Saturday, February 4, 2012

Friday, February 3, 2012

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Dwayne Wade on nutrition and a better diet..

From USA Today:
MIAMI – Dwyane Wade was sitting on a table in the Miami Heat training room about an hour before game time Sunday, doing something he never would have envisioned a few years ago.

In his lap: Small servings of pasta and fruit.

"When it comes to food," Wade said, "I understand the things that I need now.

Wade turns 30 later this month, and in his ninth pro season nutrition is as important to him as any other part of his regimen. That wasn't always the case: Even when he was on his way to being MVP of the NBA finals in 2006, Wade could get away with eating just about anything he wanted — chicken fingers and cheeseburgers seeming like staples of his diet.

Not anymore.

Farewell, sweets. Hello, salads.

And Wade said changing the way he fuels his body has him feeling as healthy as ever.

"The protein, the drinks, the carbohydrates, I know all the things I need," Wade said. "The biggest thing is that I've talked with a nutritionist, who's working with the team, who understands what we need, how much we practice, what weight I need to be at, what body fat, this, this and this. Put them together, come up with a master plan, and I reap the benefits."

So are the Heat, who are 5-0 for the first time after polishing off the Charlotte Bobcats 129-90 on Sunday night not long after Wade polished off that pasta-and-fruit dinner. Wade came into the season with a body fat of less than 4%, but said he has enough strength and bulk to get through the grind of a condensed 66-game regular season, and credited the culinary changes for that thought.

One of his secrets is chlorophyll. Yes, the stuff that allows plants to extract energy from light is helping energize Wade as well.

"I put it in juices for him," said Richard Ingraham, a personal chef for Wade and his longtime girlfriend, Gabrielle Union. "He does a juice now that I make out of beets, chlorophyll, ginger. I'm giving him a nature-made Red Bull. It's all about giving him energy and keeping him as healthy as possible."

Ingraham often tweets descriptions and photos of some of the things he's whipping up in the kitchen, whether it's red velvet waffles, toffee butter cookies or spice cake with cream cheese frosting and a rum glaze.

Union has been known to tweet her delight with some of the chef's selections. Wade doesn't mention them often, and apparently, there's a reason for that.

"They're not for me," he said. "That's not mine. That's the ladies."

Wade loses about five pounds a game, so his postgame meal tends to be as important — if not more so — than the pregame one. Ingraham tends to keep things simple, such as chicken breast or turkey breast. On occasion, he said he'll make one of Wade's former favorites as a treat, but for the most part Wade sticks to the healthier choices.

Not long ago, Wade tweeted his breakfast menu: Bacon and egg whites on wheat toast, calling it "Breakfast of a champion." He still likes cookies and milk sometimes, but clearly, his palate is changing.

"He doesn't really like vegetables," Ingraham said. "When I put the salad down, I know that's something he really doesn't want to do, but he knows it can help him. It's not like I'm putting down asparagus. We're taking baby steps. But it works."

Wade agreed — it is working. And someone who once famously said he'd rather eat just about anything other than salad is starting to change his tune.

"It's working for me," Wade said. "It's not bad. It's better than I thought. Just trying to give my body an edge. I'm just trying to do whatever I can within my limitations of doing it. Most of my salad consists of fruit. It's helping me out. I'm just trying to figure out ways that I can make sure I at least give my body a chance to be as healthy as it can be."

Sport Nutrition Checklists

 Here are two GREAT breakdowns that I would highly encourage you to share with your athletes! The quality is a bit poor so please email me at ChrisPassmore@uri.edu and I'll be happy to fax or email you a cleaned up copy.

Quote of the Day:

"I improve; therefore, I am." -Tiger Woods' Creed

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Quote of the Day:

"Good teaching is more a giving of right questions than a giving of right answers." --Josef Albers

Ways to Improve Everyday


1. #ImproveEveryDay by reading about/from those who already are where you want to be.


2. #ImproveEveryDay by prioritizing your day. Doesn't matter how, but develop a system that works for you!



3. #ImproveEveryDay by being productive w/ down time. Make it deliberate, not convenient.



4. #ImproveEveryDay by reviewing old notes, applying those ideas, then innovating from them.



5. #ImproveEveryDay by carrying a pen + pad, and using them. Write down your ideas and good ones you hear.



6. #ImproveEveryDay by seeking out significant professional relationships, and cultivating them.



7. #ImproveEveryDay by having a Grad Assistant mentality. No task is beneath you, and find other ways to contribute when you finish yours!



8. #ImproveEveryDay by learning to say no. Don't stretch yourself too thin - allow room to focus.



9. #ImproveEveryDay with a WIN mentality - Work Hard. Intensity. No excuses.



10. #ImproveEveryDay by remembering that the best leaders are servants first. People follow those who do something for them!

Thanks to Collin Wright (his blog here

Monday, January 30, 2012

Quote of the Day:

"Few people take objectives really seriously. They put average effort into too many things, rather than superior thought and effort into a few important things. People who achieve the most are selective as well as determined."
— Richard Koch