Episode #11
Fuel Under Pressure: What a Philadelphia Union Nutritionist Wants Every Young Athlete to Know About Food and Performance | The Pressure Lab Ep. #11
What does a professional soccer player actually eat to perform at the highest level, and how does that translate to a youth athlete eating lunch between classes and playing a game at 7 PM? In Episode #11 of The Pressure Lab, Keith Wilford sits down with Marissa Gaab, Head of Nutrition for the Philadelphia Union and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, to bridge the gap between elite sports nutrition and the practical realities of feeding a young athlete in the real world. Marissa works daily with professional MLS players to optimize how they fuel, recover, and sustain performance across a grueling season. In this episode she brings those same principles down to earth for the audience that needs them most: teen athletes, their parents, and the coaches who work with both. What should young athletes eat before a game and how much does it actually matter? Pre-game nutrition is one of the most misunderstood areas of youth sports performance. Most young athletes either undereat before competition because of nerves or grab whatever is convenient. Marissa breaks down what the research and her professional experience with MLS players actually shows about fueling for performance, including timing, food choices, and the biggest mistakes athletes make in the hours before a game. Why do so many young athletes underperform in the second half? Energy depletion mid-game is one of the most common and most preventable performance issues in youth sports. Marissa explains the physiology behind it in plain language: what is happening in the body when an athlete hits a wall in the 60th minute, and what simple nutritional habits in the days and hours before competition can prevent it entirely. What does recovery nutrition actually mean for a teenage athlete? Most young athletes think recovery means stretching and sleep. Marissa makes the case that what an athlete eats in the 30 to 60 minutes after training or competition is one of the highest-leverage performance decisions they can make, and most of them are missing it completely. How does nutrition affect mental performance and focus under pressure? The connection between what athletes eat and how they think, focus, and manage pressure is underexplored in youth sports content. Marissa addresses it directly: how blood sugar instability affects decision-making on the field, how hydration impacts cognitive function, and why the brain is as much an organ that needs fueling as the legs. What do parents of young athletes get wrong about sports nutrition? Marissa works at the professional level but she is also a parent. She speaks to the most common and well-intentioned mistakes parents make when trying to feed their young athletes, from over-restricting to over-supplementing, and what practical, realistic habits actually make a difference. When does healthy nutrition attention become disordered eating in young athletes? Youth sports nutrition has a shadow side that most episodes on this topic avoid. Marissa addresses it honestly: the warning signs that an athlete's relationship with food is moving from healthy performance focus into territory that needs professional attention, and what coaches and parents can do when they see those signs. What this episode covers: Pre-game nutrition for youth athletes: what to eat and when Recovery nutrition after training and competition Why young athletes hit a wall in the second half and how to prevent it How nutrition affects mental focus and decision-making under pressure Hydration for teen athletes: how much and what kind Common nutrition mistakes parents make with young athletes What professional MLS players eat and what youth athletes can learn from it The connection between food, energy, and mental fitness in sport Warning signs of disordered eating in young athletes Practical, affordable nutrition habits for busy athletic families Supplements: what youth athletes actually need and what they don't How a professional sports dietitian approaches fueling across a full season Guest: Marissa Gaab, MS, RDN, Head of Nutrition, Philadelphia Union Host: Keith Wilford Related Episodes: Catch the Good (Ep. #11), Built in the Dark (Ep. 8), Face the Feed (Ep. 5) Subscribe to The Pressure Lab on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. New episodes every week.
