How to Stay Fit and Healthy to Improve Your Game Through Good and Proper Nutrition

Today, there are many softball tips out there that proliferate everywhere, which aim to help softball players to improve their game. But to the average Joe, softball is just a game where it's just another team sport where guys or girls pitch and hit the ball and run around in a diamond inside the field. Little does he know that in order to be a good softball player, he must ensure that he gets the right types of food in the right amount.

Here are some softball nutrition tips that you can learn and apply not just to boost your game but also improve your physique so you would be able to perform better whether inside or outside the field.

1. Hydrate yourself. Be sure to drink a lot of water, typically seven to eight glasses a day, to keep yourself hydrated, especially when you're playing softball outdoors.
2.  Drink coffee in moderation. Coffee, a stimulant, is said to cause dehydration but if this is taken in moderate amounts, it can help increase your alertness while on the field.
3.  Avoid consuming too much energy drinks. Recently, studies were conducted that showed energy drinks containing cocaine, an illegal drug that causes alertness and hyperactivity on the person who consumes it. The problem with energy drinks is that they can be addictive and at the same time, they are composed of different chemicals that are harmful to your body.
4.  Consume sports drinks. These drinks contain active ingredients that help replenish electrolytes that normally gets lost when you engage in physically-demanding activities like softball. At the same time, they provide energy that you can use while you play the game.      
5.  When hungry, eat. Skipping a meal isn't healthy and if your stomach is often empty, this would surely affect your game. You need to stay sharp and alert so, better follow a proper diet, eating quality food, to keep yourself mentally and physically fit.
6.  Avoid drinking soda, juice and tea. The reason behind this is that these drinks cause dehydration. So, it would be better if you stick to water and sports drinks.
7.  Go for foods rich in carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Examples of foods that are recommended for softball players are whole grains, grapes, salmon and broccoli.
8. Avoid eating foods with artificial ingredients. Never eat processed food like bacon and hotdog as they don't contain the nutrients your body needs.
9.  Always opt for fresh foods. The fresher they are, the better.
10.  Go for vegetable juices. Vegetables are definitely good for your body as they provide enough vitamins and minerals to improve not just your performance physically but they also boost your immune system as well. 
11. Eat enough protein. Examples of foods that are rich in high-quality protein are fish, egg whites and beans. Avoid consuming simple or refined carbohydrates such as flour and sugar.
12. Spread your meals throughout the day. It's healthy to eat small meals five to six times a day as this boost your metabolism and in turn, this enhances your strength, power and your energy flow on a daily basis.
13. Avoid taking nutritional supplements. Many nutritional supplements promise to boost your performance as an athlete but the truth is, they don't actually work as there's no scientific findings to actually support the claims. What you need to do instead is to go for quality nutrition.
14. Consume alcohol moderately. It's widely known that alcohol causes dehydration and it can even disable you from reaching your optimum performance if you consume alcohol regularly.
15. Bring healthy foods with you, especially when you're outside your house. Instead of going for burgers and fries, pack healthy snacks like fruit and granola bars for you to munch on.

There you go, some sofball tips on how to stay fit and healthy to improve your game through good and proper nutrition.

Marc Dagenais is a softball peak performance coach that helps softball players and coaches improves their game by sharing with them the tips and strategies used by the world's best softball players and coaches to achieve extraordinary performances. Visit his site and sign-up to get his FREE softball hitting tips!

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