Stuff Curry vs. Steph Curry: How To Eat Like An NBA Player

By: Ben Riela

The diets of NBA players are quite interesting. How is it possible to properly feed people in a league where the average height is 6 ft. 7 in. and weight that’s 220 lbs? Obviously, a massive amount of food is needed to pull of this feat, but making sure the players are eating healthy might be the biggest challenge.

NBA Champion and current Cleveland Cavaliers player James Jones sums up player health pretty well when he said, “We always compare ourselves to fine-tuned automobiles. You take premium food, you tune them up regularly, you wax them down, you take care of them.” This concept directly applies to the NBA landscape in player nutrition. Every meal counts for these players to keep their bodies in top shape to perform at their best ability night in and night out. Everywhere they go, they face the temptation to splurge on fast food, desserts, candy, etc. that can have severe impacts for their on-court output if they aren’t careful.

One key aspect for NBA players is the constant inclusion of protein in their diets. Those huge muscles you see on NBA players don’t come on their own, and a major factor in that is the constant input of protein they have. A major goal for players is to include 20 grams of protein at every meal they eat. Chicken, fish, grass-fed beef, quinoa, Greek yogurt and mixed nuts are examples of healthy proteins they include in their diet, but specialized team chefs can create endless possibilities.

In the carbohydrates (carbs) area, these athletes try to maximize the benefits of eating healthy carbs while staying away from the unhealthy carbs. Simple carbs such as candy, sugary drinks and white bread don’t give the players the energy they need to get through a workout or game efficiently, which hurts their play on the court. Instead, complex carbs such as oatmeal, sweet potatoes, fruits, vegetables and legumes do a much better job to improve performance and energy in the court. Since complex carbs take longer for the athlete to digest, they keep them full for a longer period of time, while also giving them a constant supply of energy throughout a workout.

Everybody knows the old cliche “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, and for basketball players this is no exception. Since the human body goes into fat-storage mode when it hasn’t had food in a long time, it is crucial that basketball players eat a healthy breakfast to prevent lengthy times between meals. A good guideline to follow is to include a protein such as eggs into breakfast, which provides a basketball player with a full stomach and energy to do all of the various workouts demanded. In fact, dieters who ate eggs for breakfast lost 65 percent more weight than those who downed a bagel with the same number of calories.

NBA players usually consume a very light meal before games to give them a quick burst of energy before the game. Did you know the most popular NBA pregame meal is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Yes, you read that correctly. NBA stars such as Dwight Howard, Russell Westbrook, and Stephen Curry love eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before their games. Although experts don’t deem it the healthiest pre-game option, it is nonetheless the most popular choice among NBA athletes.

Does this mean that following these dietary guidelines will turn you into the next LeBron James? Sadly, the answer is no. However, these trends can be used to improve the overall health and well being of average person, as there are many parts of this dietary trend that the average American does not include in their daily routine (for example, we all know a person who skips breakfast everyday). NBA players are some of the top athletes in the world, so their meticulously monitored diets are extremely important to maintain for staying relevant in the league.  

 

Sources used:

 

http://www.psychguides.com/interact/male-body-image-and-the-average-athlete/

http://www.thesportsloop.com/what-do-nba-players-eat/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/188375-balanced-diet-of-a-basketball-player/

http://www.stack.com/a/basketball-nutrition-habits

International Journal of Obesity