Login or Register

Healthy Eating for Powerlifting Teenagers

Apr 7, 2011 | By Eric Brown
Healthy Eating for Powerlifting Teenagers
Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

As a teenager, healthy eating helps you gain muscle without gaining excess fat. Combining a healthy diet with powerlifting promotes gains in strength while strengthening your bones and connective tissues. Both your training and your diet should compliment your natural growth process, and strength training is safer than many sports. Consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.

Protein

To recover from your training and to gain lean muscle mass, you need protein. Protein in your body is broken down as you do heavy lifting, and you can only replace it via dietary protein. Eat plenty of lean meats, chicken, fish, milk and eggs. While there is no exact amount that you should consume, you may need up to twice as much protein as a non-training teenager. Your body uses lots of energy and protein because you are growing.

Fat

Fat is essential for making and distributing hormone in your body. As a teenager you need the right hormonal levels, so you need fat in your diet. A diet too low in fat will limit your production of testosterone, the hormone critical for growth and muscle recovery after lifting. Testosterone is also responsible for much of your ability to grow muscle. Get most of your fat from sources such as olive oil, oily fish, nuts and seeds.

Carbohydrates

Even though your powerlifting training volume may be low compared to other sports, you still need carbohydrates to fuel your workouts -- and to help you keep growing. Get most of your carbohydrates from healthy sources such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid sugary sodas and junk food. While you should not have to count every gram of each nutrient that you eat, calories in foods with few nutrients serve no purpose other than to make you fatter.

Supplementation

If you open any magazine about lifting, you will see supplement ad after supplement ad. None are essential, and most have never been evaluated for use by teens. Focus on a healthy diet and and disciplined training.

A combination of simple carbohydrates and proteins immediately after a workout can help your recovery. A shake combining dextrose or maltodextrin with whey protein gets the job done, and for far less money than many of the supplements promoting miraculous effects.

References

Article reviewed by Adela McKay Last updated on: Apr 7, 2011

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments