The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new reality for the ways athletes train, eat and interact with their teammates. The Stay at Home initiative is for the greater good, but nonetheless it is challenging for professional athletes to maintain peak fitness.
As the LA Galaxy team dietitians, we want to make sure our athletes are still fueling their bodies with quality nutrition. When the training moratorium began, every player received individualized nutrition plans and Herbalife Nutrition products to support the demands of the at-home training programs. To keep the fun-spirit of the team environment, we decided to come up with engaging nutrition competitions and virtual learning sessions.
LA Galaxy Nutrition Challenges
The first team players are competing amongst each other in a “Nutrition Challenge Series.” Each week has a different nutrition-related theme, and players must submit their best entry to the group chat for a chance to win Amazon gift cards. Not only is it a fun way for the players to interact as a team, but an opportunity to keep nutrition on their minds.
We have completed two challenges so far:
- Best Recovery Meal
- A cooking competition where players had to submit a photo of the best recovery meal after a moderately hard training session
- This type of plate should be divided in thirds to include: 1/3 lean protein, 1/3 whole grains or starchy carbs, 1/3 color (fruits & vegetables)
- Winners—Perry Kitchen’s BBQ Chicken Bowl (Best Recovery Meal) & Justin Vom Steeg (Best Presentation)
- Fueling Home Workouts with Herbalife Nutrition
- A challenge to submit a creative video showing how they use Herbalife Nutrition products to fuel training at home
- Winners—Sacha Kljestan (Funniest) & Daniel Steres (Cutest guest appearance)
Some more challenges coming up in the weeks ahead include best family recipe and best protein shake recipe. We’re looking forward to all the creative ideas our guys come up with!
LA Galaxy II Virtual Nutrition Sessions
Los Dos players are participating in team nutrition Zoom calls. The first virtual learning session focused on nutrition for immunity. We discussed which foods and nutrients are most helpful for keeping immune systems strong during this difficult time. Hard training sessions actually have the potential to “weaken” the immune system temporarily, so it is important for athletes to prioritize proper recovery nutrition especially during quarantine.
The next session will be a recovery shake competition amongst the players. We will judge the recipes in a live Zoom award show, and prizes will be awarded to the group that comes up with the most creative, tasty & nutrient packed shake. Should be fun to see their twist on the traditional Herbalife24 Rebuild Strength shake they usually receive daily at our facility!
Stay tuned for more Galaxy nutrition challenges.
Nutrition for the win!
Brooke & Nicolette
