Injured athletes do best with regular meals, protein at each one, and enough calcium, vitamin D, and total energy for tissue to rebuild.
Injury plus body anxiety can turn risky fast
Obsessive weighing and fear of carbs are red flags. Use the referral chain inside a school for who to tell, and in what order.
Comments about getting 'soft' can push restriction harder.
Involve the family and a physician or RD when weight talk starts driving food behavior.
Healing is the job while training is down
Healing tissue needs calories and protein every day.
Eating less during injury usually slows rehab and delays the return.
A temporary weight change is not the problem worth solving right now.
Meal timing matters when training rhythm is gone
Use regular meals and planned snacks instead of grazing all day.
Protein at every meal, with produce and enough carbohydrate for rehab work.
The day feels steadier when it still has a food structure.
Protein, calcium, vitamin D, and total energy
Protein and total energy build the repair; neither need drops because training did.
Calcium and vitamin D foods matter most for a bone injury.
A lower step count does not erase basic athlete needs.