The Post Season

So now that everyone is starting to enter the post season, at least in my sport, I thought I'd go over some pointers on how to change one's diet accordingly.

When the season ends, the body is usually in tip-top shape. Since the body is so well conditioned at this point, it is almost craving more exercise or at least the everyday regiment of work outs and practices and games. Now with that dwindling down to whatever level you choose, its important to realize that your body will be uncomfortable with the change at first.

If you are coming down from an extremely intensive training schedule, your body will feel strange from the extra sleep and from the food you eat. For example, waking up earlier, or getting less sleep than normal will cause your body to feel more tired than it actually is. This is because you are messing with your circadian rhythm or in other words, your body's balanced way of life. This fatigue and time shift can also alter when you eat your food as well. Now that you don't have practice in the morning, You may have breakfast when you are normally on the court. Your body could not be used to a full meal that early, thus leading to discomfort. The reason I'm telling you all this is not to avoid it, but to embrace it. Your body will be uncomfortable at first. Don't push it too hard too fast after the season ends. Nicely and slowly ease your schedule to a comfortable level of sleep, eating, and exercise, and listen to your body for when it is hurting because it is trying to tell you something.

The other thing that happens when the season ends is calorie needs. Without spending all the excessive amount of calories you normally use in practice, it's important to control portions. Especially at the beginning of the now eased up schedule, it can be way to easy to destroy a ton of food in one sitting. After all, your body is used to eating a lot more calories. The easiest way to control this change is to spend more of your extra time in the kitchen making your food. The more time you take making your food, the more awesome and nutritious you can make it, but you will also pay WAY more attention to what you are doing. Therefore it will be incredibly easier to lighten the portions.

When at the store in the off season, it can still be easy to be lazy. I challenge you to push yourself to try new recipes and make up new dishes! What better time to work on your cooking skills and nutritional knowledge then now? You got all this free time. So when you go into the freezer section and really want that frozen pre-made something, look at it, and tell yourself that you can make the same thing using other stuff you can buy at the store. Ten bucks says it will taste better too. Have some fun with it! See who makes the best hot wings, Caesar salad, pizza crust, stir fry, or grilled cheese in your apartment/building/team.

For many during the season it is work hard, play hard, get results. This is usually turned off in the off season, but I say keep one area "on" and that is your diet. Pay attention to what and how much you are eating. You should do your best to eat healthy like you always do with paying much more attention to decreasing the amount eaten. With this in mind you can keep off the "post-season poundage" and keep your body happy.

Enjoy your free time!