1. Chocolate Milk Gives Cramps

Everyone love choclate milk except tennis coaches.There’s a lot of advice out there when it comes to sports and nutrition. Every person is unique and processes foods in different ways. What is good for me may not be so great for you, and vice versa. I might benefit from deleting eggs from my diet while you might need three eggs a day to perform at your peak. There are so many factors at play when it comes to nutrition, including genes, sleep patterns, stress levels, exposure to toxins etc., so researching what works best for you is a challenge - but the findings are key to improving your game. Outline in this blog is why you shouldn't have chocolate milk in diet for a junior tennis athlete. 

One thing is for sure: you need to consume sugars and carbohydrates during your tougher training sessions and matches in order to sustain your energy and to fend off hormonal and metabolic “downregulation”. Just because a food is energy-dense does not mean that it's nutrient-dense. I suggest that you stay away from all the sugary energy gels and sports nutrition bars. Instead, make some of easy-to-digest, nutrient dense energy snacks that are packed with nuts, fruits, seeds.

And here’s the low down on why you shouldn't have chocolate milk in diet for a junior tennis athlete. As a post-workout recovery drink: while it does have a good ratio of protein to carbohydrates, its drawback is that it also contains extra sugar - and it's a poor choice for the lactose intolerant… An alternative is a high quality protein powder mixed with some coconut milk and leafy greens.

Here are some basic tips:

• eat as much protein as your body needs for repair and recovery (about 0.55 grams per pound of body weight) unless you are trying to build mass.

• consume the rest of your calories from healthy fats and vegetables,

• experiment with your diet and figure out what really works for you, and

• learn about educate foods out there you are consuming that are impacting your performance.

Eat right and know what works for you so you can take your game to the next level!