Healthy Dieting Is Importance To Athletes Taking Care Of Their Bodies, “Just Because You Eat Right Doesn’t Mean You Shouldn’t Work Out”.
“I think a lot of people place a lot of emphasis on just going to the gym or just working out,” Xzavier Mashack said. “And to be honest, I was that way for a long time. I would just eat whatever I wanted and then hit the gym and that would be it. I never really tried to eat healthier. But when I would get burnt out on the football field, or not have energy throughout the day, I was always confused. I never thought about changing my eating habits.”
Mashack is a graduate of Woodside High School who currently attends VCU on an academic scholarship. He is a former student athlete that really enjoyed playing football. He shared his knowledge of healthy dieting and the importance of athletes taking care of their bodies.
“I finally started eating better when I got tired of being tired. I really paid a lot of attention to what I put into my body. I started thinking, ‘Hey, maybe I should eat less fast food, less sugar, and less junk.’ So I tried it for like a month and a half. I was really strict about what went into my body because it’s super duper easy to develop bad habits but it’s also incredibly hard to break them. But I also didn’t just immediately get rid of all of those things in my diet, I kind of eliminated them slowly. I started with sugary products that I loved, first. I stopped eating candy and pastries first. Then I cut out soda and energy drinks. Then I moved onto junk foods like chips and cookies. I just tried to slowly rework my diet. I started to substitute those things with healthy snacks like apples, carrots, and grapefruit. I eat more peanut butter and quinoa now. I stay away from fried foods with a lot of grease and eat baked and grilled products. I drink so much more water than I used to.
“Water is such an important component to any healthy diet. Your intake of water should be something that you really focus on when you do things that get your heart pumping and you sweat a lot. I only ever really drank water when I worked out and during games and practice, but even then I also drank a lot of Gatorade. These days, I don’t drink any of that stuff, just water. On and off the field. In between meals, with meals, in the morning, at night. All the time. Water is so important.
“But just because you eat right doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work out. Both are really important when you want to improve your body and your mind. It keeps you busy and balanced. You eat good, and you train good. It’s all about discipline. If it’s a lifestyle you’re not used to, it helps a lot if there are people around you who support you and help you make the best decisions possible. Having bad influences doesn’t do much to help your esteem or your willpower. I would advise anyone to start slow and move into it with a positive mindset. It’s okay to have cheat days. Even I need a burger every once in a while. But don’t let that consume you–or don’t let yourself consume that, for that matter.” By Amanda Howard