Nutrition for Basketball Athletes

Nutrition for Basketball Athletes

 

 

The most accomplished basketball players globally are usually very tall and muscular since physique is an integral part of the sport. Usually, new players who are interested in the sport are tall and lean and looking to put on a lot of muscle mass. However, this is far from being a uniform case, as there are a lot of bulky players who seek to shed off some extra pounds and get to a shape that ensures maximum flexibility and agility. Nutrition plays a critical role in this preparatory stage. In this article, we have listed some pointers that will help you achieve the dietary requirements of basketball:

  1. Avoid performance-enhancing supplements: Many young players go for high-energy drinks and shake and protein and nutrient supplements to gain the maximum musculature in the shortest possible time. There are also performance-enhancing supplements, which are very popular among young basketball players. These supplements are usually constituted by creatine and ephedrine, which have adverse effects on the human body. A lot of players also fall prey to fake gimmicks that promise weight loss or weight gain. Therefore, the safest way to prepare your body for basketball is to maintain a healthy natural diet.
  2. Observe a highly nutritional balanced diet: Nutritionists recommend that carbohydrates constitute 60 percent of a person’s diet, and fats and proteins should occupy 20 percent each. This is called a balanced diet, and it works to maximize the nutrition in your diet chart. Basketball players are advised to consume 5 to 7 meals every day. The meals should be significant if the player is looking to put on some weight for muscle mass, and those players looking to shed off some extra pounds are advised to go for smaller meals. Larger meals also ensure higher energy intake in a tournament, while smaller meals are more appropriate during practice sessions and friendly matches. A basketball player should consume a minimum of 64 ounces of water every day, along with many fruits and vegetables. Food items rich in fat, sugar, and sodium should be avoided.
  3. Do not go for unhealthy market products for gaining or losing weight: If you are a basketball player looking to put on weight, you should add a lot of calories to your daily diet instead of going for the many supplements and gimmicks you will see in the papers. People looking to lose weight should do the opposite and consume fewer calories. You can make your weight gain drink at home using 1 cup each of frozen strawberries, orange juice, low-fat strawberry yogurt mixed with one large banana, and three scoops of protein powder. You can also go for other sports like golf and lose weight the healthy way.

To Sum Up 

In the game of basketball, each player must maintain a solid and athletic physique. The players are required to jump long enough, have a perfect aim and strong throws, be swift enough to evade the opponents and be strong enough to tackle a player if the occasion arises. To cut a long story short, a basketball player is expected to be in peak athletic condition physically. The process involves hours and hours of rigorous training and intense workout sessions. A lot of basketball players also engage in low-impact cardio exercises such as games of golf. If you follow the pointers listed in this article, you will soon be ready to compete in a professional game of basketball.

 

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