Regular exercise through sport and play are important for the health of children and teens. Healthy eating supports good exercise habits and is important for developing muscles and bones.
Nutrition plays an important role in daily energy levels and keeping energy levels high before, during and after exercise.
Nutrition plays an important role in daily energy levels and keeping energy levels high before, during and after exercise.
Hydrating before exercisE
During exercise, the body sweats to cool itself. This is especially important in children and teens because their bodies can heat up very quickly and need to be cooled.
Because of this, it is important to drink water regularly in the 24 hours before a planned session of physical activity. This includes drinking 400-600 mL water two to three hours before exercise.
An easy way to monitor hydration is to look at the colour of urine. Light yellow to clear urine means you are getting enough fluids, but yellow to dark yellow means you need to drink more water.
Dehydration can be caused by drinking soda or caffeine (found in coffee, tea or energy drinks, for example) or eating sweet or salty foods. If a child has these foods, they should drink extra water.
Choose high carbohydrate, low fat foods that are familiar and well tolerated.
Because of this, it is important to drink water regularly in the 24 hours before a planned session of physical activity. This includes drinking 400-600 mL water two to three hours before exercise.
An easy way to monitor hydration is to look at the colour of urine. Light yellow to clear urine means you are getting enough fluids, but yellow to dark yellow means you need to drink more water.
Dehydration can be caused by drinking soda or caffeine (found in coffee, tea or energy drinks, for example) or eating sweet or salty foods. If a child has these foods, they should drink extra water.
Choose high carbohydrate, low fat foods that are familiar and well tolerated.
- Experiment in training with the timing and type of meals and snacks to suit individual preferences and your sport.
- Practice different pre-exercise eating ideas in training, not during competition.
- Develop a good pre-exercise drinking strategy to start exercise well hydrated.
- Try a liquid or low fibre meal if pre-competition nerves or other factors cause GIT upset.
- Monitor the effects of food and drink choices on your performance
Pre-exercise meal or snack
Make sure that your child has enough fuel for exercise. They should eat meals at least three hours before physical activity and a "pre-exercise snack" at least one or two hours before activity to allow enough time to digest food and minimize stomach upsets.
- Choose foods high in carbohydrate (such as fruit and whole grains). The body absorbs this type of energy quickly.
- Choose foods that are low in fibre to allow for easy digestion and prevent an upset stomach.
- Choose foods moderate in protein and fat.
Snack ideas to boost energy and exercisE
Carbohydrates eaten alone tend to give you an energy boost, lasting about one or two hours. However, eating a snack that combines carbohydrate and protein will provide your body with energy that lasts for up to three or four hours. The following is a list of great snacks for energy:
- 15 mL (1 tablespoon) of peanut butter with whole grain crackers
- ¼ - ½ cup of cooked oatmeal
- 30 to 60 mL (2 to 4 tablespoons) of hummus with half a whole grain pita for dipping
- 1 small wrap or sandwich with tuna, egg or lean meat
- 1 to 2 eggs or egg whites with toast.
High performance snacks
- Bread, crumpets or English muffins with jam, honey or vegemite
- Fresh fruit or a snack pack of canned fruit
- Sandwich with cheese, peanut butter, honey or jam
- Vegetable pieces or crackers with low fat dip
- Breakfast cereal with milk
- Yoghurt, custard, rice pudding, creamed rice
- Fruit and grain bars
- Pita chips, pretzels or crackers
- Fruit bun or raisin toast with jam
- Corn and rice crackers, corn thins or rice cakes
- Scones, pikelets, pancakes
- Milk based smoothie with fruit
- Quick cook noodles
- Milkshakes
- Fresh Sushi rolls
- Home made popcorn (minus the salt and the butter)
- Trail mix with nuts, seeds, dried fruit
- Canned spaghetti or baked beans
Pre exercise meal ideas
- Porridge (oats or quinoa) with apple and cinnamon
- Spaghetti on toast with a fruit smoothie
- Cereal with milk, fruit and yoghurt with a small glass of juice or piece of fresh fruit
- Toast with avocado, tomato and cheese (or a little fetta), with a glass of milk
- Fruit salad with yoghurt and chopped nuts
- Scrambled egg with cheese and tomato, toast and a piece of fruit
- Peanut butter on toast, topped with sliced banana and a glass of milk
- Baked beans on toast with fruit and a glass of milk
- Fruit toast or English muffins with honey or jam and a fruit smoothie
- Pancakes with fresh fruit and yoghurt
- Crumpets with honey and a tub of yoghurt
- Creamed rice with stewed apples and cinnamon
Recovery snacks
- Low fat fruit smoothies
- Low fat fruit yoghurt and a handful of dried fruit/nuts
- Soup with a cheese sandwich
- Sushi handrolls
- Sandwich, roll or wrap with protein filling eg. chicken, tuna, cheese or egg with salad
- Glass of milk and a piece of fruit
- Liquid meal supplement
- Small tin of tuna with dry biscuits
- Chicken and pasta salad
Nutrition and fluids during exercise
Depending on the intensity of exercise and the temperature, your child should drink 125 mL to 300 mL of fluids every 15 to 20 minutes. They should not wait until they feel thirsty to start drinking.
