fit tackles football! The National Youth Sports Health and Safety Institute (NYSHSI) and Sanford fit have joined together to promote the importance of making healthy choices as well as proper body mechanics for young athletes. Follow along with our new fitSports video series for coaches and parents which will provide wellness tips and interactive drills for skill development and motivation!
Be a role model. Empower your young athletes to make fit choices for their body and brain. While there are many things to think about when coaching youth sports teams, educating your athletes about fueling up with nutritious foods is key!
Use the fit Food Stoplight Tool to help guide a discussion with your team about choosing the best fuel each day. Talk to them about how their healthy food choices can strengthen both the body and the brain. You can even suggest some green-light foods to choose before and after practice.
Remember, when you have enough energy, motivation, and nutritious fuel to power your body, you are able to move well. You can strengthen your muscles, heart, and bones and reduce injury by eating more green-light foods!
Eat More: Green-light foods
Green-light foods are always good choices! They provide the most nutrition for energy, strength, growth, and learning. These foods are great fuel for your body and brain, so eat them often!
Examples: Fresh fruits, beans, whole grains, low-fat milk, lean beef or chicken, and water.
Eat Some: Yellow-light foods
Yellow-light foods do not keep you fueled-up the way green-light foods do. They have more fat, added sugar, and/or calories than green-light foods. Eat these foods sometimes, but not for every meal.
Examples: white pasta, juice drinks, peanut butter, cheese sauce, white rice, and ice cream.
Eat Less: Red-light foods
Red-light foods have the lowest nutritional value. Stop and think about your choice and eat these foods least often.
Examples: pastries, chips, fried chicken, soda, cookies, fries, and candy.
In this edition of the Sanford fitSports video, we’ll see how healthy food as fuel, proper mechanics and body movements are vital in throwing the football properly. Think fit. Be fit!
For additional information concerning POWER Academies please visit, Sanford SPORTS.
