Cricket is a game which requires both fitness and concentration.Top level Cricketers will train in Cricket nets by playing a game four or five times a week.In addition to playing they visit gym and train with both cardiovascular equipment and weights two or three times a week.Excelling in Cricket therefore takes a lot of time and energy,so it is essential that Cricketers have a well structured nutrition programme to not only keep fit and energized for a long game,but also to help their concentration,maximizing the skill potential.
The day of a cricketer begins with breakfast consisting of a large bowl of porridge made with jumbo oats+200 ml skimmed milk+water with a teaspoon of sugar or resin as desired,250 ml of fresh fruit juice and tea/coffee to start their day energetically.
After breakfast Cricketers usually trai n about an hour with their workouts and immediately post work out 25g whey protein which is a protein found in milk having similar amino acid profile to that of human muscle tissue,as well as being digested, absorbed and taken up by muscles quickly, mixed with 25g dextrose with water is recommended.After a gap of 45 mins,2-3 oatcakes with low fat soft cheese,any item of fruit and drink.
In lunch usually sandwich made with granary or brown bread which is low in glycemic index and provides slow release energy with olive oil spread stuffed with lean ham/chicken or large mackerel fillet,100g mixed nuts and seeds,mixed salad,low fat low sugar yogurt and isotonic drink having plenty of electrolytes.
During cricket training sipping plenty of water or isotonic drinks are recommended to keep the level of electrolytes in the body intact.Post training 2-3 oatcakes with low fat soft cheese and 100g mixes nuts and seeds with isotonic drinks or water is recommended.
Evening meal generally consists of lean fillet steak or chicken breast or fish plus herbs to taste.Boiled potatoes or basmati rice or dry roasted sweet potatoes with plenty of vegetables,low fat zero added sugar yogurt and drink,and one hour pre bed 100g cottage cheese/quark which is also known as Toffen is a type of curd cheese made by letting lactic acid ferment milk,it is a very high protein food,principally casein, suitable for vegetarians and rich in calcium and phosphates or low fat natural yogurt,banana,small handful mixed nuts seeds and drink.For vegetarians usually a choice of cottage cheese(paneer) and lentils i.e various types of dal and loads of vegetables are recommended.
Some of the famous Indian cricketers like ViratKohli have a little bit different diet plan like usually he is on a diet of lamb,fish ans salads,which provides him with the required amountof protein without adding to the flab that he might need to shed in the gym.During tours he is on a diet of lamb chops, pink salmon and drinks anything other than Evian(500INR/1.5l) .No wonder why he is one of the fittest cricketer in the world.Rohit Sharma did put on a lot of weight a few seasons back which he has curbed down by eating boiled eggs at certain intervals close to a fortnight in order to loose the extra flab and once that was achieved he decided to work on his body.Nowadays,he is on a low carb high protein diet designed by a leading fitness coach.
