Train the Appetite: Why Athletes Don’t Eat Enough (And How to Fix It) // 118

In this episode of The Hard Truth, Jeremy Fouts tackles one of the most misunderstood problems in youth athletics: underfueling. Not because kids are lazy, picky, or unmotivated but because they’ve never been taught how to eat like athletes.

Jeremy explains why appetite is trained, not automatic, and why relying on hunger cues causes athletes to fuel like hunters instead of performers. Using real-world examples from his own sons and the thousands of athletes he’s coached, he breaks down the biology behind appetite suppression, stress, digestion, growth, and why so many hard-working kids are stuck in calorie deficits without realizing it.

He reveals the hard truth: Athletes aren’t failing because they don’t eat enough food they’re failing because they’ve never learned to fuel with intention.

But the good news? Appetite can be trained just like speed, strength, and mindset.

From scheduled eating and carb confidence to liquid calories and night fueling, this episode gives parents a clear blueprint to stop guessing, stop nagging, and start building stronger, faster, more confident athletes. Because when athletes learn to eat like athletes not hunters everything changes.