Diet of a pro

stellios

Any have any knowledge of what an intercounty GAA plyer would consume in a day. Basically i would like to know what is on their plate everytime they sit down to eat..

Khannie

They're amateurs. (seriously).

Anyway, I'll take a stab at answering your question. I fight professionally and take my diet very seriously.

In general, every meal should strive to have a source of lean protein and vegetables. This isn't always practical or desireable, but it is a good goal. Depending on how much you're training you'll realistically need to have a decent source of carbs. Wholegrain sources work nicely. In general, boxed breakfast cereals are total crap. Avoid them.

After training, some protein and some carbs will help with recovery. For me this generally means a protein shake because it's convenient. A pint of milk works too.

I would highly recommend reading "The grapplers guide to sports nutrition". While it is aimed at grapplers (wrestlers). I don't think there's one piece of nutrition advice in it that wouldn't apply to a top end GAA player. Definitely the best book I've read regarding diet of an athlete.

It's not rocket science though. You'll know when you're looking at a plate of food that's going to help you reach your goals and when you're looking at a plate of food that wont.

I would say protein and vegetable intake are where you're gonna see the big difference between average joe and top end athlete.

stellios

Khannie wrote: »

They're amateurs. (seriously).

Anyway, I'll take a stab at answering your question. I fight professionally and take my diet very seriously.

In general, every meal should strive to have a source of lean protein and vegetables. This isn't always practical or desireable, but it is a good goal. Depending on how much you're training you'll realistically need to have a decent source of carbs. Wholegrain sources work nicely. In general, boxed breakfast cereals are total crap. Avoid them.

After training, some protein and some carbs will help with recovery. For me this generally means a protein shake because it's convenient. A pint of milk works too.

I would highly recommend reading "The grapplers guide to sports nutrition". While it is aimed at grapplers (wrestlers). I don't think there's one piece of nutrition advice in it that wouldn't apply to a top end GAA player. Definitely the best book I've read regarding diet of an athlete.

It's not rocket science though. You'll know when you're looking at a plate of food that's going to help you reach your goals and when you're looking at a plate of food that wont.

I would say protein and vegetable intake are where you're gonna see the big difference between average joe and top end athlete.

Well they may be amateurs but they perform and carry out their sport very pro like. but that is for another day.;)

I know there needs to be a good balance of fats proteins and carbs, but what im trying to get at is, what exactly would these ideal meals be?
Or yours even?
very picky i know..

Frogdog

OP, I know a top top intercounty player very well, and have gone eating with him before at lunch etc. He has Coco Pops for breakfast with a couple of slices of toast, a cup of tea and a glass of orange juice. He will then have a carvery type meal for lunch. In between lunch and dinner he'll eat a load of sweets. He has a huge sweet tooth. For dinner he will have whatever his family are eating, usually another meat and two veg type of meal.

In short, his diet is absolute muck, which makes his acheivments all the more amazing. But he could be a once off case. I would say players from Dublin and Armagh would have good diets. They seems to be into their fitness more.

stellios

Frogdog wrote: »

OP, I know a top top intercounty player very well, and have gone eating with him before at lunch etc. He has Coco Pops for breakfast with a couple of slices of toast, a cup of tea and a glass of orange juice. He will then have a carvery type meal for lunch. In between lunch and dinner he'll eat a load of sweets. He has a huge sweet tooth. For dinner he will have whatever his family are eating, usually another meat and two veg type of meal.

In short, his diet is absolute muck, which makes his acheivments all the more amazing. But he could be a once off case. I would say players from Dublin and Armagh would have good diets. They seems to be into their fitness more.

yeah i kow plenty like that. i unfortunately, could not get away with that. when you hear of diets like that it kind of blows all diet advice given on this site out of th water. suppose genitics has a lot to do with it?

metamorphosis

i remember watching a docu on rte well over a year ago following such a team over a short period of time - the amount of ****e this team ate was unbelievable. And then you have some young kids looking up to some of the better known players as role models and when you see the ****e they were putting away, i was shocked. they were actually advised to eat nutrigrains - much better ways to replace glycogen tbh

In ireland, apart from some of the obvious dedicated sprotsmen and women, the rest don't take all the interconnected variables seriously, which is why they are not seen as professionals internationally.

dxhound2005

This is what the GPA site says.

http://gaelicplayers.com/health-a-fitness/article-categories/diet-a-nutrition

Professional athletes can get away with a lot dietwise eg Michael Phelps. I think Usain Bolt is very fond of chicken nuggets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXRvXtcSu14&feature=related

Blatter

That Michael Phelps diet is astonishing.

Torakx

I used to play soccer every week and worked in a physically demanding job.I was very fit and ate crap.When i stopped exercising i got very sick not just for that reason too though.
What i notice now is that you can be fit but unhealthy at the same time but it will catch up with you eventually.

TheVoodoo

Worked part time in the same place as a Intercounty GAA player (i wont name) . He's generally pop out at lunch and come back with a whole chicken ( the 4e precooked ones ), he'd have the jumbo bowls of salad ( also store bought ). I'd never see him without water in his hand, Atleast 3 liters per day.

I never saw him eat chocolate crisps or anything like that. He'd also have a protein shake in the morning with his breakfast, which was usually several low fat plain yogurts with honey and oatmeal.

