Student athletes who skip breakfast miss an important time to put much needed energy into their working bodies. Registered dieticians cite that skipping breakfast as one of two major reasons high school football players may lose weight unintentionally. Young athletes may not realize that skipping breakfast means they lose the chance to put 500 calories or more into their bodies a day. The other major reason for weight loss is lack of fluids - high school athletes may not rehydrate completely between practice schedules. Athletes should drink 2-3 cups of water for every pound lost during practice.
Breakfast can be as easy and nutritious as cereal and milk with fruit.
For a change of pace, students can load the toaster with frozen waffles or pancakes to cover with applesauce then chase it with chocolate mile. The main idea is to eat something from three of the five basic food groups - milk, fruit, grain, meat, and vegetables. Breakfast cereals offer the advantage of being fortified with many nutrients, including iron and zinc. These two minerals are important to learning and brain function. Students are frequently reminded to eat breakfast on standardized test days.