

	Meet Your Power Source

	Vitamins and Minerals

	Water

	Using Supplements - Safe or Unsafe?

	The Training Diet

	Teacher's Corner

	Parent's Page

	IANR Cooperative Extension

Meet Your Power Source

Not having enough energy can really spoil your play! No matter how big or fast your muscles are, they can't store all of the fuel needed to power them. You must refuel before, during, and after exercise.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the major fuel for exercise. They can be stored in only small amounts in your body. You will need to eat regularly to get this fuel.

More than half of your energy every day should come from pasta, bread and bread products, cereal and cereal products, dry beans and peas, fruits, and vegetables. Candy, pop, and desserts are also carbohydrates. Eat them only after you are sure you have selected enough other foods from the Food Guide Pyramid to meet your needs for protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Protein

You need protein every day. Protein will:

- Build and repair muscle.
- Make hemoglobin, which carries oxygen to the cells.
- Help form antibodies to fight off infection and disease.
- Make enzymes and hormones that help your body work.
- Supply energy, if you don't get enough carbohydrate.

Amino Acids are the building blocks for protein. You may have heard that you need a high-protein diet when you exercise and practice but that is not true! You only need a little more protein than those who don't exercise to increase muscle growth during training.

Enter your weight below and find how much protein you need to grow and keep your muscles strong.

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Fat

Fat is a concentrated source of energy that can be stored in our bodies. Fats take longer to digest and may make you feel sluggish and uncomfortable before you exercise or train.