Do boys and girls have different food needs?
Growing athletes need to eat about 2,200 calories a day, perhaps more depending upon your sport and how frequently you are involved in it. Of course, this will vary if you are a 95-pound female gymnast or a 195-pound fullback! Between ages 7-10, girls and boys both usually consume about 1,600-2,400 calories a day. When girls start their growth spurts, around ages 10-12, they should add about 200 calories daily. Boys, who start their growth spurts two years later, add 500 calories a day. Your body size, how active you are and how fast you “burn” calories is what determines how many calories you need. Girls and boys, especially those who are athletes, always should have a balanced diet. But in general, during and after puberty, boys, due to their larger size and muscles, need more protein and calories than girls. Girls by this age, however, need more iron in their diet. Q: There are so many sports nutrition products out there. Should I be using any sports drinks, vitamin supplements, ami
