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Approximately 75-80% of the human immune system lives in the gut. Therefore, everything we eat has a direct impact on the way we feel and perform each day. The equation is quite simple, great nutrition = an improved immune response and minimal inflammation. Poor nutrition = a weakened immune system, thus leading to injury, illness, pain and fatigue overtime. Sure, genes play a role in our health and performance but eating well can actually silence “bad” genes and eating poorly can activate genes that otherwise may have never been activated.

Failing to plan is a plan to fail. Athletes who plan their meals and snacks for competition will have an advantage over their competitors. Today, lets focus on nutrient timing (a.k.a the best time to eat) of fats for athletes.

Reminder: 20-35% of an athlete's calorie intake per day should come from fats, mostly from plant-based fats along with a smaller portion coming from animal based fats.

As an athlete or a parent, you might be thinking, “Why should I choose whole foods over supplements?”

Good question. There are ample reasons why. Let's start with the fact that the right whole foods offer more pure nutrition than supplements. That’s because whole foods include components not available in pills and powders, like providing a synergistic value that supplements can’t match.

The other macronutrient critical to an athlete’s injury recovery is carbohydrates. If you’ve begun your rehab process from an injury, carbohydrate ingestion shortly after prolonged and/or exhaustive exercise is critical. Carbs help replenish muscle glycogen stores, provide energy to refuel muscles for the next exercise bout, and help to repair those same muscles.

Whole food nutrition is an integral part of an athlete’s success. Sadly, most athletes treat nutrition as an afterthought.  Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions regarding nutrition and athletic performance due to a lack of understanding. Today, we are going to try and clear up some of those misconceptions and discuss why proper nutrition is key for athletes.

Listen – Disappointment is normal when faced with defeat. Celebrating a win is normal too. Let your young athletes experience the situation in the moment, but don’t allow them to catastrophize it. If they’re receptive, help them acknowledge any disappointment and accept their imperfection. Don’t criticize, offer advice or blame others and use neutral, nonjudgmental questions to spark discussion.

Reframe the situation – If your young athlete gets stuck in a negative mindset, help them shift their perspective. Remind them that failure is what helps everyone become better, and that tomorrow, they will be better.

Identify positive next steps – Help your young athletes identify a tangible next step to improve their performance. Offer encouragement and help them maintain a hopeful, positive outlook.

Failure can seem catastrophic. Magnifying or distorting fear of failure makes athletes, especially young, budding athletes, vulnerable to stress and anxiety. Overreacting to disappointment does too. Both can result in underperformance—exactly what they are trying to avoid!

Thankfully, resilience isn’t a genetic trait. It’s a set of thoughts, behaviors and actions that can be learned and developed by anyone, including the kindergartners. In fact, developing this skill early in life is easier because there are fewer bad habits to unlearn.

As a parent or coach, helping young athletes develop resilience is just as critical as helping them perfect sport-specific skills. It will improve their athletic performance and allow them to progress faster. It’s also a skill set that will serve them off the field, for the rest of their lives. The ability to express disappointment while remaining emotionally balanced is a common characteristic among leaders, regardless of the endeavor.

Chia seeds may be little but they pack a mighty punch.
These tiny seeds contain tons of nutrients that will help you to recover quicker and stay healthy!

Chia seeds are high in:

• Polyunsaturated fat - helps to decrease inflammation caused by training/competition
• Fiber - helps keep your digestive system on track
• Protein - helps with muscle recovery
• Calcium, Phosphorus, and Zinc - helps to keep your immune system strong

• Mix into oatmeal, yogurt, smoothies
• Sprinkle on salads or toast
• Bake with them - muffins, energy bars, pancakes

Check out one of our favorite products containing chia seeds below!

Athletes should get 20-35% of their total calorie intake per day from fat.
Not ALL fats are created equal though - this means that some fats are healthier than others.

Failing to plan is a plan to fail. Athletes who plan their meals and snacks for competition will have an advantage over their competitors. Today, lets focus on nutrient timing a.k.a the best time to eat protein, carbs, and fats for athletes.

The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) is proud to announce that Carbon Athletics has been named the league’s preferred sports nutrition partner.

“The NPSL is excited to bring Carbon Athletics on board as a new partner,” NPSL Director of Membership Development Dina Case said. “Carbon Athletics will provide an added resource of health and well-being for players and we look forward to Carbon Athletics products helping players achieve their goal of peak performance on the field.”

Carbon Athletics brings simplicity and clarity to the hustle of the amateur and youth sports environment.  Proper nutrition, the right training gear, and athlete-centric information are elements that impact the performance of every athlete.  Founded by a dietitian, sports psychologist, performance trainer, and physical therapist, Carbon provides nutrition, gear, and guidance to athletes, teams, clubs, and training centers.

“Nutrition impacts every single athlete, yet when speaking with coaches, it remains one of the biggest after-thoughts and voids in preparation, negatively impacting training, development, competitive-readiness, and ultimately, on-field performance,” Carbon Athletics Vice President of Performance Nutrition Kylene Bogden said. “By teaming up with the NPSL as the league’s preferred sports nutrition partner, every club and player will have access to our expertise in performance nutrition and the opportunity to enhance their team’s game day nutrition.  Our goal is to work closely with the league and its clubs to establish a framework to facilitate better nutrition for these elite soccer players while building better habits and understanding through the experience.”

 See the official announcement from the NPSL here.

Our thoughts are made up of words. Language is at the heart of our thinking and allows us to recognize how our words influence our thoughts, our feelings, and subsequently our behaviors. Rather than looking at all possible words that are available, it is much more efficient to focus on a few key words that significantly drive our thoughts and actions.

We explore the impact of overestimated skills on future performances, and how to fix it.

We examine the impact the car ride home from practice can have on the parent-child relationship, and the Childs athletic performance.