Sports drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes are recommended during intense exercise lasting longer than an hour.
To stay hydrated and energized during longer workouts or activities taking place in hot, humid weather, your child should have either:
Sports drinks containing carbohydrates and electrolytes are recommended during intense exercise lasting longer than an hour.
To stay hydrated and energized during longer workouts or activities taking place in hot, humid weather, your child should have either:
- 125 mL to 300 mL of sports drinks every 30 minutes
- or
- 125 mL to 300 mL of water with a snack containing 30 g to 60 g of carbohydrate for every hour of exercise.
- Sports drinks provide carbohydrates and electrolytes.
- The carbohydrates supply the muscles with fuel during exercise.
- The main electrolyte is sodium, which improves the drive to
- drink and can assist with fluid replacement (see Fluids in Sport fact sheet)
- Flavoured drinks increase palatability and can assist with fluid consumption.
- Sports drinks and sports waters can be used before, during and after exercise.
- The choice of which drink to consume is an individual one, based on a number of factors
- Sample snacks during exercise
- Banana - 30g
- Apple / orange - 20g
- Fig Newtons (2) - 23g
Nutrition to help your child recover after exercise
After exercise, you are less hydrated and have lower muscle energy than you did when you started. At this point, it is important to give your child the nutrition their body needs to help it recover.
- Have your child drink at least 500 mL of water soon after exercise to rehydrate.
- They should replace every kilogram of body weight lost with 1.5 L of water. For example, if a hockey player loses 1 kg of body weight after a game, they should drink 1.5 L of water over the next few hours.
- If your child has been exercising in the heat or produced a lot of sweat, consider offering foods that contain the electrolytes sodium and potassium.
- Very intense exercise sessions can use almost all of the stored carbohydrates in the muscles. Eating carbohydrates after exercise will help restore the muscle's energy stores.
- Protein is important after exercise to help repair muscles.
Sample food choices after exercise
- Greek yogurt smoothie with banana and strawberries (a good source of potassium)
- Granola with nuts or Greek yogurt
- Turkey sandwich
- Whole grain pasta with tomato or meat sauce
Nutrition tips for success
There is no one "miracle food" or supplement that can supply all your nutritional needs. Certain foods supply mainly carbohydrates, proteins or fats. Other foods contain vitamins and minerals.
The key to balancing your child's diet and enhancing their performance at sports is to combine foods that balance carbohydrates, proteins and fats and include vegetables and fruit.
“Eating the wrong food before a marathon can make or break your performance as a marathon is 42.2km which is a long way without a motor car! Three days out from the marathon my focus shifts to high carbohydrate foods. I eat bigger servings of carbohydrates (pasta, rice, multi-grain bread and potatoes) than I would normally eat at each meal and snack on bananas, sultanas and low fat fruit buns throughout the day”
- Lisa Jane Weightman, Olympic marathon runner -
The key to balancing your child's diet and enhancing their performance at sports is to combine foods that balance carbohydrates, proteins and fats and include vegetables and fruit.
“Eating the wrong food before a marathon can make or break your performance as a marathon is 42.2km which is a long way without a motor car! Three days out from the marathon my focus shifts to high carbohydrate foods. I eat bigger servings of carbohydrates (pasta, rice, multi-grain bread and potatoes) than I would normally eat at each meal and snack on bananas, sultanas and low fat fruit buns throughout the day”
- Lisa Jane Weightman, Olympic marathon runner -
Key point
- Healthy eating and exercise habits are important for good health.
- Your child should drink fluids in the 24 hours before an exercise session to ensure hydration.
- Have your child eat a smaller meal or snack one or two hours before the physical activity. Food choices should include carbohydrates and a moderate amount of protein and fat but be low in fibre.
- During exercise, your child should drink 125 mL to 300 mL of fluids every 15 to 20 minutes. For exercise longer than an hour, they should eat 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates an hour as well.
- After exercise, your child should drink at least 500 mL of water to rehydrate. They should also aim to eat a carbohydrate food source no more than 30 minutes after their activity. Their next meal, two to three hours later, should consist of a 3:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio.
BY ZITA DOBÁK, MSC DIETITIAN, NUTRITIONIST