Is there cause for concern?

For female teen athletes to gain weight and build muscle for their sport, they need fuel.

A moderate level of exercise requires a range of 2,200 to 2,400 calories per day. Does she have high-intensity training most days of the week? Then she should be eating between 2,400 and 3,000 calories each day to support that training load and for recovery.

That might seem like a lot of food intake, but the teen years demand plenty of calories to just fuel their busy lives, school, and growth spurts, before the additional fuel needed for their sport!

This video unpacks a lot of information for parents to educate them on the proper nutritional needs of their female teen athletes.

Be sure to see the resources below!

Watch to learn about:

How to determine if there is actually cause for concern, and if their athlete is under eating.

An easy way to determine this with a simple tracking tool.

If they are under-eating and not getting sufficient calories, learn about several possible causes:

how nutritional deficiencies can decrease their appetite.

mental health issues that cause under-eating – the signs to watch for and what to do.

physical symptoms of gut health issues that might be at cause, and how to remedy that.

medical conditions and disorders, medications, or food sensitivities and allergies.

What can you do if you’ve ruled all that out and they’re still under-eating?

Emphasize nutritional education and help them understand why they need certain foods. See the Sustainable Sports Nutrition Academy as an online educational resource that you can take together.

Online Training: The Sustainable Sports Nutrition Academy – start for just $1!

Start involving them in shopping and cooking. Watch for my examples of this as the best way to increase their interest in eating more!

Examples of grab-and-go snacks that are convenient for them to have throughout the day to keep their energy levels consistent.

See my examples of meal-prepping without spending hours in the kitchen.

Establish a consistent routine for them to eat regularly instead of sporadically, as a way to train their body’s hunger signals.

See my example of meal and snack times during a typical busy day of school, practice or training.

Incorporate high-calorie but low-volume snacks, and boost their meals with healthy fats, protein, and carbohydrates. Watch to learn how!

See the links below for additional resources.

Supporting Resources:

Why Your Young Athlete Isn’t Gaining Weight

Freezer Meal Recipes for Active Families

Cronometer Nutrition Tracker