3 Summer Fueling Tips for the Student-Athlete

Summer is here which means school is out! During the summer, many student athletes become relaxed with their schedule and habits. They sleep in and go to bed later, may skip meals like breakfast because they slept in, make more undesirable food choices that don’t align with their athletic goals, and more. However, summer is not the time to become relaxed in your habits and nutrition. If anything, it is the time to dial in on your nutrition and perfect your habits for once school starts back up in the fall! Here are 3 tips to help student athletes create positive habits and become the best version of themselves during the summer:

You may have heard the saying before, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and this is true! Eating a balanced breakfast high in protein will set you up for success by providing you with energy to start your day, protein to keep you full until your next meal or snack, and nutrients to fuel your training and promote recovery. Eat a balanced breakfast with carbs, 20-30 grams of protein, and produce within 30-60 minutes of waking up and don’t forget to hydrate with water or milk as well!

“But I don’t have time in the mornings!” We hear this all the time from our busy student athletes. Prep breakfast the night before or for the whole week and place in the freezer. Some easy make ahead breakfast options are freezer breakfast burritos, Greek yogurt parfaits, egg muffins, etc. Check out this blog for more quick and easy breakfast ideas for busy student athletes!

Now that student athletes are out of school, they are getting all of their meals either from home or out at restaurants. With summer also comes traveling, whether for travel ball or vacations, which means more meals may be consumed outside of the home. Don’t get relaxed when it comes to building a plate or ordering a meal that supports your goals! Your meals should still include 25-40 grams of lean protein, produce, and carbohydrates with portions based on your specific goals. Check out Wendi’s recent post about what a student-athlete’s plate should look like whether your goal is to lose body fat or gain muscle mass.

Not sure how to build a performance plate while traveling? Read our blogs on healthy eating out for student athletes and fast food tips for athletes for ideas!

With summer comes the heat, making hydration more important than ever. Staying hydrated helps maintain your energy levels, supports muscle function, and aids in recovery. Student athletes should aim to drink at least 90-120 oz per day plus electrolytes if they’re training hard or spending a lot of time outdoors in the sun. Check out our hydration blog for tips on how to stay hydrated!

Hydration isn’t the only habit that can impact your performance. Sleep is equally important. During the summer, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of late nights and inconsistent sleep schedules. However, maintaining a regular sleep routine is vital for recovery and overall health. Aim for 9-11 hours of sleep per night to allow your body to fully recover from training and prepare for the next day. Check out this post on how inadequate sleep can affect your student athlete’s health and performance.

Don’t let the summer heat and relaxed schedule derail your progress. Stay committed to your nutrition and training, and you’ll be ready to hit the ground running when the new school year begins. Stay strong, stay healthy, and enjoy your summer! Use this athlete scorecard to see how you currently score and how to make improvements!