Welcome to the ninth installment of Game Changers! Here, we get to talk about all things nutrition with me, Dolapo Balogun. I’m a registered and licensed dietitian who gets to use this platform to give you all trusted, evidence-based information. This means, you can trust Game Changing Fuel as a source for all the 411 on nutrition. This is our space to not only get real, but also get informed. 🧐
In the day and age that we live in, being an elite basketball player is not for the faint of heart. As competitive as it is, everyone is looking for that extra edge over the competition.
What often separates the goods from greats is finding just what that edge is.
Over the last decade, there's been a rise in the sports nutrition industry as players, coaches, agents, teams, managers - actually, everyone involved - is understanding that the name of the game is recovery.
If I can recover to full-go today, my chances of beating you tomorrow is significantly higher.
Basketball is a long season, on all levels, and it's about performance, recovery, and maintaining peak condition throughout the season.
My D1 college coach used to say, "you want to be the healthiest team come March."
Another aspect of nutrition that doesn't get recognition is its role in the mental side of the game. Obviously, we want athletes to show up with fuel in their tank to sustain a workout/game, but what about fueling for peak mental sharpness?
When I worked in the elite high school space, many of the athletes I worked with were skipping breakfast and wondering why they were feeling lethargic, slow, and sluggish come practice time.
I asked Brittany Williams, MS. Ed, MHFA her thoughts on what she notices about the mental side of the game. Williams is a mental performance coach and owner of B-Mindful Consulting LLC.
Elite athletes reach peak performance by utilizing both mind and body, with proper nutrition playing a key role in supporting cognitive function, energy levels, and recovery. Athletes who are properly fueled increase their chances of success, as the right nutrients help maintain endurance and intensity, especially in high-pressure situations.
Everyone knows basketball is mental; you have to be sharp calling plays, focused to hit your shots, and locked in when it comes to making the right decisions in late-game situations.
When athletes show up without fuel in the tank, they aren't putting their team in a position to be successful.
Especially by not controlling the controllables.
So what does fueling a team look like?
Right now, I'm working in the NCAA as a sports dietitian and here's a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes.
Practice Days
Practices are usually harder than the actual games. This means providing enough energy for total calories and hydration. Ya know, providing a great foundation consistently.
From stocking fueling stations with pre/post practice fuel, to providing maltodextrin and sports drinks during lifts, to making sure the team meal after workouts runs smoothly, a lot goes into the day to day.
This also looks like providing supplements to help with daily recovery such as protein smoothies, cherry juice, and vitamins.
Game Days
Game days is what everyone is waiting for, and it's about keeping the main thing the main thing.
You want consistency, and to rule out any chances of disruptions to routine. When it comes to fueling the athletes, pre-game meals are about getting basic foods in that are nutritious and to the point - we don't want to risk any GI discomfort or food poisoning.
During the game, we must be extra mindful about hydration and keeping snacks readily available at half time. Once the game is finished, we make sure the post-game meal is ready to go so that the recovery process can begin immediately.
Traveling
Traveling is all about being adaptable.
Whether we need food on the bus, plane, hotels, or arena, it's important to be able to think on your feet because one thing is consistent: nothing ever goes according to plan.
People cancel, you switch time zones, and you face delays. It's sports - you have to expect the unexpected.
When you're on the road, and in an unfamiliar environment, you want to make sure that you can keep things as normal as possible to home life, so that the body doesn't have to make that big of an adjustment.
I’ve learned that when a player isn’t having their best practice, their game is off. A part of that comes from lack of fueling; they’ve disrupted their flow because they’re already gassed and now their decision making is down so it can quickly become a snowball effect which could have been easily prevented by just eating and drinking properly before a long practice or game.
The plans adjust based on the players’ performance, fatigue, and the demands of the season. Nutrition becomes more recovery-focused as the season progresses!
The foodservice aspect of a dietitian's role doesn't even scratch the surface of all that really happens! There's also the clinical and community aspect that is equally as time-consuming.
Food can be a nightmare to deal with; that's why its best to leave it to the experts. Between the various days, RDs have to manage dietary needs, allergies, specific performance goals while making sure food is nutritionally balanced and delicious!
The biggest flex is that GCF has worked with NBA athletes and draft prospects, amongst other professional leagues.
We have chefs and dietitians that really get it.
It ain't easy, but everyone would be doing it if it was.
I encourage you to think about the importance of personalized nutrition in your own lives.
But seriously, don't think too hard - GCF is here to help.
With gratitude,
Dolapo ✌️
Until next time. . .
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