Well, as the PERFECT PARENT, I can tell you that I have meals planned every day with my cheerleader in mind. Her tummy is filled with good things and never any sugar or any kind.
And if you believe that, I've got real estate to sell ya too.
Over the years I've found that they best way to keep my kid going is to keep her happy. Of course a Snickers Bar does it for me, but she needs more. After studying the internet and finding what other athletes do (cross country runners, bicyclists, iron-men competitors) I have found that there's NO WAY I can get my kid to eat like that!!!
So what I've come up with so far, is this. Pasta and rice turn into natural sugar in the body, giving her the stamina to keep going. Gatorade (watered down by 1/2) gives her the electrolites that she loses when she sweats. (If your kid isn't sweating by the end of practice, yikes) Plain water, I learned, doesn't get absorbed quite as quickly as Gatorade and can give tummy aches. And vice-versa, straight Gatorade has too much sugar.
So, I would like to know if I am the only crazy parent who has looked up this kind of thing? I am lucky enough to have a kid who CARES what she eats and doesn't drink a lick of soda nor does she like fast food. But I still have to keep her healthy as well as happy cause the 12 hours she puts in per week for cheer does a number on her body.
Powerade makes a lower calorie/less sugar drink now called Powerade Option. It comes in Lemon, Strawberry, and Cherry. It's great for long workouts. Power bars (or any protein bar) help curb hunger in a rush.
Kudos to you for thinking about nutritional choices~
We have tried the healthy way it doesn't work. At least not for my son. Everytime we try the way everyone says he should eat he has no energy feels lowgy and tired. Sugar gives him the most energy and I'm not talking about fresh fruit. When he was younger he was a competitive gymnast. Gymnast dirty little secrets are candy bars. Fruit rolls, fruit snacks work nothing really heavy. Sometimes a jamba juice. When he eats a sandwich subway or a hamburger it has to be at least 1 hour it just takes that long to work. Redline drink works great. I know it's good to eat well and he does for the most part. But everyone has a different makeup and you have to find out what works best for you. Good Luck!
My problem is when they go to competitions. My daughter is a super healthy eater, if it is an option. The only food option for these 'athletes" is junk! A lot of the venues don't want you to bring in outside food for them to eat, but they don't want to serve them anything worth eating! I'm sorry, but if they expect us to spend the entire day at their event, they should give our girls some healthy options to eat. Soda, pretzels and M&M's aren't real food!
Today's competition was a prime example of food that's bad for you. I did like the frozen lemonade though. It was yummy....
I brought our own food from home. Last night we went to the grocery store and picked up stuff she would eat. She at that all day. Most competitions won't let you bring any food in, and I will admit, I try and sneak some in her cheer bag. But I will tell you this, if I don't, I will have to listen to her complain the ENTIRE day that she's hungry and she won't eat the junk they are selling. So if we get caught, I'll throw it away.... but till then.
