Payal Shah Nutrition

Home
India
Pune
Payal Shah Nutrition

Nutrition for me is not just work, it's a passion that has always been with me for over 10 years. My inspiration: my kids who love to play sports.

Spreading awareness about the benefits of good nutrition to athletes, from grassroots to pros is my mission.

03/10/2026

Sports parents, we all know this moment. They walk through the door at 3 PM after a brutal tournament, absolutely starving. Vetted packaged foods are always an option when there is no time but an exhausted, growing athlete definitely appreciates and needs real, high-quality recovery fuel to replenish glycogen and repair muscle tissue without causing a massive sugar crash later. So, I skipped the packaged stuff and made this instead: The Tofu-Potato Recovery Sandwich.

Here is why this works for athletes:
✅ The Potatoes & Bread: Fast-digesting complex carbs that immediately restock depleted muscle glycogen from the match.
✅ The Tofu: A complete plant-based protein that kickstarts muscle protein synthesis.
✅ The Spices: Green chilies and Indian spices not only add anti-inflammatory properties, but they make it taste like comfort food—which is exactly what a tired athlete actually wants to eat.

The Recipe (Makes 2 Sandwiches):
4 slices of bread (white or wheat—both are fine for fast carb recovery!)
100g firm tofu, crumbled
1 medium boiled potato, mashed
1-2 finely chopped green chilies
½ tsp cumin powder & a pinch of turmeric
Salt to taste
Butter or ghee for the grill

Method:
In a bowl, thoroughly mix the mashed potato, crumbled tofu, chilies, and spices.
Spread a thick layer of the mixture onto your bread.
Grill in a sandwich maker until perfectly crisp.
It hits the perfect 3:1 carb-to-protein recovery ratio, and they will actually finish it.👇

Try this and let me know in the comments if your athlete loved it!

29/09/2026

If I could change one thing about sports parents…

I’d ask them to **say a little less about food.** 💚

Not because nutrition doesn’t matter.

It does.

But young athletes are already learning to notice hunger, fullness, preferences, energy, and what helps them feel good during training.

When we comment on every bite, question every choice, or constantly remind them what they “should” be eating, food can start to feel like another part of their performance they have to get right.

Instead, try creating more space.

Offer nourishing choices.
Keep food available.
Talk about fueling when it’s useful.
And let your athlete have a voice in the process.

**Your job isn’t to micromanage every meal.
Your job is to help them learn how to fuel themselves.**

That’s how we build athletes who can take ownership of their nutrition — not just athletes who follow instructions.

Save this if you’re trying to support your young athlete without turning every meal into a conversation. 💚

28/09/2026

The night before competition can come with a LOT of pressure. 😅

What should they eat?
Should dinner be bigger?
Do they need to drink extra water?
What if they don't eat everything you planned?

Take a breath, sports parents. 💚

The night before isn't about finding one magical meal that guarantees a great performance.

It's about keeping things simple:

🍽️ Offer a balanced, familiar dinner with carbohydrates and protein.
🥔 Include foods that help support their energy needs.
💧 Encourage regular fluids without forcing them to drink excessively.
😴 Give them time to wind down and get some rest.
🧡 Keep food conversations calm—no pressure to eat a “perfect” meal.

And please, don't use competition eve to experiment with unfamiliar foods or make last-minute changes to their routine.

Your athlete doesn't need a perfect plate. They need enough fuel, a comfortable routine and your support.

**Keep it simple. Keep it familiar. Keep them supported.**

Save this for the night before your athlete's next competition, and share it with another sports parent who might need the reminder. 💚

25/09/2026

Competition days rarely go exactly as planned.

The event gets delayed.
The break is shorter than expected.
Your athlete suddenly doesn’t want the food you packed.
Or the schedule changes completely.

That’s why I don’t believe in packing a competition bag with just ONE perfect food plan.

Instead, think:

→ Main meal or snack
→ Quick option
→ Familiar foods your athlete actually likes
→ Fluids
→ One backup option

The goal isn’t for your athlete to eat everything.

The goal is to give them **choices when the day doesn’t go according to plan.**

Because on competition day, flexibility can be just as important as preparation.

**Don’t pack perfection. Pack flexibility.** 💚

Save this before your next competition day — it might make the unexpected a little easier.

22/09/2026

Does your athlete barely eat during the day… then come home at night absolutely RAVENOUS? 👀

Before you tell them to stop eating so much at night, take a look at what their day actually looked like.

Maybe breakfast was tiny.
Maybe lunch was rushed.
Maybe there was a long gap before training.

