You are what you eat so if you want to be a professional athlete, you have to eat like one. Pro-athletes must have a well-balanced diet in order to compete at the high levels, and this is no different if you are a kid playing sports all the time to be the best you can be. A pro-athlete diet is very scientific and most athletes have a trainer who tells them exactly what and when to eat. Let's go over the pro-athlete diet:
3 Hour Power
If you want to become a pro-athlete, you have to be active everyday doing some training morning, afternoon and night. You always want to have maximum energy in your body without overdoing it, so it's important to eat often too. Most athletes eat something every 3 hours to restore their energy so they are fully charged for their next activity.
Pro-athletes cannot afford the risk of small diets. Eating too few calories can decrease your metabolism, strength, and performance which will affect your overall performance on the field and in the classroom.
Balanced-Diet is Best
Favorite Food TypesCourtesy of hungryhouse.co.uk
Everyone would love to get their energy from hamburgers, pop and french fries, but the sad truth is that these foods take long periods to breakdown into energy and your body has to work hard just to digest. Pro-athletes eat foods that are easy to digest and convert to quick forms of energy... like raw fruits and vegetables.
Carb Control
Quinoa Boo-Yah
Carbohydrates are the major source of fuel for muscles. Pro-athletes eat high quality carbohydrates throughout the day to maintain optimum energy levels. Here are some examples:
- Whole grain breads (ex. Whole Wheat bread, oatmeal, and barley)
- Quinoa
- Cereals
- Rice
- Potatoes
- Beans
- Dried fruit
- Fresh fruit
Protein Repairs
Do you know that feeling when you get sore after a long run or a hard workout? Eating high quality lean protein throughout the day is essential to fix your muscles and make you feel ready to rock it again. Here is a list of some great sources of high quality protein:
- Meats that are grilled, baked, broiled, or boiled
- Fish
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Seafood
- Egg whites
- Lean beef, such as round, sirloin, and filet
Keep Fat Far Away
Junk Food FatCourtesy of www.givememyleg.com
Fat is not a good source of energy because it takes a long time to digest and break down into energy. Unfortunately some of our favorite foods are full of fat and they're hard to resist. This is one of the huge sacrifices it will take to be a pro-athlete.
Water Welcome!
Everyone knows that the human body is made out of around 60% water. Pro-athletes are always drinking fluids to prevent dehydration, fatigue, and muscle cramps. This is extremely important before, during, and after a game.
Have your say...
Do you plan on being a pro-athlete? Let us know what your diet is in the comments below!
