Nutrition

In order to run/exercise comfortably and stay healthy, you need to eat at least 3 meals per day plus snacks.  

While we will discuss nutrition as a team, we do recommend that athletes consult with a registered dietician about personal meal plans and recommendations. We refer most athletes to the Female Athlete Program at Children's, but there are many great local dieticians as well.

  remember these tips:

• • Because you will be burning anywhere from 500-700 calories per day (in addition to the calories you burn in school), you will need to consume a large number of calories throughout the day.  That means that you might need a mid morning snack, as well as a snack immediately after school.  Granola bars, Power Bars, Clif Bars, trail mix, a peanut butter and banana sandwich, crackers, etc. would all suffice.

• • Boston Children's has these tips about how to build a plate for optimizing training.

• • Hydration is essential - you should be drinking at least 32oz of water per day (1 large bottle/Hydroflask).  Carry a water bottle around with you at all times.

• • Your body needs sleep in order to recover from the day (both your muscles and your mind).  Most scientists agree that sleep is equally as important as eating to a person’s health.  Running demands that you call on energy that is reserved in your body and mind.  If you don’t rest properly, you won’t have any reserves.