Jess is doing well really with her netball. She loves her sport and trains hard. This season there is a good chance she will be selected for a national age-group camp as a year-young player. Selectors are keeping in touch. This is exciting for Jess!
NOTE: Jess is a foodie (loves her food and generally isn’t fussy which made this easy for us) but is also a typical teenager and opts for the quick and easy option almost every time.
Here’s how we helped with some simple but effective performance nutrition suggestions for Jess:
BEFORE: The old Jess would grab an UP&GO on the way out the door to school each morning (if she remembered!)
NOW: Jess admitted she would have time to make something. She really does like breakfast especially if it is cooked. She’s just your typical teenager. We planned: What carbs? What protein? What fruit or veggie?
EXAMPLE: Spinach or avocado + poached egg (90 secs in the microwave) on toast + a glass of milk. Done!
EXAMPLE: Steel-cut oats made with milk with sliced banana, cinnamon and walnuts on top. Nothing complicated but ticks Jess’s boxes nicely.
BEFORE: Jess relied on Mum to make her main sandwich or wrap for school and she just grabbed some packet/processed stuff to fill up the rest of her lunchbox. She generally ate the packet stuff first. If Jess got lazy or busy at school sometimes the wrap arrives back home untouched (and inedible. Yikes!). We planned: What carbs? What protein? What fruit or veggie?
NOW: Mum is still happy to make the sandwich or wrap for Jess, but Jess got pretty excited when we talked about different protein and veggie combinations to put into it. We also looked at portable snacks for Jess to take that didn’t come out of a packet.
EXAMPLE: Chicken and salad wrap or sandwich with hummus spread + 2 boiled eggs + a homemade nut and dried fruit mix that can be packed into small containers ready-to-go + frozen pouch of high protein yoghurt + 2 fruits.
EXAMPLE: Cold beef sandwich on rye bread with cheese, mustard and lettuce + homemade date and oat slice + corn thins with peanut putter + 2 fruits.
BEFORE: The old Jess would come home HANGRY and ready to devour whatever was in the pantry and fridge with little thought because she wasn’t eating enough at breakfast time and her food choices at school were generally poor quality. She would often find a quick fix like honey on toast and another UP&GO before she ran out the door to training.
NOW: Jess now understands that if she is eating better during the day, she’s going to be better fuelled for training so by the time she gets home she can have a top-up snack (even if it is toast and honey and a glass of milk. Where’s the colour Jess?) but her training is going to be way more effective and that can only lead to being better and better (and feeling better).
BEFORE: The old Jess would sometimes get in the kitchen and help with food preparation and sometimes she was tasked with cooking a simple family dinner, more often in the school holidays.
NOW: The new Jess is now armed with a few new recipes and tips for making food easier. She was keen to go for a grocery shop with Mum to look at new foods to extend her food choices. I showed her our Snacks e-book and they are both thinking about recipes they can make that will freeze as grab-and-go snacks. (We love our date and oat slice, or our peanut butter slice, frittata, and meat-ball muffins).
Jess has just started her nutrition journey. ETP will get back in touch with Jess and Mum in a month to check on progress. Both are keen to get back in touch to arrange some more education to keep building on Jess’s knowledge for her become the best she can be!
And thats how we help you athletes to EAT THRIVE AND PERFORM. Feel free to ask us any questions or contact us if you are needing help with your young athlete’s nutrition. Let us help make your life easier .
PS. Jess knows we are using her information. We did ask her first. Thanks Jess and GO WELL!
