The #1 thing that helped me shed off my “freshman 35” was changing
“I need to lose weight” to “I need to perform my best...every chance I get”.
As an athlete, practice matters. Especially when you are constantly battling for your spot... I couldn't have any "off" days... Even though a few are inevitable but I had to be mentally dialed in. I started to focus on the things I could 100% control off the field and that was my diet, recovery, effort, etc.
Step 1: Turn Eating Into Fueling.
Think “does this food have any nutritional value that is going to help my body perform.” Then try to stay with the most nutritious things you can find. I defend eating Ice cream because it has calcium 🙃.
Step 2: HUSTLE 100% and REST 100% The practice is time to get after it. Every rep, go 110% even if it is just shooting around... Pick up the balls? SURE ILL RACE YOU!!! Does the ball go way out of bounds and a mile down the road? I GOT IT!!!! The harder you practice, the better shape you will be. And when you're resting, REST! Commit to getting good sleep... Charge your phone on the other side of the room.
Step 3: Drink water at practice 80% of the time & Gatorade 20% or the time
Step 4: Try to write down what you eat throughout the day - I didn’t even realize what I was putting into my body every day until I did this. I DO NOT recommend cutting calories unless you eat like shit - you will be tired and you will be SLOW.
5. LIFT, FOCUS, & TRY TO GET STRONGER.
Fun fact: I used to go hide in the bathroom during lift to skip reps because I didn’t want to “get bulky”... And all I did was get chunky...
Once I started taking lift seriously, listening, and focusing on form and the muscles I was working on, and why I was working on them --I saw a huge transformation (especially in my belly).