Table of Contents
Introduction
Many people around the world enjoy playing as well watching sports as a great recreational activity. The aim of almost any sport is to be the best. And to be the best, athletes must practice and train to be able to consistently perform at the highest level possible for them. If the athlete wants to gain the best possible results for training, then the value of food and a well-balanced diet is the most important key to their performances. A basketball player’s meal plan should include a wide variety of nutritious foods that helps meet your heavy carb needs while providing enough protein to build and maintain muscle.
Sport analysis
According to nba.com, a normal NBA game has 4 quarters of 12 minutes each, for a total of 48 minutes. However, regulation time is stopped for many aspects of gameplay, like fouls, ball out-of-bounds, timeouts, and a 15-minute halftime. That makes the wall-clock duration of typical games 2-2.5 hours. There are many key fitness components that you need to become a successful basketball player. The most important components I think are more useful are; Balance, Coordination, speed, agility and Cardiovascular Endurance. During a game of basketball, about 75% of the players energy comes from the ATP-PC system, followed by about 15% from the Anaerobic system and approximately 10% from the Aerobic system.
Energy Demands for Competition
Basketball is a high intensity sport which is signalised by jumping (to contest for possession of the ball), and repeated short fast sprints with different periods of recovery. Therefore, basketball players will be using both aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. Players will also have to think tactically and have a fast reaction time as well as display technical ball skills for the length of the game.
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Nutritional requirements for adolescents
Basketball Diet
A basketball player’s diet is high in carbs and low in fat. Most carbs should come from healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and milk to maximize vitamin and mineral intake. Lean red meat, skinless poultry, seafood or beans can help you meet your daily protein needs. For heart health, include healthy fats such as olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds. They should Aim to eat five to seven times throughout the day.
Morning Meals and Snacks
When you’re training hard and heavy, it’s important to stay fuelled throughout the day. A healthy high-carb breakfast meal to start the day right might include a whole-wheat bagel with scrambled eggs, with a banana and a cup of low-fat milk. To keep energy levels up for your hard-working muscles, eat a snack a few hours after breakfast, such as a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk or a cup of low-fat yogurt with an orange.
Afternoon Meals and Snacks
If you’re game or practice is three to four hours away, eat a lunch meal that is high in carbs and includes some protein. For example, whole-wheat pasta mixed with broccoli, carrots, cauliflower and shrimp with low-fat Parmesan cheese and a cup of orange juice. One to two hours before practice or a game, eat a low-fat, high-carb snack to get you through, such as whole-wheat bread with jam or a banana with low-fat milk.
Dinner: Eating for Recovery
What you eat after games and practice is as important as what you eat before. To promote muscle healing and recovery, eat a snack that contains carbs, protein and fat within 30 minutes of finishing up, such as an apple with peanut butter or a cup of low-fat chocolate milk. Eat a healthy dinner meal three to four hours later to continue to replenish energy stores and build and repair muscle. A healthy dinner meal for a basketball player might include grilled chicken with a large baked potato, peas, tossed salad and a glass of low-fat milk.
