14 Nutritional tips for basketball players
- Stay away from soda and too much Gatorade
- Eat pre-game meal no later than 3 hours and no earlier than 4 hours before game
- Know your pre-game meal (develop in off-season)
- Eat something every two to three hours
- Include a lean protein and vegetable in every meal
- Focus on your three most important meals: breakfast and pre and post workout meals.
- Drink water steadily throughout the day
- Avoid trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars and “man-made” fats like fried foods
- Plan out your meals to avoid making unwise choices when hunger strikes
- Seek out complex carbohydrates
- Don’t use supplements as a crutch to make up for a poor diet
- Instead of relying on pre-made drinks, blend your own with a protein powder base, and add healthy fats like nut butters and fresh fruits
- Consider protein shakes if you’re trying to increase body weight but have difficulty eating sufficient calories or are constantly traveling
- Get calories from real food as often as possible, and only use shakes and bars when you’re away from the kitchen