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How many calories do basketball players eat
How many calories do basketball players eat
Do NBA players have personal chefs? What's in an NBA player's diet?
The research behind nutrition and high-performance athletes’ diets is, and continues to be, evolving rapidly over the years. In sports like the NBA, a player's performance is directly correlated with what he consumes. That’s why a lot, if not all, of the most successful and wealthiest athletes in the world hire personal chefs to make sure they’re fueled properly on a daily basis.
LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, Enes Kanter and former basketball player Dwayne Wade are just some of the NBA players known to have personal chefs cooking up personalized meals for the superstars with elite performance.
Let’s take a look at a roadmap of NBA players’ diets that fuels them on the court, and a few of the chefs along with some of these athletes.![]()
What is an NBA player's diet?
The necessity for adequate energy and recovery levels in a high intensity sport like the NBA demands both physical endurance and mental sharpness. Accordingly, the types of food players eat are deliberate as well as beneficial to their everyday goals and efforts.
As far as we know, a majority of a typical NBA player's diet consists of carbohydrates, a happy balance of proteins, and healthy fats. Somewhere between 2000 and 4500 calories a day, NBA players maintain a healthy weight, avoiding empty calories like fizzy drinks and junk food.
To get a bit deeper into these foods, let us further explain. Complex carbohydrates specifically help with energy levels for longer periods of time, as they are slower releasing in the body. The energy obtained from around 55% of rich carbs like pasta, rice, bread, and fruits are the muscles’ preferred source of energy, helping these athletes last a 48-minute game.
Proteins, like whey, eggs and meat, help the maintenance of muscle mass and muscle recovery, while fats help make up the rest of the NBA balanced diet. Not all fats are as beneficial as healthy fats however, which play a crucial role in the immune system, synthesis of hormones and cell membranes. These heart healthy fats include avocado, flaxseed, olive oil and salmon.
See Also:
- NBA rosters after trade deadline and All-Star Break | Eastern Conference
- Are there any NBA games today, Thursday 24 February?
Which NBA players have personal chefs?
For one of the top and highest-paid athletes in the world, LeBron James can afford to have a personal chef that helps him live up to his $850 million career.
Dena Marino has been the four-time MVP’s chef for the last four years, often showing pride in what she does with King James and his tasty-looking meals.
And looking at James, we know these meals are very rich in nutrients.
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Traci Siegel is another notable chef in the NBA culinary world. Her name is well-known among big names like Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and Enes Kater. Siegel makes sure that her clients are not only satisfied with their meals’ tastiness, but she also ensures they are met with all the right nutrients for their health and fitness needs. Siegel also incorporates an unhealthy touch to some of her clients’ diets without jeopardizing their health, as she believes in a well-balanced diet in nutrition and taste.
Personal chefs for these stars require a great deal of adaptation and flexibility that allows them to make big sacrifices like moving with their clients for long periods of time, adapting to the players’ schedules and needs, and being loyal to their top-tier celebrity athletes.
What is an NBA Players Diet? – Basketball Noise
As technology continues to evolve, so does the advancement of sports science. In the world of sports and especially the NBA, with each passing season franchises push the limits on elite performance as the science behind the game continues to push the boundaries.
What is an NBA Players Diet? NBA players consume between 2000-4500 calories a day which is made up of Carbohydrates, Protein and Fats. NBA players avoid empty calories from junk food and fizzy drinks.
One of the biggest evolutions in the NBA and sport in general has been the research behind nutrition and athlete diets in direct correlation with elite performance.
As the years have gone on, NBA players have become more aware of what they are putting in their bodies to continue to compete at the highest-level night in and night out.
We see the high flying dunks, the chase down blocks and overall athletic excellence every night, but let’s dive deeper into what makes up an NBA player diet in order to perform in the best league in the world.
What an NBA player eats?
In any professional sport, the need for fuelling the body is at the heart of any athlete diet. For an NBA player, the capacity to exert as much energy as they need to on a daily basis is directly related to the foods they consume. These foods allow them to fuel their energetic output, and achieve their goals on the hardwood.
In a high intensity sport that demands both physical endurance and mental sharpness, the necessity for the adequate energy and recovery levels is paramount. As such, the foods NBA players eat are deliberate and beneficial to their everyday undertakings.
Carbohydrates
A majority of a typical NBA player’s diet will be made up of carbohydrates along with by a happy balance of proteins and fat sources. Complex carbohydrates are preferred, as they are slower releasing in the body allowing players to have sufficient energy levels for longer periods such as a 48-minute game. As the muscles preferred source of energy, on average, the NBA player diet should consist of approximately 55% coming from carbohydrate rich foods such as vegetables, pasta, bread, fruits and rice. This can of course vary depending on a player’s overall body mass index, and what is asked of them on a daily basis from the franchise.
Protein
The consumption of protein in an NBA diet is required for the maintenance of muscle mass, and plays an important role in recovery. Many athletes take supplements to aid this process, but usually with a well balanced diet this is not necessary. Notably, an excessive amount of protein intake can be detrimental to athletic performance, as the body can start to displace carbohydrates as the primary energy supply when levels are low.
Most importantly, the consumption of adequate of amounts of protein on a daily basis will assist player’s recovery and ability sustain their high level of play.
Fat
Contrary to popular belief, fat also plays an important role in an NBA diet. Dietary fats play an integral role for a well functioning immune system, as well as synthesis of hormones and cell membranes. NBA players make a conscious effort to eat heart “healthy fats” (unsaturated fats) which include olive oil, avocado, salmon and flaxseed. Healthy fats make up the rest of the NBA diet once the carbohydrate and protein requirements have been met.
How many calories do NBA players consume?
The amount of calories an NBA player will consume will depend on their activity levels, athletic goals and body mass index. On average, an NBA player will eat anywhere between 2000 to 4500 calories per day to maintain a healthy weight, and keep up with the rigorous demands of the regular season and beyond.
What foods should NBA players avoid?
As stated earlier, there are certain groups of foods that NBA players should avoid eating in order to maximize performance. These include all saturated fats and an excess of carbohydrates or protein. Chocolate, fizzy drinks and foods that offer little to any nutritional value should be avoided in an NBA diet, but it doesn’t mean the presence of them doesn’t exist. It’s unrealistic to expect players to completely eliminate all guilty pleasures, but there is a direct correlation between the very best players in the world staying productive for years on end, and players that float in and out of their maximum output.
Excessive amounts of alcohol should also be avoided, as they can affect performance, focus, and speedy recovery.
Do NBA players eat at halftime?
During the course of a game, NBA players will consume food and drink to keep energy levels high. Ironically enough, the way players achieve a spike in energy levels is often down to sugar-based drinks and foods that enter the blood stream quickly and can suppress the steady onset of fatigue.
Foods such as candy and chocolates, and drinks such as Gatorade are used to boost energy quickly in order to get through a game.
A real NBA player diet
Eight time All-Star Dwight Howard underwent big changes in his diet in 2012 in order to improve performance moving forward. According to the former number one pick, Howard’s diet consisted mostly of candy, soda and empty starches.
Famously, Howard revealed to CBS Sports “I was big on drinking Gatorades all the time. I didn’t drink a lot of water. I would eat candy and just drink Gatorade.”
After committing to change, Howard replaced candy with almonds and pecans, and within a few short weeks Howard’s blood glucose levels declined by 80%, as well as lowering his body fat percentage from 6% to 3%.
Howard replaced multiple Gatorades a day with natural juices consisting of kale, cucumber, ginger and beetroot. He also cut out bread completely, ate pasta only once or twice a week, and consumed white meat like chicken and fish instead of heavy red meats such as steak.
Below is an example of what Howard now eats on a daily basis for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Breakfast:
– Eggs with yolks
– Spinach
– Kale
– Mushrooms
Snack:
– Low fat yoghurt with berries and muesli
Lunch & Dinner:
– Lean meats
– Wild-caught fish
– Nuts and seeds
– Fruit
– Vegetables
All in all, it’s safe to say an NBA diet is one of, if not the most important aspect of a long and successful career. Like us, players continue to be educated on the importance of the foods they consume. Now more than ever, athletes are doing everything they can to create an advantage over their competition, and diet is definitely at the center of it all.
Gone are the days of having a beer at halftime and a cigar at the end of the game.
Volleyball Calorie consumption and Fitness information
| Moderate Activity |
Calculated energy consumption for 70 kg person | 5 minutes | 24 Calories | | 1 hour | 294 Calories | | 10 minutes | 49 calories | | 2 hours | 588 Calories | | 15 minutes | 74 calories | | 3 hours | 882 Calories | | 30 minutes | 147 Calories | | 4 hours | 1176 calories | | Please note that there are many factors that can contribute to your overall calorie loss. Total energy requirements may vary with gender, age, muscle mass, height, and other genetic and environmental factors.
