For professional baseball players, a healthy diet plan is essential. As an athlete, your body has different demands than the body of the average person. Without fulfilling these needs, you will not optimize your performance, and are possibly putting your body at risk. Knowing what your body requires and eating right are among the ways you can gain an edge on the baseball diamond.
What to Eat
Due to increased physical activity, baseball players may require 1,000 to 1,500 more calories per day than the average person, according to the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. This means that the nutritional demands are much stricter if you want to perform at your highest level. Stick to a meal plan so you can be sure your body is getting the nutrients it needs. Your diet will consist of protein, complex carbohydrates and plenty of fluids. Baseball is primarily an anaerobic sport that requires short, explosive movements. A good meal plan will properly fuel those movements to maximize performance.
Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for everyone, but is often overlooked. As a baseball player, you must take extra care to eat a quality breakfast. Start your day with 4 egg whites, some fresh blueberries and a whole-wheat bagel. As a professional athlete, your meal plan structure will be five smaller meals per day. This will ensure that your body is receiving sufficient nutrients throughout the day and will avoid periods where you are starved of vitamins and minerals.
Lunch
You should be eating every two hours, so make sure to have a snack between breakfast and lunch. A protein bar is usually a good option if you don't have the time to prepare anything. For lunch, try a tuna sandwich on wheat bread with some baked chips. You can substitute grilled chicken or any other food that is high in protein and low in calories for the tuna. Avoid soft drinks or other foods that are high in sugar.
Pre and Post Game
Professional baseball players should always consume a small snack before a game. For a post-game meal, you need to help the body recover from the stress of competition. Baseball players should eat a meal consisting of a carbohydrate to protein ratio of 3 to 1. This will help replenish the glycogen stores in your body. For your dinner, grilled chicken salad with a whole-wheat roll is an option. Add a baked sweet potato with low-fat sour cream. Romaine lettuce or spinach is a healthy option for your salad.
Proper Hydration
Baseball is played during the hottest months of the year, so you are at additional risk for dehydration. Drinking an adequate amount of fluids is an essential part of your meal plan. Drink at least 70 ounces of water throughout the day, and 10 ounces of water every 20 minutes during competition. Some sports drinks can replenish electrolytes that you may lose during a game, so this is another option.
Considerations
Do not underestimate the value of a proper meal plan. Not only will this help your baseball performance, but will also provide you with sufficient energy for workouts and other activities. Remember to eat smaller but nutritious snacks between meals. Your diet should consist of about 20 percent protein, 20 percent fat and 60 percent carbohydrates. At the end of the day, your diet should consist of around 3,000 calories. By getting to know different foods, you can mix and match your meals while still having the same nutritional content. Brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and oatmeal are examples of alternative complex carbohydrates.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Dehydration
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: Just Enough for You - About Food Portions
- American Council on Exercise: Beat the Heat Before it Beats You
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology: Post-Event Nutrition
- President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition: Sports Nutrition
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