Daily and post-exercise energy and macronutrient recommendations for youth runners**
| Timing / Topic | General | Female youth runner† | Male youth runner‡ |
| Daily | |||
| Energy | 45 kcal/kg FFM/day | ~2550 kcal | ~3090 kcal |
| Macronutrients | |||
| Carbohydrate | 6 to 10 g/kg/day | 336–560 g | 366–610 g |
| Sample sources | Fruit, starchy vegetables, whole grain bread, pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, beans, legumes | ||
| Protein | 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg/day | 67–112 g | 73–122 g |
| Sample sources | Chicken, tuna, lean beef, egg, milk, yoghurt | ||
| Fat | 1 to 2.0 g/kg/day | 56–112 g | 61–122 g |
| Sample sources | Nuts, seeds, nut & seed butters (eg, almond, sunflower, peanut, cashew), oil-based dressing, olives, avocado | ||
| Post-Exercise | |||
| Carbohydrate | 1.0 to 1.2 g/kg/hour | 56–67 g | 61–73 g |
| Protein | ~0.3 g/kg 0–2 hours post | 17 g | 18 g |
| Examples§ |
#1:Smoothie
Two small bananas (46 g CHO, 2 g PRO), 1/3 cup Greek yoghurt (3 g CHO, 8 g PRO), 1 cup vanilla soymilk (11 g CHO, 7 g PRO) Totals : 60 g CHO, 17 g PRO #2 : Oatmeal w/ raisins One cup oatmeal (32 g CHO, 6 g PRO) Two tbsps. raisins (16 g CHO, 0 g PRO) 1 cup 1% milk (17 g CHO, 11 g PRO Totals : 65 g CHO, 17 g PRO |
#1: Bagel sandwich
Whole wheat bagel (51 g CHO, 11 g PRO) 1½ oz. turkey (1 g CHO, 7 g PRO) Small apple (21 g CHO, 0 g PRO) Totals : 73 g CHO, 18 g PRO #2 : Black bean wrap Whole grain tortilla (32 g CHO, 7 g PRO) ¾ cup black beans (30 g CHO, 11 g PRO) Totals: 62 g CHO, 18 g PRO |
Nutrient recommendations based on values reported by Thomas et al. (2016) J Acad Nutr Diet, 116(3) 501–528,80 Coleman and Rosenbloom (2012). Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals, Fifth Edition, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Chicago, IL, ISBN: 978-0-88091-452-1.108
*Individualised needs vary based on athletes’ volume and intensity of exercise, anthropometric values, growth parameters, among other factors.
†Female youth runner based on mean anthropometric values reported in Barrack et al (2010) J Bone Miner Res 25(8):1850–7 (56 kg, 22.5% body fat) and a mean exercise energy expenditure of 600 kcal/day109
‡Male youth runner based on mean anthropometric values reported in Barrack et al (2017) Br J Sports Med 51(3):200–205 (61 kg, 14.2% body fat) and a mean exercise energy expenditure of 750 kcal/day47
§Carbohydrate (CHO) and protein (PRO) values reported by USDA Food Data Central https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/index.html.