One of my aims this year is going to be making a concerted effort to get my team to eat better. I have a few runners who just get it, research their diets religiously and eat super healthy but most of my team is inconsistent at best.
I know this is a challenge for many hs coaches. Our society just isn't set up for athletes to maintain a healthy diet and this is what we are pushing back against. You can say something like "don't eat junk." But not all kids even know what junk is. Is a slice of organic pizza junk or just the Domino's/Pizza Hut version? Is a hamburger from In 'N Out less junk than one from McDonald's?
I don't have any ability to actually monitor my team at meals so it totally comes down to self-discipline with (occasional) help from a caring parent.
Does any coach have any effective strategies for getting runners to change their eating habits and maintain good nutrition over the course of the season?