Young athletes are more often under-fuelled than over-fuelled — they simply don't eat enough to support their training and their growth. The PlayerWalk nutrition calculator estimates how much an athlete actually needs, framed around fuelling performance, never restriction.
How energy needs are estimated
Resting metabolism (BMR) is estimated with the Mifflin-St Jeor equation: for men, 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) − 5 × age + 5; for women, 10 × weight + 6.25 × height − 5 × age − 161. Daily energy is then BMR multiplied by an activity factor, from 1.2 for rest days up to 1.9 for twice-daily training.
What the numbers mean
- Protein— 1.2–2.0 g per kg body weight, the athlete range for recovery and muscle repair. Spread across meals; dal, eggs, paneer, chicken, fish, soy and milk all count.
- Carbohydrate— scaled to your training volume, carbs are an athlete's primary fuel. Rice, roti, potatoes, fruit and millets; more on heavy days, less on rest days.
- Fluids— a baseline of ~35 ml per kg, plus what you lose in training. In Indian summer heat, add 0.4–0.8 L per hour of hard training.
A note for young athletes
For anyone under 18, growth adds real energy needs on top of these training estimates, so the numbers here are a floor, not a target. Any fuelling plan for a young athlete should involve a parent, coach or sports dietitian.
