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The 30-second answer
Athletes need carbohydrate and protein, but the jobs are different. Carbohydrate is the body’s most useful fuel for hard practices, games, and races. Protein supports growth, repair, and adaptation. Protein does not replace the fuel needed to perform, and one large shake does not fix a day with too little total food.
What to do next
- 1
Before activity, lead with familiar carbohydrate and add some protein when there is time to digest it.
- 2
Between short sessions, prioritize easy carbohydrate and fluid.
- 3
After activity, combine carbohydrate and protein, then return to the next normal meal.
What that looks like
- Before: banana and pretzels, toast with jam, cereal and milk, or half a sandwich and fruit.
- After: chocolate milk and a banana, yogurt and cereal, a sandwich and fruit, or leftovers.
- Across the day: regular meals and planned snacks instead of chasing one perfect recovery window.
What a coach can say
“Carbs help power the work you are about to do. Protein helps your body repair and grow. We are not choosing one over the other—we are putting each where it helps. The bigger goal is eating enough across the whole day.”
What to avoid
- Do not call carbohydrate empty or make athletes earn it.
- Do not set team protein targets or prescribe shakes to minors.
- Do not equate a lean-looking plate with adequate fuel.
When general guidance stops
A runner who is persistently fatigued, losing weight, growing poorly, frequently injured, restricting food groups, or unable to meet daily needs requires individual assessment rather than team-level macronutrient advice.
Use the matching resource
These open the complete public handout or released tool. There is no email gate.
Sources
For the whole school season
Want this built into the week? See Program Access.
Open the week, review the parent message, send it through your school channel, give the two-minute team talk, and share the matching resource. Families join privately with your program code; Aspire never messages families for you.
Individualized assessment, diagnosis, and 1:1 treatment are separate from Program Access.
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