Nutrition

During pre-season, staying hydrated is one of an athlete's top priorities. Accurate hydration regulates body temperature, fluid, and electrolyte balance, and is essential for comfort, optimal performance, and safety. Hot humid weather, padding and uniforms, along with two-a-days can increase sweat and electrolyte losses tenfold.

Pre-season is a time when training is tough and calorie demands are high. It's also an important time to tackle any nutritional habits that can interfere with peak performance during the season, says a leading sports nutritionist.

According to a report released by the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the percentage of obese or overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states. Additionally, obesity costs U.S. citizens an estimated $100 billion a year. A healthy back-to-school diet for teens is essential not only for overall health, but also to keep stress under control, increase energy and maintain mental processing and health.

Dr. Lindsay Baker, a senior scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, answers frequently asked questions about sports drinks and  why it is important for young athletes to stay hydrated and consume carbohydrates to perform at their best.

College cheerleaders are at high risk for body image issues and eating disorders - and may be affected by how revealing their uniforms are, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine's 57th Annual Meeting in Baltimore.

Among the research findings presented by exercise scientists, sports dietitians, physicians, and health professionals at the 2010 annual meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine in Baltimore was that a standard sports drink was preferred by athletes to coconut water to replace fluid lost through sweating because it tastes better.

Like carbohydrates, protein-rich foods are also an important part of a youth sports diet. While it is true that young athletes have an increased need for protein due to the demands of their sports and the fact they are growing, most tend to consume more than they require.

A recipe for low fat brownie pudding forms its own sauce during baking.  It's a tasty treat for when you are hankering for a chocolate-fix and a yummy way to add a little dark chocolate to a sports diet.

For some, chocolate falls into the category of junk food, a guilty pleasure, and ruiner of good intentions to lose weight.  But ads for (dark) chocolate suggest chocolate is good for us. After all, chocolate comes from plants and contains the same health-protective compounds found in fruits and vegetables. The question is whether chocolate is little more than an alluring form of refined sugar, saturated fat and empty calories or does chocolate (in moderation, of course) have positive qualities that might be beneficial for athletes as a part of a sports diet?