Fueling Up

Every athlete knows that one of the most essential things is fueling their bodies to perform at the highest level. 

Diets can vary depending on the sport, the athlete’s fitness goal, and their workload. 

Some follow a strict diet plan, while others might just eat whatever they can get their hands on in hopes of gaining weight. 

However, unlike pro athletes, high school athletes are limited to their parent’s grocery budget and their food choices for most meals. Some of Lakeland’s top athletes admit they lack a solid nutritional diet. 

Collin Cameron and Chase Burcham said they eat cereal for breakfast, fast food for lunch, and easy mac for dinner every single day. 

“Honestly, I just eat whatever my mom makes for me,” Cameron added.

Even though both Cameron and Burcham admitted they do not have the best diet, both say that they do not feel that it affects their performance in sports. But one can only wonder if their performance would escalate if they started to eat more balanced and healthy meals throughout the day.

Sophomore Landree Simon said she has a well-balanced diet to fuel her body. 

“I usually have a bagel and sausage for breakfast, pasta or some kind of carbs for lunch, and whatever my parents make for dinner,” said Simon. 

Although Burcham and Cameron claimed that their diet did not affect their performance, your diet can significantly affect your health and injury prevention.

Lakeland trainer Megan Cox feels that nutrition and hydration are the most important things in preventing injury. 

“Nutrition has a huge effect on your performance, your body is like a car, and you need to fuel your engine. It’s super important that all athletes are hydrating and eating well,” Cox said.

The simple fact is that if athletes want to perform at the highest level and prevent injuries, they must be eating the best they can and getting plenty of nutrients along with hydrating.