And by dinner time, they’re finally getting the chance to catch up.

Instead of starting with restrictions, I’d start by asking:

💭 Did they eat enough earlier in the day?
💭 Were there long gaps between meals and snacks?
💭 Did their food intake match their training demands?

Night-time hunger isn’t automatically a problem. Growing, active athletes need enough fuel—and sometimes their hunger is telling us something worth paying attention to.

**Sometimes the issue isn’t what they’re eating at night. It’s what they missed during the day.**

Save this as a reminder to look at the bigger picture before making changes. 💚

21/09/2026

Your athlete has 3 games in one day. 🏅

And packing a bag full of food is only part of the plan.

The other part? Thinking about **when they’ll actually get a chance to eat it.**

A few things I’d consider:
🥪 What time is the first game?
🍌 How long are the breaks between games?
⏱️ Is there time for a proper meal, or just a quick bite?
💧 When can they drink and top up their fluids?
🍽️ What can they comfortably eat after the final game?

There’s no single perfect tournament-day menu. Your athlete’s sport, schedule, appetite, preferences and tolerance all matter.

So plan ahead, stay flexible, and remember: **the goal isn’t to pack the most food. It’s to make a realistic plan that helps your athlete stay fueled throughout the day.**

Save this for your next tournament, and share it with a sports parent who’s always packing the game-day bag.

18/09/2026

Packing a lot of food for a tournament doesn’t automatically mean your athlete is prepared. 😅

The question I want parents to ask is:

**“When are they actually going to eat it?”**

A tournament day can look very different from a normal training day.

Maybe there’s an early start, one game, a long wait, another game… and suddenly your athlete has gone hours without eating.

So I’d plan the food around the **schedule**, not just pack a big bag and hope for the best.

If they have **90 minutes before the first game**, a proper meal may work.

If they have only **20 minutes between games**, something quick and familiar may be much more realistic.

And after the final game? That’s when a more substantial meal can make sense.

The food matters.

But **when they’re going to eat it matters too.**

Tournament nutrition isn’t just about the food bag.
**It’s about the plan.**

Save this before your athlete’s next tournament.

16/09/2026

Why I don’t want my young athletes eating “clean” 24/7

Because when “clean eating” becomes the goal, food can quickly turn into a list of rules:

“This is good.”
“That is bad.”
“Don’t eat this.”

And for a young athlete, I don’t think that’s the message we want to build around food.

Yes, they can have chips, chocolate, fast food, dessert and other foods they enjoy.

Those foods don’t automatically make their diet unhealthy. And they certainly don’t erase all the nutritious food they’re eating.

What matters more to me is:
🏃 Are they eating enough for growth and training?
⚡ Are they getting the fuel they need around sport?
💪 Are they recovering well?
🧠 Can they enjoy food without guilt or unnecessary food rules?

I want young athletes to learn how to fuel their bodies—not fear certain foods.
Because athletes need a well-fueled body, not a perfectly “clean” diet.
And yes, nutritious food matters.

But so does flexibility. 💚

15/09/2026

Eating “healthy” does not automatically mean you are eating enough to support training.

If you regularly feel flat, tired, irritable, or unable to maintain your usual performance, the problem may not be your food quality. You may be missing:

Enough total energy

Adequate carbohydrates

Fuel around training

Recovery nutrition

Additional intake when training load increases

A plate can look nutritious and still leave an athlete under-fuelled.

Before changing supplements, review the basics: what you eat, how much you eat, and when you eat it.

Save this carousel as a reminder, and share it with an athlete who is always tired despite “eating clean.”

Persistent fatigue should be assessed by a qualified sports nutrition professional and healthcare provider.

11/09/2026

Okay, full disclosure — I’m Gujarati, so of course my house is stocked with **makhana, dhokla and khakhra.** 😄

But if your athlete looks at the food you packed and says, **“I’m not eating that!”**… what do you do?

I’m a big believer in having a **Plan B**.

If Plan A isn't happnening then keep Plan B ready
Try other familiar options that are already part of your staple like **idli, poha, thepla, uttapam, dosa, rice, pancakes, bread** — depending on what your athlete likes and tolerates around training.

The point isn’t to find one “perfect” replacement.

It’s to have a few **familiar, practical options** your athlete is actually willing to eat.

Because I’d much rather offer another option than turn food into a battle.

And honestly, sometimes **Plan B is the better plan.** 😉

What’s your athlete’s go-to Plan B? Drop in comments and lets see if it works

Address

Pune

Website

http://www.payal-shah.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Payal Shah Nutrition posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Payal Shah Nutrition: