HOUSTON TEXANS STRENGTH & CONDITIONING PROGRAM ...

Poor eating habits today will affect you (and your family) long after your playing days
are over. Concerns for your long-term health and the health of your wife and children,
should be the only motivation you need to develop a more disciplined approach to
nutrition.
Scientists and the educational community have provided us with an abundance of
research and facts in the area of nutrition. This information has been available for many
years. Unfortunately, some athletes and coaches don’t rely upon the facts.
Supplements/Health Foods
Today the health food industry is a multi-million dollar business. Why Money,
money, money. More fraud and half-truths exist in the area of nutrition than in any other
segment of the fitness industry. We are a gullible public. For years we’ve been told to
take a pill or potion for any ailment that we have. We want a quick fix.
Enthusiasts have discarded the basic food groups for amino acids, vitamins, fat
burners, and energy bars. Athletes are the most gullible. Often they have little or no
knowledge of what they’re taking. Some will try anything if they think it might give
them an edge. Unfortunately many players taking supplements are less inclined to eat a
balanced diet, and often choose pills and potions instead of eating meals.
The Food and Drug Administration doesn’t control food supplements. Laws don’t
exist to protect the consumer. There’s no guarantee that what’s on the label is actually in
the bottle.
Dr. Bob Goldman, in his book, Death In The Locker Room, refers to a questionnaire
he administered to a group of Olympic athletes. One of the questions asked was,
“Would you be willing to take a pill that would eventually kill you, if it guaranteed
you would win a gold medal” More than fifty percent of the athletes responded,
“Yes.”
In real life we don’t know if any of those Olympians would have actually sacrificed
their life for a gold medal. It is an indication, however, of how strong the will of an
athlete is to succeed. The vulnerability of an NFL player is easily exposed. Some are
willing to try anything to make the team, play well, and extend their career.
Nancy Clark, M.S., R.D., author and eminently qualified nutrition expert states,
“People who take mega-doses of vitamins and minerals should consider that the practice
is similar to pumping your body full of chemicals. It may create imbalances that interfere
with optimal health.”
Clark states, “A diet with 1500 calories a day from appropriate foods can satisfy the
RDA in most categories.” She adds, “Athletes who take in 2,000 to 4,000 calories daily
increase their chances greatly of getting the proper nutrient amounts. They are also
getting things in food, like fiber and other health protective compounds, that supplements
don’t provide.”
Do not be duped into using any supplement or drug not prescribed by a Registered
Dietitian or our Texans Medical Staff. You may unknowingly consume a product
containing a substance banned by the league. The league drug policy is well documented.
The NFL policy on steroids and the use of supplements is clear. The policy warns
players; “You and you alone are responsible for what goes into your body.”
Supplements are not monitored or regulated by the FDA. You have no way of
knowing if the product:
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