you play better. It will just make
you weaker. Not eating enough or
losing weight rapidly can lead to
eating disorders and irregular men-
strual cycles as well as weak bones
and muscles.
So if you feel pressured to lose
weight—by a coach, a teammate,
or a nagging voice inside your own
head—talk to a parent. You can
visit a doctor or nutritionist to
check on your weight and diet.
How your body feels is more
important than the numbers on
a scale. When it comes to sports,
strong is where you belong!
your game-day plan
Psst! Here’s a secret strategy tip. On game day, eating right can help you
have more energy and perform your best. Experts who study nutrition
recommend these tips and food options for game day.
Don’t skip breakfast.
Wake up your body and start
the day right with a full tank.
healthy cereal and whole-
wheat toast with eggs, yogurt,
or milk
smoothie made with fruit,
yogurt, and milk
oatmeal with milk and berries
egg sandwich on whole-grain
bread (bonus: spinach leaves!)
Eat lunch, too.
If your game starts right after
school, lunch is extra important!
turkey in a whole-wheat
pita with lettuce and
tomato, plus an apple
and yogurt
vegetarian? peanut
butter on whole-wheat
bread with carrot sticks
Have a healthy snack.
Snacks are your secret weapon on game day!
veggies and hummus
string cheese and an orange
trail mix
peanut butter crackers
granola bars or fig bars
low-fat yogurt with fruit
Don’t get greasy!
Cheeseburgers and pizza taste
great, but they can slow your
digestion and make you feel tired.
Save them for the after-party!
Time it right.
It takes 2 to 3 hours for your body to
digest a meal, so it’s best not to feast
right before you play. Eat a solid break-
fast and lunch, and have a small snack
up to 30 minutes before playing.
Replenish at dinner.
Dinner is the chance for your
body to recover after the big
event. Include carbs in the
evening to help you prepare
for tomorrow’s action.
whole-wheat spaghetti
with meat sauce, veggie
salad, milk
baked potato stuffed
with bean chili, broccoli,
carrot sticks, milk
hydrate
When you exercise, you
sweat—sometimes a
little, sometimes a
lot. It’s important to
replace the fluids
in your body by
drinking water
all day long,
whether you’re
exercising
or not.
What does
water do?
Water keeps your body
temperature constant so
you don’t overheat. It carries
good things like oxygen
and nutrients to your
cells and carries out
waste products. It helps
lubricate your joints—
picture the Tin Man
in Oz before
Dorothy uses
the oil can. And
that’s just the
beginning of
the list!
How
much
water do
I need?
It depends on your age
and weight. On average, a girl
between the ages of 9 and 13
needs to drink about seven 8-ounce
cups of water a day. When you’re
exercising, drink small amounts of water
before, during, and after. Don’t wait until
you’re thirsty to drink.
Can you handle some
toilet talk? One place
to tell if you’re hydrated
enough is the bathroom.
If your urine is pale yel-
low or clear, you’re good.
If your urine is dark
yellow and there’s not
much of it, you need
to drink up. Here are
some guidelines:
About two hours
before you
exercise:
Drink two to
three cups of
water.
About five to ten
minutes before
you exercise:
Drink one cup
of water.
While you
exercise: