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I know that sounds like a dumb question, but I was just reminded of that question I've had in my head for years while looking at the Texans' roster, so finally decided to go public with it.
I knew a guy in college that was on the football team & weighed 190lbs and was 5'11", was really ripped with no fat whatsover, and I've never seen anyone eat at much as him e.g. seems like at the dining hall after finishing dinner his tray would crammed with 4-5 empty plates.
So when I see a lot of pro guys that on average weigh 250 to 300lbs and 6'1" to 6'5" and have little if any excess fat, I figure they must really pack it in: for example James Casey at 6'3" and 243lbs and looks like an amateur bodybuilder - he must give owners of buffet restaurants a scare when he walks in the door!
You must remember, professional athletes (or any athlete for that matter) must eat to not only fuel their bodies, but also to maintain certain weight requirements. Depending on how active they are, will determine just how much they eat.
I have a book that talks about nutritional intake for the athletes and it is broken down by sport, intensity level, weight, etc. A super active 210 pound defensive back can pack away 5000-6500 calories per day. Offensive lineman can do even more.
Heck, when I am bulking I try to eat 4000 per day (which is difficult)
Ultra runners just might have them beat. I remember reading Chuck Engle, an ultra runner who put together a movie documentary called 'Running the Sahara.' He said they had to get to the point of eating 10,000 calories per day, which he said was 'not as fun as it sounds.' Geoff Roes, one of the top ultra runners right now, talks about what a challenge it is for him to eat enough to keep from his weight dropping below where he wants it.
Even marathoners (26.2 miles) have to take in some calories to avoid having their tank run dry towards the end of the race--either gatorade or 'gels' which are basically candy-like things that you can eat on the run. The guys who are running 50-100 miles really have a problem taking in enough. Running The Sahara Movie Trailer - YouTube
6500 calories a day sounded nutty enough (I believe it though), but the 10K calories...yikes! I can't imagine stuffing that much food into my body per day. Btw sort of off-topic but this is one aspect of weight training I didn't see much written about when I started about seven years ago: the price of the extra food you need to build muscle. It can get quite pricey, especially the protein stuff!
They will all have to pay the piper someday for their gluttonous abuse!
A few years ago in late March I was in Tucson for a little Spring training baseball with the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Along comes former Denver Bronco and current ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth and grabs a seat in the stands. His son at that time was on the Diamondback roster.
Schlereth was very personable, signing autographs, shaking hands with the fans, etc. One fan asked him the question "What was the biggest adjustment you had to make once you finally retired?" he replied "Lose 100 pounds."
He's right. And Schlereth ought to know about how surgeries can slow an individual down, at last count he had 29 surgeries in his career, if memory serves. He also said what he weighed, at that time was just a shade over 200 pounds.
Years ago I knew a Dallas Cowboy......he only quit because he broke his leg in more than one place....he was so proud of his super bowl ring.. I want to say he ate at least 6k calories a day during the season......he told me about their breakfasts.....protein and carbs......lots of bacon and eggs, etc..... He said they ate lots of steak.....
He was single at the time......and sometimes, during the off season, he fixed frozen chicken nuggets and tater tots...we always had a good laugh...he was good at a lot of things, but not cooking...
I've seen on the news that professional athletes are being encouraged to eat much healthier now than they ever used to be. Balanced diets. Lean meats/veggies/fruit/whole grains.
Multi million dollar contracts are involved and team owners and coaches want to see their athletes stay in tip top shape. Gone are the days when a player could sit down with his teammates and polish off a plate (or several) of triple cheeseburgers, french fries and ribs.
I'm sure that there's some room for the more greasy, fried stuff. But it may not be as much as we think. Can you imagine trying to get in 5,000-10,000 lean calories in every day? I almost feel bad for them..
I've seen on the news that professional athletes are being encouraged to eat much healthier now than they ever used to be. Balanced diets. Lean meats/veggies/fruit/whole grains.
Multi million dollar contracts are involved and team owners and coaches want to see their athletes stay in tip top shape. Gone are the days when a player could sit down with his teammates and polish off a plate (or several) of triple cheeseburgers, french fries and ribs.
I'm sure that there's some room for the more greasy, fried stuff. But it may not be as much as we think. Can you imagine trying to get in 5,000-10,000 lean calories in every day? I almost feel bad for them..
you would need to eat so much more just to satisfy the current notion that that stuff is any healthier than the cheeseburger and fries. these guys need the calories, so they should eat high calorie foods.
Maybe I'm wrong but it seems to me professional sports is all about performance today. The next game is the most important game ever. Professional football in particular looks like a rough sport.
Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you die.
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