Post Game Nutrition: Starting the Recovery Process

Post-Game Nutrition: Starting the Recovery Process

Here in Utah, we are beginning our High School baseball seasons and, shortly, our recreation league seasons. With the start of the season comes increased inflammation and wear and tear on the body. Post-game nutrition is one incredibly overlooked aspect, no matter the competition level. While it is easy to speed through the drive-through and grab something to take home, it is not what is best to maintain or build upon the progress from the off-season. Here are some post-game nutrition thoughts to help keep your athlete recovering for the year.

1: Beet Root Chews: Beets help with blood flow, which is a key to recovery. I recommend that my athletes take a beetroot chew before they begin their warm-up for the game and, ideally, directly after the game. This helps start the activation process by helping blood flow before the game, and it dramatically speeds up recovery by keeping blood flow active after the game. If you cannot do pre- and post-beet root chews and can only pick one, I would prioritize the post-game beet root chew.

The post-throw is more important because the blood vessels begin to restrict through inflammation, so anything you can do to stimulate the blood flow is ideal. Below is a link to beetroot chews I recommend and use myself.

Beet Root Chews Link: https://amzn.to/3wCust3

2: Post-Game Meal: If you prioritize food quality, not quantity, on the post-game meal, it will significantly improve recovery. If you are strapped for time and must go to a fast-food restaurant, my top pick is Chipotle. Chipotle uses the least amount of high-inflammatory oils and additives in its cooking. Even though Chipotle is not ideal, it is the best and worst option. I love hamburgers and fries. They are not an ideal post-game meal as they contribute to inflammation and do not help you combat it.

With travel at the youth level not being large distances with very few overnight stays, it would be beneficial to invest in a crock pot. Crock pots were my best friend at the minor league level, as they allowed me to put higher-quality lean protein, vegetables, and anti-inflammatory seasonings into the pot on low before I left for the field. When I got back, everything was cooked and ready to eat. Even though professional-level teams provide post-game meals, they are not always the best; they usually are the cheapest option. Taking control of your post-game feed through a crock pot not only saves you money compared to the fast food bill, but it also helps you build during your season instead of regressing.

With the crock pot taking care of your proteins and vegetables, you can always add some mixed fruit, whether frozen, fresh, or from a can. Regardless of your method of consumption, it still beats the drive-through.

Crock Pots: https://amzn.to/3wxSy8b

While it may seem extremely easy to just run to the drive-through, don't make it a habit—these small changes of preparing food in a slow cooker and adding in better options for blood flow will help you not just in the short term but the long term of your entire baseball career.