All-Star Coaches Having Their Athletes Go On Diets?

[Whit_Marieee]

About a little over a year ago, I stopped drinking pop, or soda, on my own because I felt it would be healthier and it not only helped my tumbling a TON, but it made me feel lighter, happier, and overall just better! I also made the decision to eat a little healthier. I don't think a diet should be pushed upon athletes, though from experience, I can tell you eating healthier goes a long way. I'm a flier and I want to make it as easy on my bases as possible, but I also don't think a forced diet helps anyone.

 

[Kimpii]

Diet and weight will always be a touchy subject. I think an athlete, no matter the sport, should think about what they eat. To train hard and eat crap I would say is almost like not training at all. If you want to be at the top, you have to commit fully to it, including your diet. I'm not saying eat only sallad and half a peanut every day, but maybe skip drinking soda and eating candy during comp. season.

 

[mariahnicole1216]

I've always heard that muscle weighs more than fat and that's why they use body fat %.

 

[simplymom]

umm this probablly sounds odd, but whats a moon pie?

 

[monicanicole]

Forcing a kid to diet is wrong. Encouraging them to eat right is a great idea. The kids in our gyms are athletes nonetheless and they need healthy food to fuel their bodies. They need protein, a post-workout (practice) carb, etc. to be constantly fueling their bodies with what it needs. There's nothing worse than struggling through a conditioning session at the end of a two or three hour practice because you ate McDonald's that day for lunch. Along with encouraging a healthy diet, I would say try to encourage taking a multivitamin. With as much practicing as some of these kids are doing, they need the extra iron, calcium, etc. along with what they get in food.

 

[kaylalalaxo]

In the summer our coaches suggest (not force) us to not drink dark liquids (sodas at such) and to eat healthier, I haven't had a coke in about 3 months and it feels really good! I think promoting healthy eating and hard diets are two compeltely different things, and could be a confusion, but it also can be a touchy subject to some....but if it has good intentions (like eating healthier) then by all means have at it...if it's okay with the athlete and parents first.

 

[Mamarazzi]

Wait..I don't mean to sound dumb but I always heard "muscle weighs more than fat"

That only applies by volume. A pound is a pound (weight measurement) regardless - a POUND of gravel weighs the same as a POUND of feathers, it just takes more feathers than gravel to make 16 oz. A CUP of feathers weighs less than a CUP of gravel, though.
When people are dieting and working out they may not be losing weight, but if they're losing sizes, this indicates that they're building muscle and getting smaller.