| | | | | Wii Fit | 220 | 3.0 | | Vacuuming | 220 | 3.0 | | Cleaning | 220 | 3.0 | | Seafaring | 220 | 3.0 | | Car Wash | 220 | 3.0 | | Repair | 220 | 3.0 | | Fishing | 220 | 3.0 | | Surfing | 220 | 3.0 | | Boating or Canoeing | 220 | 3. 0 | | Pilates | 228 | 3.1 | | Walking (Moderate) - 5 km/h | 243 | 3.3 | | Gymnastics (Easy, Ex. Exercises at Home) | 257 | 3.5 | | Walking (Exercise) - 5.5 km/h | 279 | 3.8 | | Table Tennis | 294 | 4.0 | | Leaf Rake | 294 | 4.0 | | Riding a Motorcycle | 294 | 4.0 | | Yard work (in the garden) | 294 | 4.0 | | Swimming (Slow) | 294 | 4.0 | | Archery | 294 | 4. 0 | | Golf (Walking) | 294 | 4.0 | | Riding | 294 | 4.0 | | Bowling | 294 | 4.0 | | Bikram Yoga | 294 | 4.0 | | Dance (Slow) | 294 | 4.0 | | Aqua Bicycle | 294 | 4.0 | | Cycling (Slow) - <16 km/h | 294 | 4.0 | | Softball | 368 | 5.0 | | Lawn Mowing | 368 | 5.0 | | Dance (Quadrille) | 368 | 5.0 | | Shoveling (and Other Related Physical Activities) | 368 | 5. 0 | | Walking (Busy) - 6.5 km/h | 368 | 5.0 | | Kayaking | 368 | 5.0 | | Hunting | 368 | 5.0 | | Spin the hoop (Hula hoop) | 368 | 5.0 | | Badminton | 368 | 5.0 | | Cricket | 368 | 5.0 | | Skating - 16 km/h | 368 | 5.0 | | Baseball | 368 | 5.0 | | Paint | 368 | 5.0 | | Health Club Exercise Series | 404 | 5.5 | | Netball | 441 | 6. 0 | | Floorball | 441 | 6.0 | | Basketball | 441 | 6.0 | | Trampoline | 441 | 6.0 | | Trainer (Slow) | 441 | 6.0 | | Diving | 441 | 6.0 | | Dance (Fast, with Aerobics) | 441 | 6.0 | | Gym | 441 | 6.0 | | Long walk | 441 | 6.0 | | Cycling (Slow) - 18 km/h | 441 | 6.0 | | Skiing (on Water) | 441 | 6.0 | | Walk Speed | 441 | 6. 0 | | Strength Training (Moderate) | 441 | 6.0 | | Snow Shovel | 441 | 6.0 | | Circuit Training | 441 | 6.0 | | Wood Surfing | 441 | 6.0 | | Pole Dance | 441 | 6.0 | | | | | Search | | | Light
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Shaquille O'Neal: What one of the best basketball players in history eats a gym to stay in good physical shape even 5 years after the completion of a professional career.
Shaq and his eating habits
On the floor, Shaquille O'Neal has always seemed huge even by the standards of basketball, but in reality he is even bigger than you might think - with a height of 216 centimeters, Shaq weighs about 150 kilograms. It is difficult to imagine how much he needed to eat per day, given that for a small workout he burned about 1,000 calories.
Chicken and salmon have always been the basis of his diet, and turkey sandwiches were his main weakness: on training days he could eat up to 8 of them. And the standard snack for him was a 12-egg scramble.
Except for his favorite sandwiches, Shaq doesn't cook anything for himself - his sisters always did it or his mother, who lives almost around the corner, as well as a cook who has been working for the basketball player for 12 years. As a child, after every game, his mother made Shaq his favorite macaroni and cheese. With age, of course, he became more attentive to his diet, but still cannot deny himself this dish, the recipe of which was invented by his great-grandmother.
Pasta even has a brand name - Shaq'n'Cheese (derived from Mac'n'Cheese).
After retirement
In the months following the end of a 19-year NBA career, Shaquille found it difficult to get used to his new lifestyle - he stopped controlling his diet, left training and, naturally, gained weight.
Shack associated all problems with being overweight with a slow metabolism. While playing in the NBA, his diet was about 5,000 calories per day, which was logical given his parameters and physical activity. But as soon as intense training disappeared, the same amount of calories led to weight gain.
But after he was invited to work as a TV presenter and commentator on the sports channel TNT, Shaquille again took up himself, stopped eating bread and switched mainly to protein nutrition.
Shaquille O'Neal today
Now for breakfast, Shaquille usually eats a protein omelette and drinks a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.
By the way, he claims that he has never tasted coffee in his entire life.
Shaq follows a protein diet and works out twice a day. He chooses to exercise for himself to keep fit and burn calories, just to eat his favorite sandwiches and mac and cheese.
- My advice to all guys: Walk to work and the gym, walk around the neighborhood with your girlfriend or wife, or jog on the track for about 30 minutes a day. If you make time for physical activity, you can afford a burger today and in a few years. But remember, the more junk food you eat, the harder you'll have to work in the gym to keep the weight off.
Protein omelet
Shaquille O'Neal: what one of the best basketball players in history eats
Ingredients
Egg white
4 pcs.
Cherry tomatoes
50 g
Green onions
2-3 stalks
Hard cheese (grated)
1 tbsp.
l.
Olive oil
for frying
Ground black pepper
⅛ tsp.
Salt
¼ tsp.
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat and brush lightly with oil.
- Whisk the egg whites with salt and pepper in a bowl. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the onion. Add them to proteins.
- Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and cook for 2-3 minutes. When the bottom half of the omelette is ready and the top half is not yet done, carefully flip the omelet over.
- Spread the grated cheese on half of the omelet, then fold it in half. Cook for about a minute more and serve immediately.
Macaroni and Cheese (Shaq'n'Cheese)
Shaquille O'Neal: what one of the best basketball players in history eats
Ingredients
Macarone (horns or spirals)
450 g
Cheese Chestder
550 g
Milk
1 cup
Egg
1 pcs.
