Hi everybody this is Monica Reinagle the nutrition diva here with your quick and dirty

tips for eating well and feeling fabulous today I'm going to be talking about

what to feed kids who play sports, but a lot of what I have to say applies to grown-ups as well.

I got an email this week from Michelle in Bangor, Maine.

Michelle has two kids 12 12 and 13, who play sports, and she says she's appalled at what

their teammates eat before and after games.

What are good pre- and post-game food choices she wants to to know and what are the daily caloric needs for

preteen and teen athletes.

Sports offer so many things to both kids and adults.

Playing sports can build skill, confidence, coordination, camaraderie, character, and sportsmanship.

It's also a fun way to keep our kids and ourselves physically active.

You hate to see all those great benefits undone by poor food choices.

After all, we're not just training young bodies, we're also training eating habits and patterns that will last a lifetime.

So here are some tips on what kids or anyone for that matter should

eat before, during, and after athletic events. Tip number one, what to eat

before a workout. It's not a good idea to hit the field on a full stomach.

Having a lot of food in your stomach when you're exercising can be uncomfortable

and it can really slow you down.

What's more, it's not going to provide energy for the event

because most of it won't be digested until the game is over.

Ideally, you want the kids to eat a normal sized healthy meal, you know, the kind with

protein and vegetables and stuff, a couple of hours before they exercise.

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