It has been an exciting season for the Ravens.  We have made the playoffs and are continuing to work hard to stay healthy and maintain energy for a long season.  This time of year the players often have "tired legs" and it is important to focus on how they eat and hydrate to have the endurance for every game.

As young athletes focusing on how you eat before and after practices is just as important since many of you are still growing and developing. Eating the right balance of nutrients will help you to maintain your lean muscle mass and strong bones.  Choose Quality lean proteins at your meals. Quality proteins are foods like lean chicken, lean ham, lean ground beef, and tuna fish.  Choose these types of proteins instead of foods with a lot of cheeses and sauces. For strong and healthy bones choose cow's milk, fortified soy milk, and fortified almond milk.  These are drinks that will provide you with calcium and phosphorous. Calcium and phosphorous are minerals that are vital to healthy bones. Think about the quality and the types of proteins and drinks you choose to maintain lean muscle and strong bones.

An example of meals with Quality protein and rich in calcium and phosphorous are:

• Lean Chicken Breast, Mashed Potatoes (made w/fortified milk), 8 oz. Skim Milk

• Ham, Macaroni & Cheese (made w/fortified milk), 8 oz. Fortified Soy Milk

• Tuna Salad Sandwich (use low fat mayonnaise), 8 oz. 1% Milk

Eat well and have a great month!