Don't Skip Breakfast

The vast majority of high school athletes we work with skip breakfast at least several times per week. This is incredibly damaging to performance and can blunt the positive effects of quality training.

Skipping breakfast results in the following:

• Decreased energy, productivity and decision-making ability

• Poorer diet quality and decreased muscle mass

• Decreased mental health and a lowered immune system

So many athletes work hard. They practice upwards of three hours per day, play in multiple games each weekend, train in the weight room and also balance a hectic school schedule.

If nutrition isn’t part of the equation, many athletes simply fall behind their peers because they quite literally run out of gas.

Don’t let all that work go to waste because food wasn’t a priority. Skipping breakfast puts every athlete at a major disadvantage.

Here are a few strategies to try and start making breakfast part of your day:

• Find foods you like (Some of Jack’s favorites are smoothies, overnight oats, eggs, yogurt, waffles, steak and hash browns)

• Make it the night before

• Meal prep all your breakfasts over the weekend

• Ask your parents to help you plan out and prepare breakfasts

• Wake up earlier to prepare/eat it

• If you aren’t hungry when you wake up, pack a breakfast for the ride to school

• Be disciplined

While food quality is important, start by ensuring you get breakfast everyday preferably with 30-50 grams of protein.