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What is a track snack?

What is better for a 15 year old boy in track; to eat a snack before or after practice? What type of food?

  • He eats lunch at school around 11 am then has track practice from 2:30 untill 5 pm. I have tried to pack him fruit or peanut butter and jelly sandwich or protien bars but he thinks he doesn't need it. I think he needs a little energy food before and some protien after his workout. Any simple easy portable food ideas? He won't carry a cooler.

  • Answer:

    i would advise that for lunch he eats a high carb food like pasta. as a general rule i would say that he should eat a small carb meal, like a sandwich about an hour before he starts his track. complex carbs provide a long term energy source ie a few hours whereas simple sugars provide an instant energy rush. if he is distance running then he should have more emphasis on carbs before hand, whereas if he is sprinting short distances he can always "top up" his energy with sugar, fruit or candy (don't worry about giving him a candy bar as he should easily burn it off sprinting). you should also convince him to stay well hydrated with either water or isotonic drinks, like gatorade. generally though, unless his track times are very important, most 15 year old boys will have more than enough energy to not really need a dedicated diet. they will eat when hungry, and stop when tired. i would suggest that you give him his favorite sandwich (1 should suffice) for him to eat about 1 hour before he starts, and then a choice of bananas or oat bars if he is a long distance runner and candy if he is a sprinter. kids will always eat if they enjoy and like it. also give him a bottle of water or isotonic drink.

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Before, at least one hour, very lightly as it takes energy to digest, and lots of pure honey, it is pure carbohydrate is what he needs to burn energy, even a half hour before running some pure honey...

Dolly

to the healthy typical teenager, it matters little to none whichever

wingame

I dont think it would matter if he didnt have anything before he went, as long as he's got a big drink. Though afterwards maybe if he just had a small chocolate bar, so his energy levels dont go down. Depends how hard he works at track practice. I think if he really needed something then he would tell cos my brothers 15 and he's always hungry. Actually he usually has a bacon buttie after football practice.

Nay

bananas are very good

special1

Depends on the sport. Distance running or sprints. I know that bananas are good for quick energy, seriously. You can eat energy bars but I don't like them and would rather have something natural like a whole grain/cereal bar...also I think a sports drink is good (no caffine). I put a weblink that has some extra ideas (in the blue box on the left of page). Eating pre-training is actually important and he will get better results if he does, just not too much.

vocky

light meal before and heavy meal after....

DocTim

if they have a break during track, from 230 to 5 if a long time. if he eats like an orange or a small snack like crackers and water or somthing small, eat it during a break. so that you dont become dehydrated and your body doesnt lose its vitamins. you can also burn what you eat during practice. the best thing ive ever eaten before track was low fat ghram crackers with peanut butter.

purple_rme

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