In this episode of Untapped Stories, we sit down with Sarah Bixby - a sports dietitian who works closely with young athletes and families navigating one of the most misunderstood parts of development: fueling.

The conversation starts with a common assumption Sarah sees every day — that supplements are the shortcut to better performance. Protein powders, creatine, pre-workouts… many young athletes are taking them without fully understanding what’s in them, whether they’re safe, or if they’re even necessary. Sarah explains that for the vast majority of youth athletes, supplements aren’t the answer. Real food is. With the right planning and consistency, young athletes can get everything they need through proper meals — without the added risk.

From there, the discussion turns to a bigger (and more surprising) issue: most young athletes are under-fueled — and they don’t realize it.

Sarah shares an eye-opening example from her work, explaining that a hard-training 15–17 year old male athlete can need up to 5,000 calories per day. It’s not a hard rule, and every athlete is different — but the number stops people in their tracks. When you consider daily practices, games, travel teams, tournaments, lifting, conditioning… and the fact that these athletes are still growing, the energy demand adds up fast.

Many athletes feel constantly tired, struggle to recover, or hit performance plateaus — not because they’re lazy or under-trained, but because they’re simply not eating enough. Sarah emphasizes that food isn’t just fuel for workouts. It’s fuel for growth, development, focus, and long-term health. When athletes consistently under-eat, they’re unintentionally putting a ceiling on their potential.

A major theme of the episode is intentional fueling — understanding what your body needs at different stages and being proactive instead of reactive. Sarah breaks down why skipping meals, grazing without structure, or relying on “quick fixes” can quietly derail progress. Proper nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require awareness, preparation, and support from parents and coaches.

Throughout the conversation, Sarah shares practical takeaways for athletes and families:

- Why real food should come before supplements

- How growth + training dramatically increase calorie needs

- Signs an athlete may be under-fueled

- Why consistency matters more than perfection

- Athletes shouldn't be hands-off with their own nutrition

One of the biggest takeaways from the episode is that nutrition isn’t about extremes or rigid rules. It’s about building habits that support an athlete’s full life — practices, games, school, growth, and recovery. When athletes learn to fuel properly early, they don’t just perform better now — they set themselves up for longevity in sport and beyond.

This episode is a must-listen for athletes who want more energy and better recovery, parents trying to support healthy development, and coaches who understand that training doesn’t stop when practice ends.

🎙️ Untapped Stories is presented by https://athletesuntapped.com/ - the nation’s leading platform for private sports coaching. We connect families with elite, vetted coaches who help athletes grow through strong fundamentals, smart habits, and positive training environments.

👉 Listen weekly on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and follow us on Instagram for highlights and full episodes: https://www.instagram.com/athletesuntapped/