Smarter Nutrition: How to Fuel an Athlete

Build on your baseline nutrition knowledge and apply what you learn to daily habits to become a smarter fueled athlete, using the smarter fuel workbook throughout the course.

Learn the smart nutrition basics to optimize athletic performance by fueling with breakfast, hydration, and lean protein, tailored to each athlete's needs.

Explore how carbohydrates power athletes by fueling muscles, supporting hydration, and providing essential vitamins and minerals across fruits, dairy, grains, and vegetables.

Explore the two main carbohydrate types, simple and complex, and how digestion affects energy, with simple carbs delivering quick bursts and complex carbs providing slow, lasting energy through fiber-rich options.

Explore pre-, during-, and post-workout carbohydrate timing and a blend of complex and simple carbs to fuel athletes, sustain energy, and optimize performance.

Protein provides structure and energy through amino acids, including essential ones that must be eaten daily. Athletes need lean animal or plant proteins to build muscle and repair tissue.

Compare animal and plant proteins, their amino acid completeness, and key nutrients like B12, B6, vitamin D, zinc, and omega-3s to balance them for athletes.

Athletes need more protein for muscle repair, pulsing 20–30 g per meal and 10–20 g per snack, with 10–20 g post‑workout to initiate recovery.

Learn how dietary fats fuel energy, build cell structure, and transport vitamins A, D, E, and K; identify animal and plant sources and their role in long-duration, low-intensity exercise.

Discover how to distinguish healthy and unhealthy fats, emphasizing unsaturated fats and omega-3s for heart and brain health, while limiting saturated, trans fats, and fried foods.

Explore how dietary fats influence athletic performance, including energy roles, digestion timing, and portion guidance, and learn how to time fat intake around workouts for optimal fueling.

Hydrate to optimize athletic performance by maintaining fluid balance, replacing electrolytes, and preventing fatigue, cramps, and heat illness through water, foods, and electrolyte drinks.

Discover how vitamins and minerals (micronutrients) power athletic performance as the gears and bolts of nutrition. Compare nutrient dense vs energy dense foods and build varied, performance-driven meals.

Explore how vitamins and minerals—iron for oxygen transport, calcium and vitamin d for bone health, and antioxidants for recovery—support athletic performance through nutrient-dense, colorful foods.

Create a performance plate by balancing proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fruits and vegetables, and hydration to match activity level and sport goals for every training day.

Plan and execute game day fueling and recovery by staying hydrated, using complex carbohydrates and protein across pre, during, and post game to maximize performance.