Obviously i'v no idea what he eats for dinner, or snacks on at home. But he eats a lot, so i'm guessing that trend will continue out of the workplace.

He wouldn't have been the 'leanest' guy, but he's strong, and very fit.

Khannie

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Professional athletes can get away with a lot dietwise

I'd agree with that alright. It stems from burning a shed load of calories and hitting micronutrient requirements just from eating a lot. Personally, it's important for me to have a bit of badness. I'd go mad without it.

stellios

Ive been looking up on sports nutrition. Carbs seem to be the most important fuel (wholemeal pasta, brown bread) from what ive read.

However from what ive read on this forum, is to stay away from carbs!

Torakx

stellios wrote: »

Ive been looking up on sports nutrition. Carbs seem to be the most important fuel (wholemeal pasta, brown bread) from what ive read.

However from what ive read on this forum, is to stay away from carbs!

I have this same dilemma.I am recovering from candida so need to stay away from carbs and sugar but also looking to get into training alot more so not sure how much carbs i can have before workouts.

rocky

stellios wrote: »

Ive been looking up on sports nutrition. Carbs seem to be the most important fuel (wholemeal pasta, brown bread) from what ive read.

However from what ive read on this forum, is to stay away from carbs!

Torakx wrote: »

I have this same dilemma.I am recovering from candida so need to stay away from carbs and sugar but also looking to get into training alot more so not sure how much carbs i can have before workouts.

There does seem to be a low-carb bias in this forum. Not based in facts, only on anecdodal evidence. It generally is recommended here when wanting to lose weight. The truth (;) ! ) of the matter is that diet-wise, what works universally is a reduction in 'intake calories'. One way of achieving this is by limiting/cutting out carbs. Other ways are just cut from whatever you want. Plus, the water loss associated with low-carb diets is somehow viewed as a reason that they work better than other kinds of diets. Also when carbs are re-introduced, the subsequent water weight gain is seen as 'proof' that carbs are the devil. Relax, it's only water...

In saying that, there are people with medical conditions for whom low carbs will be better, but in general, carbs are fine.

menoscemo

stellios wrote: »

Ive been looking up on sports nutrition. Carbs seem to be the most important fuel (wholemeal pasta, brown bread) from what ive read.

However from what ive read on this forum, is to stay away from carbs!

If you were a serious athlete, training 10+hours a week (e.g a runner who runs 50+ miles a week), then of course you need a lot of (good) carbs.
If you are just trying to lose weight and do moderate excercise a few times a week, then you don't need many carbs.
Most people asking advice here are just looking for advice to drop a few pounds.

Renn

Torakx wrote: »

I have this same dilemma.I am recovering from candida so need to stay away from carbs and sugar but also looking to get into training alot more so not sure how much carbs i can have before workouts.

Fwiw, I weightlift and don't have any prior to my sessions. Usually a sweet potato or two afterwards though. Haven't noticed a decrease in energy whatsoever.

El_Dangeroso

Bottom line is carbs: burn them or wear them

I think if you are doing some serious training then get your carbs from starchy vegetables or white rice. A team in tour de france went wheat-free recently and noticed a marked improvement in their performance.

dxhound2005

Another one who is succesful despite bad dietary habits is Jeremy Wariner holder of multiple Olympic and World Championship medals for sprinting. He is the third fastest man ever over 400 metres. Like Michael Phelps he does some serious training.

Most Olympians are careful to ingest near-perfect ratios of protein and carbs. Wariner couldn't care less. "I'm the worst person in terms of diet," he says. "I eat hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, anything like that." He also regularly goes to bed around one or two in the morning, debunking another training myth.

Blatter

dxhound2005 wrote: »

Another one who is succesful despite bad dietary habits is Jeremy Wariner holder of multiple Olympic and World Championship medals for sprinting. He is the third fastest man ever over 400 metres. Like Michael Phelps he does some serious training.

Most Olympians are careful to ingest near-perfect ratios of protein and carbs. Wariner couldn't care less. "I'm the worst person in terms of diet," he says. "I eat hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, anything like that." He also regularly goes to bed around one or two in the morning, debunking another training myth.

Maybe he would be the fastest man over 400 metres if his diet had been better?

I do know people who can stay lean and perform very well in sports despite having atrocious diets. But surely they would do even better had they aquired better diets?

metamorphosis

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

I do know people who can stay lean and perform very well in sports despite having atrocious diets. But surely they would do even better had they aquired better diets?

Yesh - agree


Also - for some people, food is just fuel for them, some people thrive in their sport/ day to day life eating ****e

Most don't.

I wish i could :mad::D:pac:

dxhound2005

SOCCER4LIFE wrote: »

Maybe he would be the fastest man over 400 metres if his diet had been better?

I do know people who can stay lean and perform very well in sports despite having atrocious diets. But surely they would do even better had they aquired better diets?

Up against Michael Johnson's world record he is never going to be the fastest. But second fastest going back to 1988 is not bad. Johnson himself and Usain Bolt have a similarly relaxed attitude to diet, I wouldn't like to tell any of these guys they are doing it wrong.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympic_games/world_olympic_dreams/8794130.stm