High School Athletes Don’t Eat Enough — 3 Simple Ways to Fix It

High School Athletes Don’t Eat Enough — 3 Simple Ways to Fix It (Sports Performance Nutrition)

This won’t apply to every single athlete.

But I’ll say this:

There is not a single high school athlete I currently train or program for who wouldn’t benefit from more quality calories.

A Real Example (Fueling for Performance)

Last week I had an athlete come in for a 9am session.

I asked him what he had eaten so far that day.

“Nothing yet.”

We start training, and almost immediately it shows:

• Lower outputs

• Slower movement

• Less intent behind everything

For context, we usually train in the afternoon—when he’s had lunch.

And during those sessions, he performs significantly better.

All other variables are the same.

But the one difference when I ask him?

Fuel.

What This Actually Means (Sports Performance & Energy Availability)

This isn’t complicated, but it gets overlooked all the time in sports performance training.

When athletes don’t eat, they’re not just “a little hungry.”

They’re walking into training with low energy availability.

From a physiological standpoint:

• Muscle glycogen (primary fuel for high-intensity training) is lower

• Blood glucose is reduced

• Central nervous system output is compromised

This leads to:

• Decreased force production

• Lower quality training sessions

• Reduced adaptation (strength, power, speed)

So when an athlete says, “I just felt off today,”

We need to ask about meals, calories, and fueling habits.

A lot of the time?

They just didn’t eat enough. Or at all.

The Problem with High School Athletes

High school athletes are in a unique position.

They’re:

• Growing

• Training

• Practicing

• Playing games (sometimes multiple sports)

On top of:

• School

• Social life

• Daily stress

Their energy demands are high.

But their habits?

Usually not.

A lot of them:

• Skip breakfast

• Eat inconsistently

• Undereat without realizing it

• Choose convenience over quality (or just forget to eat altogether)

Then they show up expecting high-level sports performance.

It doesn’t work like that.

3 Things I Tell Every Athlete (Simple Sports Nutrition)

I don’t overcomplicate this.

Most athletes don’t need a perfect nutrition plan.

They need consistency.

Eat Breakfast (Start the Day Fueled)

It’s honestly crazy how many athletes skip this.

You’re coming off an overnight fast—8+ hours without food.

You’re already in a low-energy state.

And if you keep not eating?

You’re digging the hole deeper.

It doesn’t have to be perfect:

• Eggs + toast

• Oatmeal + fruit

• Yogurt + granola

Just start the day with fuel.

Something Before Training Is Better Than Nothing (Pre-Workout Nutrition)

This is a big one for athlete performance.

Anything is better than nothing.

Some quick, easy options:

• Rice cakes

• Fruit juice

• Toast + honey

• Any fast-digesting carbs

We’re not chasing perfect.

We’re trying to improve readiness to perform.

Stop Optimizing Before You’re Consistent

A lot of athletes jump straight to:

• Macro tracking

• Meal timing strategies

• Supplements

But the foundation isn’t even there.

Most of the time the issue isn’t:
“What’s the optimal diet?”

It’s:
“You’re not eating enough. Period.”

Focus on:

• Total calories

• All major food groups

• Daily consistency

Then you can dial things in later.

Why This Matters (Strength, Speed, Recovery)

Training is the stimulus.

Nutrition is what allows you to adapt.

If an athlete is under-fueled:

• Recovery suffers

• Strength gains slow down

• Speed and power output drop

• Injury risk can increase

The Bottom Line

I’m not a registered nutritionist.

But I’ve worked with hundreds of athletes, and I’ve seen firsthand how simply eating more, of the right things, can completely change performance.

It doesn’t need to be complicated.

But it does need to be consistent.