Students in IB sports, excersise and health science are learning the kinds and amounts of food they need to stay away from.

Jessica Gust, the IB sports science teacher and strength and conditioning coach, said she believes it’s important to inform students of what they are using to fuel their bodies.

“We talk a lot in strength and conditioning about what kids should be putting in front of their face, and things you should avoid putting in your face,” Gust said. “My emphasis has always been on consuming as many real foods, protein, fruits and vegetables as you can and avoiding as many non-foods as you can.”

Along with the right kinds of foods, the class also looks at the amount of food consumed.

“It’s looking at what you put in your mouth the entire day and asking, ‘Did I get enough nutrients? Did I get enough vitamins? Did I get enough calories? Am I getting enough water?’ and then adjusting based on the whole day,” Gust said.  “I run into kids all the time who are probably not eating enough, and that’s my biggest battle,” Gust said.

It’s important athletes know what food to eat, how much they need and which foods to shy away from. Gust believes this responsibility falls onto coaches.

“I believe it’s up to the coaches to inform their athletes on what to eat to help them be their best,” Gust said.

Joe Yaeger coaches both the girls’ and boys’ swim team and has found what athletes eat impacts their performance.

“As a coach you can tell when an athlete just went to McDonald’s or isn’t eating well because they just look tired and like they’re dragging,” Yaeger said.

Junior Mara Henderson is taking IB sports this semester and has found learning nutritional information helpful while playing for the girls’ varsity basketball team.

“The main focus of the class is human anatomy and how to be the healthiest athletes we can be,” Henderson said. “This class benefits athletes or any student really to understand what happens to your body when you choose the foods you eat.”