Being a professional football player is not a job for every person out there. The amount of sacrifices and compromises, both physical and psychological that go into being a successful pro football player in the NFL can be gruelling to say the least for everyday people. That’s why for many football enthusiasts it’s best to bet on NFL action than actually be a part of that same action. But still, there’s a reason, or well, many reasons why pro football players excel at what they do. From dieting, to proper resting rituals, workout routines and many other aspects, in order to be a pro football player discipline is a must. Now, while we are not here to sell you on the idea of taking up all the sacrifices and compromises that pro football players partake in order to stay in the best shape and state possible week in and week out, we bring you two of the top nutrition tips that will help you maintain a healthy lifestyle just like NFL players have.

Having Proper Dieting Habits

If you watch an NFL game, the first thing that might come to mind is taking notice of how gargantuanly big pro football players can be. And while yes, not all of them look massive, with kickers and punters leading the helm for players who look like everyday people, when you look at players like defensive linemen or offensive linemen, they usually look like they have the size, strength, and power to break through a wall at any given moment. Now, with that said, don’t let the sizes fool you. Just because you look at a player that might be in the 300 to 350-pound range, that does not mean that his body is all fat. Instead, thanks to proper nutritional and dieting habits, players in those frames are able to have bodies as big but with muscle mass being the main component instead of fat.

For NFL players eating properly is one of the top nutrition tips for being able to maintain a healthy and prosperous career. That’s something that people from all walks of life could definitely learn from NFL stars and get behind on. While there are extreme cases like Tom Brady and his dieting system that includes a very passionate hatred of anything and everything involving sweets, with records of him even showing a dislike for products like tomatoes and strawberries, most other NFL players usually just rely on a high-protein, mostly lean protein too, high vegetable, complex carbs, and healthy fats diet. For NFL players to be able to build and maintain a proper muscle mass structure, staying away from processed foods, artificial sweets, saturated and trans fats is a must. Instead, players usually rely on products like fish, lean red meats, avocados, nuts, both in natural form and in spreads, and other health-driven products as the rulers of their diets.

Dieting like this is not only good for your body, because of the levels of muscle mass one can produce as well as the levels of clean fats which can then be turned into energy when burned off by the body but also good for creating better mental and emotional habits. Having a clean diet usually is one of the top nutrition tips because it helps the body in many more ways than just slimming down and obtaining a better shape, it’s a whole process. Just keep in mind, dieting is not denying yourself the chance to enjoy food, it’s just finding new ways to enjoy it without causing unnecessary harms to your body.

Hydration Is King

Again, if you’ve ever watched a pro football game you’ve probably noticed how much Gatorade players go through in every game. If it’s not any energy drink it’s water, but the point is very clear, hydration is key in order to be able to perform at the highest level and maintain a healthy body and lifestyle, especially in a world as competitive and demanding as professional football. While it can be easily understood that maintaining yourself hydrated during workout sessions or when participating in sporting activities is a must, hydration is important in all levels and walks of life.

Keeping your body properly hydrated is key for having better digestion, as well as keeping your skin healthy and many other factors. Now, before you go running for a jug of water to down it like a champ, take in mind that dehydration is bad, proper hydration is great but over hydration is also very bad. Instead of wanting to drink down anything and everything in your path, the key here, just how NFL players do it, is to hydrate gradually through the day. Be it with water, energy drinks, coffee or tea, always keeping something to drink in hand could come in very handy. So go, take a sip of your favorite healthy beverage here and there, stay away as best as possible from processed drinks like sodas, liquors, and high sugar fruit juices and keep your body hydrated.