Is Your Athlete Eating Enough? A Summer Nutrition Guide for Performance & Recovery

Summer training at Yakima Sports Performance is officially underway—and every year around this time, we see it:

• Athletes dragging halfway through a workout
• Sore for days longer than they should be
• Struggling to gain strength or muscle despite consistent effort

And it’s almost always the same culprit:
They’re not eating enough.

The Training Is Only Half the Battle

You can have the perfect training plan.
You can show up, work hard, and follow the program.
But if you’re not fueling your body properly, your results will always fall short.

Think about it like this:
Training breaks your body down. Nutrition builds it back stronger.
If you’re skipping meals, living off snacks, or eating like you’re not in a training phase—you’re leaving progress on the table.

Why Most Young Athletes Are Under-Fueled (Without Realizing It)

Here’s the truth: athletes—especially teenagers—need a lot more fuel than they think.

They’re:
✅ Still growing
✅ Training hard
✅ Often playing in leagues or doing open gyms on top of their sessions

And yet, many are eating like sedentary adults.
Not on purpose—but because they simply don’t know how much they need.

Common signs an athlete isn’t eating enough:

• Always tired or groggy
• Sore for longer than usual
• Plateauing in strength or speed
• Getting lightheaded during workouts
• Constantly craving sugar or caffeine

Sound familiar? You’re not alone—and this is fixable.

So What Should They Be Eating?

Let’s keep this simple. Here’s what matters most:

🍳 1. Prioritize Protein

Protein helps rebuild muscles after tough workouts. Most athletes should be aiming for at least 0.7–1g per pound of body weight per day.

Examples:

• Eggs, Greek yogurt, lean meat, protein shakes
• Try to include protein in every meal and snack

🥔 2. Don’t Fear Carbs

Carbs = fuel. They give athletes energy to perform and recover.

Good options:

• Rice, potatoes, oats, fruit, pasta, whole grain bread
• Pre-workout = fast carbs (fruit, bagel, toast)
• Post-workout = carb + protein combo

💧 3. Hydrate Like It’s Your Job

Especially in the summer, hydration affects everything from focus to performance to recovery.

Baseline goal:

• Half their bodyweight in ounces of water daily
• Add electrolytes if training in the heat or sweating a lot

Easy Nutrition Wins This Week

Here are 3 simple things your athlete can do to improve performance right now:

1. Eat a real breakfast — not just a granola bar or toast
2. Bring a post-workout snack — protein shake + banana is perfect
3. Add one more full meal — most under-fueled athletes need 4 meals, not 3

Training Hard? Fuel Harder.

If your athlete is training with us this summer (or even just staying active), nutrition isn’t optional—it’s part of the plan.

Fueling right =
✅ Faster recovery
✅ More strength and speed gains
✅ Better energy and mood
✅ Fewer injuries

And if you’re not sure where to start, just ask. We’re always here to help.

Let’s Make This Summer Count

Whether your athlete is already training with us or you’re still considering jumping in—it’s not too late. But the ones who get the best results?

They train hard and fuel right.

📩 DM us today if you want help creating a nutrition plan—or if you’re ready to jump into training.

Let’s make this the most productive offseason yet.