meals were scheduled accordingly. THIS IS NOT THE SAME FOR EVERYONE. Your bodies are all different. Make sure you are not getting a cookie cutter program that was given to a group! It should be individualized!

Work with someone who cares and is not out to just give advice and get a check, which you can run in to. There are many people who claim to know what they are talking about, at local gyms, schools, even, coaches etc. Be cautious! Do your research even though it may be time consuming. If you can build a relationship with someone you can trust, especially if you are a professional athlete, your coach, your body, and your career will thank you!