# 54: Fueling Young Athletes: A Guide for Sports Parents Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/endurance-eats-6975143/54-fueling-young-athletes-a-guide-for-sports-parents Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/endurance-eats-6975143/54-fueling-young-athletes-a-guide-for-sports-parents.md Podcast: [Endurance Eats](https://stenobird.com/podcast/endurance-eats-6975143) Published: 2026-04-08T07:00:00+00:00 Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/alex-larson75/episodes/54-Fueling-Young-Athletes-A-Guide-for-Sports-Parents-e3hh73c Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/f819ee04/podcast/play/118053420/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-3-6%2Fd87a711a-0c0e-bc34-844b-b0cef4e9396f.mp3 Processing state: not_requested JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/endurance-eats-6975143/episodes/54-fueling-young-athletes-a-guide-for-sports-parents Duration seconds: 2273 ## Resource In this episode, we explore how parents can support their children's nutritional habits and body image with insights from registered dietitian Nicole Cruz, especially athlete children who really want to fuel well. Whether you're managing picky eaters, encouraging variety, or addressing body image concerns, Nicole offers practical guidance rooted in compassion and evidence-based strategies. 00:00 - Introduction & episode overview 02:00 - Parental role in shaping kids' food relationships 04:15 - Talking about food without shame or guilt 06:00 - Encouraging variety through positive language 08:20 - Impact of sports and activity on feeding strategies 10:00 - Navigating picky eating and food preferences 12:30 - Language to promote autonomy and balance 14:00 - Labels and food categories parents should avoid 16:30 - Addressing body image concerns in children and teens 18:50 - How to respond when kids comment negatively about their bodies 21:00 - Supporting teens in developing a healthy relationship with food 23:00 - Repairing mistakes and open communication in parenting 26:00 - Addressing truth about children's nutritional needs vs. adult standards 28:00 - Hydration, electrolytes 30:00 - Protein needs for kids compared to adults 33:00 - Practical tips for evaluating and supporting children's nutrition 36:00 - Reducing parental stress: trusting your child's inner cues 39:00 - Resources and guidance for ongoing support Connect with Nicole: https://nicolecruzrd.com This episode of Endurance Eats is brought to you by Alex Larson’s 1:1 Nutrition Coaching. If you’ve ever wondered, Am I eating enough? Am I fueling this right? Why do I still feel tired? you’re not alone. Alex Larson Nutrition helps endurance athletes cut through the confusion and build a fueling plan that actuall… ## Actions - request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/endurance-eats-6975143/episodes/54-fueling-young-athletes-a-guide-for-sports-parents/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode. - read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/endurance-eats-6975143/54-fueling-young-athletes-a-guide-for-sports-parents.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource. A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed. ## Transcript Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.