WAG Small healthy meals-

[Gymettemom]

My DD does not like to eat a large meal prior to her workout. I try to give her protein heavy meals but she can't get thru her 3 hr workout without becoming tired and weak. Do you have any small healthy meal ideas that seen to last your DD's thru a long workout?

 

[LIGYMMOM]

A common pre workout meal around here is brown rice with lentils (tasty bites from Costco), with a little cheese on top. It doesn't sit too heavy in her stomach but has some good carbs and protein. Or sometimes a PB&J.

 

[Flipomaniak]

I know what that's like. My practice is about 5 hours and it can be hard to keep the energy up and hunger satisfied. What I find helps is having milk with my meal (it's filling, calcium, etc) and bananas! I eat lunch like an hour before practice and before practice I eat a banana (sometimes with peanut butter, even more filling!). Those work great for me. For lunch I don't eat anything specific, just a healthy, normal lunch like sandwiches, chicken, salad, etc.

 

[OzZee]

Is she allowed to snack during training? eg a bite when she goes for drink break? Mine have a small box with bite sized bits - high protein museli bar, grapes, crackers, cheese etc to have to keep energy levels up.

 

[Gymettemom]

Is she allowed to snack during training? eg a bite when she goes for drink break? Mine have a small box with bite sized bits - high protein museli bar, grapes, crackers, cheese etc to have to keep energy levels up.

Unfortunately, she doesn't like to eat during her drink breaks. She says it makes her belly hurt. I have tried giving her a small bit sized snack for when she gets her drinks.

 

[Clover]

Well, here is my advice. I am not a nutritionist just a mom who did some research when her DD started longer training times, so take it FWIW.

Don't give her a meal high in protein BEFORE a work out. Instead, give her a meal high in healthy carbs before a workout. High protein meals are hard to digest, and it takes blood supply away from muscles etc to digest the protein. It can also lead to stomach aches in kids when exercising after a high protein meal. Give her a high protein meal AFTER the workout when her body needs to recover and build/repair muscle.

Maybe if she doesn't have the heavier food in her stomach she'll be more likely to eat small snacks during drink breaks. Give her some pretzels or goldfish or something else light and easy to digest and encourage her to eat a few bites anytime she takes a drink break or between event rotations at practice.

It may be worth a try. Best of luck!

 

[gasrgoose]

Well, here is my advice. I am not a nutritionist just a mom who did some research when her DD started longer training times, so take it FWIW.

Don't give her a meal high in protein BEFORE a work out. Instead, give her a meal high in healthy carbs before a workout. High protein meals are hard to digest, and it takes blood supply away from muscles etc to digest the protein. It can also lead to stomach aches in kids when exercising after a high protein meal. Give her a high protein meal AFTER the workout when her body needs to recover and build/repair muscle.

Maybe if she doesn't have the heavier food in her stomach she'll be more likely to eat small snacks during drink breaks. Give her some pretzels or goldfish or something else light and easy to digest and encourage her to eat a few bites anytime she takes a drink break or between event rotations at practice.

It may be worth a try. Best of luck!

I agree with clover, try more carbs and less protein before practice. Pretzels & goldfish are a staple in my gymnasts diet, also Cheezits. We focus more heavily on protein at meals after practice or earlier in the morning. It takes a ton of food and is something we put a great deal of thought into. Make sure she is getting enough carbs, protein, etc throughout the day and night. Sometimes we also have to listen to what she wants. There are days when she will eat a ton of rice, salad, goldfish, apples etc. and not as much protein. And there are other days when it seems all she wants is protein. We try to listen to her wants (assuming her body is craving what it needs) as much as we can since she is 10. Depending on how tired and weak your DD is, you might consider a trip to the doctor. 3 hours is not an extremely long practice and most kids should be able to make it with out refueling or getting weak and tired.

How old is she and how many days a week is she practicing?

 

[3LittleGymmies]

During practice, my daughter likes to have things like a turkey and cheese sandwich (I cut it into fours so she can grab a square quickly), pretzels/crackers, greek yogurt (squeezy ones make it fast and easy), squeezy apple sauce, a banana, or a Clif bar. She eats something on the way to practice, too.. usually one of those things or something like mixed nuts, peanut butter crackers, a protein/granola bar, etc.

 

[my4buffaloes]

What if she ate an applesauce pouch or a go-gurt during the practice? Easy to suck down quickly and light on the stomach. Doesn't even require chewing or silverware.

 

[GymBeeMom]

A banana with natural peanut butter (no sugar added) gets both of my gymmies through an entire workout

 

[Gymettemom]

I agree with clover, try more carbs and less protein before practice. Pretzels & goldfish are a staple in my gymnasts diet, also Cheezits. We focus more heavily on protein at meals after practice or earlier in the morning. It takes a ton of food and is something we put a great deal of thought into. Make sure she is getting enough carbs, protein, etc throughout the day and night. Sometimes we also have to listen to what she wants. There are days when she will eat a ton of rice, salad, goldfish, apples etc. and not as much protein. And there are other days when it seems all she wants is protein. We try to listen to her wants (assuming her body is craving what it needs) as much as we can since she is 10. Depending on how tired and weak your DD is, you might consider a trip to the doctor. 3 hours is not an extremely long practice and most kids should be able to make it with out refueling or getting weak and tired.

How old is she and how many days a week is she practicing?

 

[Gymettemom]

@ gasrgoose- my DD is 10 and practices 4 days a week.

 

[iwannacoach]

Loading up on complex carbohydrates from 2 different whole grains, beans, and tomatoes is the way to go. There should be some protein mixed in, but only as an accent to the carbs.

From Clover......... "High protein meals are hard to digest, and it takes blood supply away from muscles etc to digest the protein. It can also lead to stomach aches in kids when exercising after a high protein meal."

Use her other meals and snacks to balance out the trio of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Protein is not the most important need in her diet, because all three sources need to be used to provide for a healthy growing body. Each provides it's own unique contribution, and if you asked me, which is never necessary, I'd say the fatigue at practice is from too few fat calories, or carbs that break down too fast to help her beyond the first 90 minutes of practice.

Timing calorie intake is important as well. You won't get much out of the meal prior to practice except the carbs because fats and proteins go through a more complex digestive process.

Just a general note for any who care...... No artificial sweeteners. They are bad for your body.

 

[BlairBob]

Go gurt sounds promising. One of my lil guys loved drinking milk throughout workouts but I think he was an outlier.

Honestly, liquid nutrition. It's hard to find a whey protein kids will like but sipping on a protein shake bodybuilder style come to mind if she won't eat anything.

Fruit and carbs are easy generally during practice as are nuts.