In the spring of May 2018 my team had just won the regional tournament and we were headed back to campus to celebrate. After a night long celebration I remember walking into the bathroom getting ready to shower and looking at myself into the mirror. I don’t remember the exact internal dialogue, but I remember the conversation like this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OIXknGTux8
Since I started playing college baseball this was always a vicious cycle for me. I knew I had to take control and understand the reasons why I continuously gained weight in season. After some reflection I realized it wasn’t skipping the gym or controlling what I ate on campus. It all led back to my habits during long road trips, especially our mid-week games. After mid-week games or weekend road trips we typically found ourselves on the bus splitting half of a pizza at 11 pm or eating at various fast-food chains. In this post I will outline how you can manage your weight without following strict regimens or diets.
1. Avoid drinking calories
When I pitched at Florida Southern, our trainer would make turquoise Gatorade which was the equivalence of chicken nugget day in middle school. I had to have as much as I could and there was nobody who was going to stop me from getting in my way. However, Gatorade and other sport drinks can possess an abundance of included sugar that have zero nutritional value to you and drive your caloric intake up.
2. Meal Prep
I used to always look at the guys who would bring two meals on the road for a midweek game like they were crazy. Their broccoli would stink up the entire bus and I thought it was such a waste of space to lug around two big bags of Tupperware. However, 2 months later they were always the ones maintaining consistent performance without injury. Essentially, if what you want is not available create it. Think days in advance not hours. You can even pack beef jerky and quest bars to eat during the game or stop somewhere on campus that provides you with a quick and healthy option.
3. Avoid Starchy Carbs
We train a wide variety of athletes. I receive pictures of gourmet spreads put out by teams for our athletes at a power 5 school and I also receive pictures of myD3 athletes staying at Econolodges (nothing against Econolodge). My point here is you cannot control the budget of your program. However, you can control the actions and orders you take within that program. You can’t control stopping at a Wendy’s; however, you can supplement the big on the burger for a lettuce wrap. Not all starchy carbs are bad. The vertical diet is something a lot of our athletes have utilized and performed well on. Potatoes and white rice can be staples in your diet especially after a workout. Try your best to avoid bread/buns, cereal, and anything processed or associated with seed oils such as potato chips.
4. Maximize your meals while on campus
Campus cafeterias typically offer a variety of options to their students. They will go to great lengths in order to meet certain dietary restrictions. Take advantage of this. You can live by divide your diet into an80/20 portion. While you are on campus eat an abundance of high nutrient dense meals such as red meat, beef liver, spinach, oranges, and white rice. Then on the weekend as you travel or have a three-game stint you can order as you please. When you go to Applebee’s (the unofficial official sponsor of D3 baseball) the 80/20 rule can allow you what you would like.
5. Utilize Supplementation
Do NOT take this recommendation as taking fat burners or other high-risk supplements. Consult your doctor before utilizing any supplements. Shilajit, Magnesium, Vitamin K, Vitamin D (pending where you’re located at), and beef liver supplements can all be useful pending what nutrients lack. Many of the supplements listed above can aid in the quality of your sleep which will have a direct correlation on your performance and how you maintain your body composition throughout the season.
6. Make conscious decisions
This sounds self-explanatory but many people miss the boat on this. Have a plan. There are so many ways to maintain weight and strength during the season. Be aware of what you do and how you do it. Track your calories, track your weight, take progress photos, and ensure you are maintaining your strength throughout the season.
If you do not have a plan or need guidance contact training@connected-performance.com for more information on how we can optimize your performance on and off the field. Until then, keep pushing the rock.