Staying committed to your training program and eating right must be part of your lifestyle. Establishing these practices early enables you to focus on your mental and physical preparation, developing what you need for your game. Here are a few nutrition principles to keep in mind as you take on Erik Phillips' training plan.
Many basketball players don't realize that poor nutrition habits can deplete their glycogen stores as the season progresses. As a result, you can enter the post-season with an empty tank, meaning you'll lack the energy needed to perform consistently. Therefore, you need to approach workoutsand start the seasonwell rested, hydrated and nourished.
Throughout this summer eating plan, carbohydrates are a critical componentin fact, the focal pointof your training diet, along with protein for post-activity recovery.
Daily nutrition habits you should acquire during the training and eating program include:
Eating breakfast
Keeping power snacks handy, especially pre-and post-activity [see list], because you never want to "run on empty"
Including protein with lunch
Fueling up every three to four hours for peak energy
Drinking plenty of water throughout the day
The following menu option provides 3,000 daily total calories. Nutritionally, it breaks down as 50-60 percent carbohydrates, 25-30 percent protein and 15-20 percent fat.
Breakfast: ½ English muffin with 1 tsp. butter; 2 fruits [e.g., apple, pear, orange, 2 plums, ½C grapes, peach, ½C berries]; 1C cereal with 8 fl oz. reduced fat or 2% milk; 4 egg whites [omelet-style with ketchup or hard-boiled]
Lunch: 6-inch sub with 4 oz. chicken or turkey with lettuce, spinach, pickles, peppers, mustard; low fat yogurt; 2 fruits [see breakfast list]; small bag [about 1 oz.] of baked chips or pretzels; 16 fl oz. Gatorade or Powerade or 8 fl oz. any fruit juice [e.g., orange, apple, cranapple]
Afternoon snack: Shake made with 4 fl oz. reduced fat milk; ½C of low fat yogurt [if you can't tolerate yogurt, use all three of the following fruits]; 2 frozen or fresh fruits [¾C blueberries, ¾C strawberries, ½ banana]
Dinner: 1C cooked pasta with ½C marinara sauce, ½C mozzarella cheese; apple or 8 fl oz. Powerade/Gatorade; 4C of any combination of spinach or romaine lettuce, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and 1 oz. of chicken or turkey and 2-3 tbsp. of fat-free dressing
Daytime snacks
Fresh or dried fruit
Sports bars or beverages
Muffins
Bagels
Dry cereals
Pop-Tarts
Nuts
Granola
Trail mix
Evening snack options
Big bowl of cereal
Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with glass of milk or sports drink
Bowl of ice cream or milkshake
Fig Newtons
Sports bars
Fresh fruit or fruit juice
Popcorn or pretzels
Serve your opponent a steady diet of your all-around game while sporting the freshest basketball shoes and basketball clothing.
Photo Credit: Getty Images // Thinkstock
