Nourishing a Growing Athlete
When Your Athlete's Body Starts Asking for Something New
She started sleeping for hours after tennis practice, and most of the next day.
Not the normal kind of tired. The kind where she'd walk in the door, barely make it through dinner, and be asleep before we'd even finished cleaning up the kitchen. At first we chalked it up to a hard practice, a long week, a growth spurt. But it kept happening.
That's when we realized: the food that worked for our daughter a year ago isn't necessarily the food she needs today.
A Body That's Changing Faster Than We Could Keep Up With
Our daughter has celiac disease and a dairy intolerance. She's also a competitive tennis player, some days on the court for six hours at a stretch. Add in that she's a teenager growing quickly, and her body's needs have been shifting under her faster than any of us anticipated.
She saw a dietitian right after her diagnosis years ago, but hadn't been back since. This time felt different, because she's not the same kid, and her body was asking for something new. So we brought in some extra support.
That appointment gave us so much peace of mind. There was no talk of calories, no talk of bodies just real, practical guidance on how to nourish a hard-working teenage athlete. With three daughters in our house, that distinction matters deeply to us. This was never about more or less, bigger or smaller. It was about giving her body what it needs to do what she's asking of it, day after day, match after match.
Learning a New Skill, Together
One of the best things to come out of that appointment was a shift in how our daughter thinks about her own fueling. She's now learning to plan ahead, writing out snacks and quick breakfasts for the week, grab-and-go and nutrient-dense, so she's fueled before she even steps on the court.
It's a new skill for her. And honestly, it's a new season for us as her parents too. Bodies change. Needs change. Growth and intensity mean the plan has to grow along with them.
Because she's living gluten-free and dairy-free on top of a demanding training schedule, "grab-and-go" isn't always simple. It takes some intention. So here's what we've been building together, the breakfasts and snacks that are keeping her fueled, safe, and ready for whatever the court asks of her this season.
Breakfasts That Fuel Her Before She Even Laces Up
Overnight oats with chia seeds, flax meal, and hemp seeds- These three add-ins pack in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, and they turn a simple bowl of oats into something that actually holds her over. We rotate different berries in each morning so she never gets bored of the same bowl twice.
Nut granola mixed with full-fat yogurt- The fat and protein combination here is a great one for a growing athlete, it's satisfying in a way that low-fat options just aren't.
Veggie omelettes with dairy-free cheese- A fast, protein-forward option on mornings when she needs something warm before an early practice.
Hard-boiled eggs- Simple, portable, and always in the fridge for the mornings that move too fast for anything else.
Protein waffles- We make these using our pancake mix as the base, then boost them with a scoop of protein powder, chia seeds, and flax meal. It's become one of her favorites, it doesn't feel like "health food," it just tastes like waffles.
Avocado toast- Made on our bread mix, this one's become a go-to for good fats and staying power before a long day on the court.
Snacks She Can Grab Without Thinking Twice
The snack list has become just as important as the breakfast list, maybe more, since these are the ones she's packing into her tennis bag on her way out the door.
- Popcorn
- Pretzels and nuts
- Carrots and hummus
- Apple slices with wow butter or peanut butter
- Ants on a log (celery, peanut or sun butter, and raisins)
- Chips, beans, and salsa
- Aloha plant-based protein bars
- Beef jerky
- Trail mix
- Fresh fruit
Nothing on this list is complicated. That's the point. When she's tired, sore, and trying to get out the door for her afternoon practice, the food that actually gets eaten is the food that's already ready.
Her Body Isn't Slowing Down, It's Leveling Up
We're still learning as we go. That's the truth of parenting a growing athlete with dietary restrictions, there isn't a finish line where you've got it all figured out. The plan keeps evolving because she keeps evolving.
But watching her take ownership of her own fueling, writing out her snacks for the week and understanding why her body needs what it needs, has been one of the unexpected gifts in all of this. Her body isn't slowing down. It's leveling up. Our job is just to keep pace with it.
If you're navigating something similar, a growing athlete, a body that's changing, a dietary restriction that makes "just grab a snack" more complicated than it sounds, we'd love to hear what's working for your family too.