dinner
Just because you exercise a ton, and look fabulous doesn’t mean you’re healthy. Athletes do crazy and sometimes illegal things to get an edge on their sport, but all that’s needed is usually a tune-up in what they’re eating. Retired National Basketball player Rodney Strickland used to eat pizza and hot dogs before each game (1). Protein with carbs is a good combination for a pre-workout meal but definitely not greasy pizza and salty, fatty hot dogs. High fat foods make most people queasy before exercise so it’s no surprise he was running to the restroom in the middle of the games (1).
In my opinion, high-fat foods are good for no one and for this reason I’m not a fan of the Paleo diet. Look at their cookbooks; almost every dish has bacon! Another American professional basketball player, Ray Allen, who presently plays for the Miami Heat, wanted to up his game, so he went on the Paleo diet (1). Athletes need a lot of carbohydrates to keep their energy up and their blood sugars stable. Since the Paleo diet is low in carbohydrates, he became lethargic, but once he upped his dietary intake with healthy carbs, his energy came back (1).
If you want to lose fat, feel energized, and become better at everything you do, scrap the diet books. What you need to eat is a healthy dose of whole grains and beans, a bounty of fruit, and lots of greens and vegetables, with a smaller portion of lean proteins like chicken breast, turkey, tofu and fish. Add a sprinkle of nuts and seeds instead of cheese and you’re on your way to awesome.