The number of total calories that an athlete needs to support optimum health and performance varies based on age, gender, activity level, and metabolism. Males generally need a higher daily calorie intake than females, and adult athletes generally need less calories than youth athletes. Athletes have a higher energy demand than non-athletes and therefore will require a higher daily calorie intake to support this demand. The type of sport or activity that you participate in and the demands of training and competing will influence how many calories are needed day to day. Generally, less total calories are needed on rest days than on heavy training days unless your rest day…
