Adrian, a 14 y.o. basketball player gained weight and improved performance

by | Mar 27, 2023 | Nutrition

Adrian was a 14-year-old, first-league basketball player who needed to gain weight to be competitive.
He felt like he was eating a lot but he still couldn’t grow. He also felt tired toward the end of his 90-minute game practices. Here is how he gained 4kg in 3 months while boosting his energy levels.

When we started working with Adrian, I talked with him and his father. Gaining weight was important for him to stay competitive, but he was a fast-growing teenager with a busy schedule and eating had been problematic for him.

His father bought him protein powders and different supplements. Between school and afternoon practice they went to eat at a nearby restaurant.

Adrian’s father often ordered halušky: a meal made of potatoes, cheese, bacon 🥓
“He needs protein to grow!”

His father was convinced Adrian needed more protein and that dumplings were the right food.

Remember, this was before his afternoon 90 min. practice.
When I asked Adrian how he felt during the afternoon practice, he confessed that he felt heavy and lacked energy towards the end.

I had to explain two things to them:

  1. Halušky was a meal heavy in fats, not a protein-rich meal, which was wearing Adrian down.
  2. It’s not only protein that he needs to grow. He needs to get more energy.

These are three simple changes we made that lead him to gain mass and feel energetic even towards his long practice after school.

  1. Adrian had to start eating more during the day. That meant having snacks prepared and packed when he would get hungry at school.
  2. We looked at the menu in the restaurant and chose foods that were easy to digest and gave Adrian the energy he needed for his long afternoon practice. 🥞 (Try this pancakes recipe)
  3.  Adrian added a fruit smoothie with protein after the practice.

We didn’t count any calories, or macros, or strive for a perfectly healthy diet. We made small changes that were sustainable for Adrián. At the same time, they saved money on unnecessary nutritional supplements, which did not help him achieve his goal at all. In addition, teenage children also need energy at school. It’s not only about physical but also mental performance 🙂

“You helped me with eating and shown me a graphical comparison of how I ate and how I should eat. In the beginning, I weighed 69kg and now I weigh 73kg, three months later. When we started working together I did not have energy toward the end of the training, now I do.”
Adrián

14 y.o. basketball player

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