In this episode, Amy challenges the common belief that heart health only matters later in life and break down why it’s a performance priority for athletes right now. Listeners will learn how everyday nutrition choices directly affect training capacity, recovery, and long-term cardiovascular health, even in youth and teen athletes. We highlight three key nutrition levers, omega-3 fats, smarter saturated fat intake, and fiber, and explain how each supports both heart health and athletic performance. The episode wraps with practical, age-specific guidance for young athletes, reinforcing one clear takeaway: protecting your heart isn’t separate from performance, it’s foundational to it.

To learn more visit @thesportsnutritionplaybook and thesportsnutritionplaybook.com.
Check out our YouTube channel for more sports nutrition tips and tricks.

Have questions to ask our sports dietitians? email us at info@thesportsnutritionplaybook.com

In Episode 72, Dr. Shaun Garff breaks down what youth and teen athletes truly need to perform, stay healthy, and recover well, starting with the fundamentals that are often overlooked. Listeners will gain clarity on the most common nutrition- and injury-related issues seen in young athletes, how to communicate about nutrition in a way that supports performance and long-term development, and why high-level sports medicine and nutrition care shouldn’t be reserved for elite athletes only. Dr. Garff also shares the vision behind SportMed Connect, the gaps it addresses at the club sports level, and how a more integrated, professional approach can elevate outcomes for athletes, parents, coaches, and organizations alike.

- www.sportmedconnect.com

- info@sportmedconnect.com

- instagram @sportmedconnect

To learn more visit @thesportsnutritionplaybook and thesportsnutritionplaybook.com.
Check out our YouTube channel for more sports nutrition tips and tricks.

Have questions to ask our sports dietitians? email us at info@thesportsnutritionplaybook.com

In this episode of the podcast, Amy explores how athletes can use habit stacking to build powerful routines that actually stick during busy school days, training schedules, and competitive seasons without feeling overwhelmed. You will learn what habit stacking is, why it works so well for athletes, and how attaching small performance-focused habits to existing daily routines can improve hydration, fueling, recovery, focus, and mental resilience. The episode walks through practical examples at home, at school, and in training, explains how many habits to work on at once, and offers a simple, step-by-step framework to start building sustainable habits in January and beyond, replacing motivation with systems that make progress automatic and repeatable.

To learn more visit @thesportsnutritionplaybook and thesportsnutritionplaybook.com.
Check out our YouTube channel for more sports nutrition tips and tricks.

Have questions to ask our sports dietitians? email us at info@thesportsnutritionplaybook.com