Daniel Neman| LasCruces
The average woman needs about 1,800 or 2,000 calories to get through her day. For the average man, it is more like 2,400 calories.
But what if you're an athlete? What if you're, say, an offensive lineman on a professional football team?
The more you physically exert yourself, the more calories you need for fuel. The average offensive lineman requires 6,200 to 6,500 calories a day to perform at his peak with sufficient energy throughout an entire game.
Even a lowly quarterback needs 5,200 to 5,400 calories.
Obviously, athletes don't eat like the rest of us, and elite athletes don't eat like ordinary athletes.
Back in the day, Babe Ruth was known to devour two porterhouse steaks, two salads, two orders of fries and two apple pies a la mode for dinner — and then make after-dinner snacks out of a dozen hot dogs washed down with a dozen Coca-Colas.
But those days, perhaps fortunately, are gone. Eating is more of a science now. Today's athletes are likely to follow a health-conscious regimen, and many professional teams hire their own nutritionists and dietitians.
Simon Lusky is the team chef for the St. Louis Cardinals and is also chef and owner of Revel Kitchen. A nutritionist with a degree from the Johnson & Wales culinary school, he tailors his meals to athletes depending on the sport they play, the training they do and even their roles on their team.
Though their needs are different, he has the same mantra for everyone: "I believe in balance overall, a good balance between fat, protein and carbohydrates."
How this balance is formulated, however, is different for the different lifestyles. "Sedentary people want to watch carbohydrates, but it's vice versa for athletes. For athletes we want to get them carbs, and time them well," he said
Lusky said that a good balance for weekend warriors and many elite athletes is to consume 50 percent of their calories in carbohydrates, 30 percent in protein and 20 percent in fats.
Lusky prefers what he calls "clean" carbohydrates — whole grains and unprocessed foods as opposed to white rice and white bread.
"They can have potatoes, but not mashed potatoes with butter and cream. We're roasting them.," he said.
Athletes especially need protein because it helps to repair muscles. Lusky focuses on what he calls high-quality proteins, "things that are wild-caught or grass-fed." Fresh vegetables and fruits are also important.
However, he says, "They say that you can't metabolize anything more than two grams of protein per pound of body weight. After that, your body can't use it and just flushes it out. Those are calories that make your body work hard and can put a lot of strain on your body, such as your kidneys trying to get rid of it" he said.
For most athletes in training, he recommends a ratio of 1 gram of protein daily for every pound of body weight.
When he is cooking for the Cardinals, Lusky often likes to make healthy, nutrient-dense versions of otherwise unhealthy comfort food. Instead of fried chicken, he makes roasted chicken covered with crushed corn flakes for crunch.
And for macaroni and cheese, he makes a sauce mostly out of pureed butternut squash.
"I like to tell everyone, including elite athletes, that everyone should lead their life by the 80-20 rule," he said. Eighty percent of the time, you should watch what you eat. In the other 20 percent, you should "live a little."
When Lusky first came to work for the Cardinals, the team's strength and conditioning coach Pete Prinzi told him, "You can't train hard and diet hard. Something will give." Just as it is important to take a day off from exercise to let your body rest, Lusky believes that taking a day off from dieting is important for your mental health. You can't live up to unreal expectations, he said.
What is vital for athletes eating balanced meals is to keep at it, he said.
"Consistency is everything. It is important to keep up what you are doing, even if it is a little bit. Never quit. Something is better than nothing."
Healthy/Good Macaroni and Cheese
Yield: 4 (1-cup) servings
INGREDIENTS
2 cups uncooked whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups butternut squash, see note
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons goat cheese (chevre)
DIRECTIONS
Note: If available, use fresh butternut squash — split it in half and roast it at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, until soft; then purée the interior orange part. If the squash is not in season, use a 12-ounce package of frozen butternut squash (or winter squash), prepared in the microwave according to instructions on the package.
1. Prepare macaroni according to instructions on the package. Drain.
2. Place pureed squash in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in stock and mozzarella, Cheddar and goat cheeses. Cook until the cheese is melted and thoroughly incorporated. Combine the macaroni with the sauce.
Per serving: 323 calories; 10 g fat; 6 g saturated fat; 28 mg cholesterol; 17 g protein; 46 g carbohydrate; 1 g sugar; 6 g fiber; 259 mg sodium; 245 mg calcium.
Recipe by Daniel Neman from an idea by Simon Lusky
Baked Fried Chicken
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 chicken cut up, or 4 breasts or 4 leg quarters
2 eggs
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 cups crushed corn flakes, see note
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
DIRECTIONS
Note: To crush corn flakes, place in a gallon-size plastic bag. Run over them firmly with a rolling pin.
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (if you have nonstick aluminum foil, use that).
2. Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry. Beat together eggs and lemon juice in a wide bowl. In another wide, shallow bowl or plate, combine crushed corn flakes, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and optional cayenne pepper.
3. Take each piece of chicken, dip it in the egg wash and then roll it in the corn flake mixture. Place on prepared baking sheet.
4. Roast in oven 30 minutes, turn the pieces, then continue to cook until done, 20 to 30 minutes more.
Per serving: 479 calories; 21 g fat; 6 g saturated fat; 150 mg cholesterol; 44 g protein; 26 g carbohydrate; 3 g sugar; 1 g fiber; 1,192 mg sodium; 30 mg calcium.
Recipe by Daniel Neman from an idea by Simon Lusky
