The diet considerations for your child before and after sport session

When it comes to children, ensuring they have the right nutrition before and after exercise is crucial for their growth, development, and overall well-being.

Here are some tips on general diet, you can start following immediately:

1. Diet Before Exercise for Children:

Before your child engages in physical activity, it's important to provide them with the right balance of nutrients to support their energy needs.

Here are some guidelines:

• Hydration: Ensure your child is well-hydrated before exercise. Also, encourage them to drink water throughout the day.

• Carbohydrates: Offer a pre-exercise meal or snack that includes complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, fruits, or starchy vegetables. These provide a sustained source of energy.

• Protein: Include a moderate amount of protein in their pre-exercise meal. Good sources include lean meats, dairy, eggs, legumes, and nuts.

• Low in Sugar: Minimize snacks that contain sugar before exercise, as they can cause a quick spike in energy followed by a crash.

• Timing: Ideally, have a meal or snack 1-2 hours before the activity to allow for proper digestion.

2. Diet After Exercise for Children:

After physical activity, it's important to support your child's recovery and replenish nutrients.

Here's what you can consider:

• Hydration: Encourage your child to drink water to rehydrate. If the activity was intense or prolonged, a sports drink with electrolytes may be appropriate.

• Protein: Include a protein-rich snack or meal within 30 minutes to 2 hours after exercise. This could be dairy products, lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, or nut butter.

• Carbohydrates: Replenish glycogen stores with carbohydrates. Offer whole grains, fruits, and vegetables in their post-exercise meal.

• Healthy Snacks: Consider providing healthy snacks like yogurt with fruit, a peanut butter sandwich, or a smoothie with fruits and milk.

• Avoid Overly Processed Foods: Minimize processed foods high in sugar or unhealthy fats. Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods.

Note: Remember, the nutritional needs of children can vary, and it's important to consider their age, activity level, and any specific dietary requirements. If you have concerns or specific questions about your child's nutrition, consulting with a pediatrician or a registered dietitian is advisable.

Until next Wednesday!

Cheers,

Rujetah Dedgay

Coach, Founder

RD Exreamers

Did you like this newsletter? I urge you to share this value with other parents as well. You can find the link HERE

If this email is forwarded to you by someone awesome, do consider subscribing to ‘RD EXTREAMERS’, where every WEDNESDAY, you will get 1 proven method/ TIP/HACK to improve your child’s overall fitness.