Recovery is an important part of any training plan, and if not done correctly it means an athlete is unlikely to perform at his or her best and could be at greater risk for injury. Today, we will discuss how nutrition can help aid the recovery process.
Adequacy
The first step to making sure athletes recover well is to ensure that their overall diet is adequate, which means it meets all of their energy needs. How can you tell if a diet is adequate? For starters, most athletes will need at least three full meals and 2-3 snacks per day.
Signs that intake is inadequate could be feeling constantly tired or fatigued, having trouble focusing, feeling sluggish at practice, having thinning hair or nails, stress fractures, frequent illness and trouble regulating temperature. Some of the symptoms detailed above describe the average student-athlete who is busy with lots of activities and homework, so if you are unsure about whether you are meeting your needs, reach out to a registered dietitian for support.
