Table of Contents

    Professional football players have some of the most physically demanding jobs in the world. In order to perform at their best, they need to maintain a healthy diet. 

    National Football League players are some of the biggest, strongest and fastest athletes in the world. They are also among the most well-paid, with an average salary of over $2 million per year. Given the high level of competition and the immense amount of money at stake, it is no surprise that NFL players take their diets very seriously. 

    Their diets are closely monitored and regulated in order to maintain their optimal playing weight and body fat percentage. The typical NFL player’s diet consists of lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Many players typically eat 5-6 meals per day, spaced out evenly throughout the day.

    Depending on the training, match-play, and periods of training, football players will have unique energy demands and nutrient requirements. By understanding their unique energy needs, football players can develop a nutrition plan that helps them stay at the top of their game. Many NFL players work with nutritionists and registered dietitians to optimize their bodies for game day.

    Macros

    If you’re looking to bulk up and build muscle mass like an NFL player, then you need to make sure you’re eating the right foods. NFL players are some of the biggest and strongest athletes in the world. They are also some of the most well-nourished. Eating like an NFL player requires consuming a diet that is high in protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. By following these nutritional guidelines, you can eat like an NFL player and maximize your athletic performance on the field.

    How Many Calories do NFL Players Eat per Day?

    Most people are familiar with the term “calories,” but few know exactly what they are or how they relate to human health. A calorie is a unit of energy that is used to measure the amount of fuel that foods provide. The body requires a certain number of calories each day to function properly, and this number varies depending on factors such as age, activity level, and weight. NFL players, for example, tend to have higher caloric needs than sedentary adults because they burn more energy through physical activity with most of them consuming 4,000 or more calories every day. For the average person, the recommended daily calorie intake is approximately 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men.

    During the season, players are expected to maintain their weight and body composition while practicing and playing games. Training camp and the preseason are critical times for players to put on muscle mass and increase their strength. These periods of intense training require extra calories to fuel the muscles. NFL players carefully monitor their intake of calories and macronutrients to make sure they are meeting their needs. 

    If you are in intense training, you may want to discuss your caloric needs with a dietitian or nutritionist. By consuming the right amount of calories, you can maintain your weight, improve your performance, and reduce your risk of injury.

    (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

    Protein Protein Protein

    Protein is an essential macronutrient that plays a role in many bodily functions. It helps to build and repair tissues, produce enzymes and hormones, and bolster the immune system. For athletes, protein is especially important for muscle growth and recovery. NFL players are no exception. During the season, they endure a lot of wear and tear on their bodies, so it’s crucial that they consume enough protein to help their muscles recover

    Protein can be found in many different food sources, such as fish, lean meats like chicken breast, eggs, red meats like steak, peanut butter, dairy products (even the occasional ice cream treat), beans, egg whites, and nuts. Athletes also often supplement their diets with protein shakes and bars. By including protein in their diets, professional athletes in training can help to ensure that their bodies are able to withstand the rigors of the season.

    Carb Loading

    Football players need to have a high level of both aerobic and anaerobic fitness in order to be successful on the field. The anaerobic system is used for short bursts of high-intensity activity, such as sprinting after the ball or tackling an opponent. The aerobic system is used for more sustained activity, such as running up and down the field. 

    Both systems rely on carbohydrates for fuel, but the anaerobic system also uses stored muscle glycogen. As a result, football players need to consume a diet that is high in carbohydrates, including complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, whole grains like brown rice and quinoa, oatmeal, whole-wheat breads, and pasta. They also need to make sure they are getting enough protein to help repair and rebuild muscle tissue. Football players need to be very careful about their nutrition in order to perform at their best.

    Healthy Fats

    Professional athletes rely on their diets to help them perform at their best. Healthy fats are a key part of their diets for several reasons. First, healthy fats help to satiate hunger and provide long-lasting energy. This is especially important for NFL players who need to be able to sustain their energy levels throughout a long game. Second, healthy fats help to reduce inflammation. This is important because inflammation can lead to injuries. By reducing inflammation, healthy fats help NFL players stay healthy and on the field. Finally, healthy fats help to preserve muscle mass. This is critical for NFL players who need to maintain their muscular strength and power. Eating a diet that includes healthy fats is essential for athletes who want to perform at their highest level.

    Do NFL Players Take Creatine?

    While a well-balanced diet is important, many players also take nutritional supplements to help them meet their nutrient needs. Some common supplements that NFL players take include protein powder, creatine and glutamine. Protein is essential for muscles to grow and repair, and it can be difficult for NFL players to get enough from food alone. Creatine helps to increase muscle mass and strength, while glutamine helps with recovery after intense workouts.

    (AP Photo/ Jeffrey T. Barnes)

    Training and Eating Like an NFL Player

    While it may be tempting to try and copy the training and eating habits of your favorite NFL player, it’s important to remember that they are professionals who have access to the best resources and doctors. 

    In order to achieve success, it is important to work with a personal trainer who can help you to safely improve your skills and reach your full potential. In addition, working with a registered dietician is essential in order to ensure that you are getting the proper nutrition. Eating like an NFL player requires consuming a large amount of calories and protein in order to build muscle mass and maintain a high level of energy. However, it is also important to eat healthy foods that will provide the nutrients needed for peak performance. 

    Without professional guidance, it can be dangerous to try and eat and train like a professional athlete. That’s not to say that you can’t learn from the pros. There are plenty of healthy habits that you can adopt from the NFL world. However, it’s important to tailor your approach to your own body and goals. So if you want to reach your fitness goals the safe way, make sure to get professional help.

    Add Some Fun to Your NFL Season with RunYourPool

    The National Football League (NFL) season is one of the most anticipated times of the year. For many people, it’s a time to gather with friends and family, eat food, and watch their favorite team compete. However, the season can also be a time of stress, especially if your team isn’t doing as well as you’d hoped. 

    This year, add some fun to your NFL season by joining a football pool. RunYourPool  offers a wide variety of pool options, so you can find one that’s perfect for you. You can create a pool for just your friends and family or join a public pool with people from all over the country. There are even pools for large groups, such as your office or neighborhood. With RunYourPool.com, you can customize your pick sheet, set up weekly reminders, and track your progress throughout the season. So why not add some excitement to your NFL season this year with RunYourPool.com?

    TRIVIA QUESTION

    Who was the first NFL player to receive the honor of the John Madden turkey leg award?

    NFL FAQs

    How do you play football survival pool?

    Players pick one team each week they think will win the game outright. They may only pick a team ONCE per season, meaning you can't pick the same team twice in one season. If their pick is correct, the player survives another week and continues to play. An incorrect pick eliminates the player from the contest entirely. This is sometimes called an elimination or suicide pool. The last person standing wins.

    How to make a football pool?

    A football pool generally requires the creation of a shareable spreadsheet (like Google Sheets) so that members may pick teams. Then depending on the game type, creators must use several kinds of formulas (e.g. CountIF), data validation, and conditional formatting. Or, you can just use football pool hosting service like RunYourPool where we do all the work for you!

    How to run a weekly football pool?

    In order to run a football pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like Survivor or Pick'Em. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.

    What is a football survivor pool?

    In a Football Survivor Pool, players choose one team weekly they think will win. Usually, a team can be picked one time per season. Picks are made "straight up," no spreads necessary. If a pick is correct, members survive another week. An incorrect pick eliminates the player, unless a mulligan is used.

    How does a football pool work?

    Football pools are games of skill played among a group of people. There are a variety of pool types to fit every players needs, from casual to competitive. Pool commissioners can set up pools manually, or use a hosting service like RunYourPool whiel still customizing your own settings. Some examples include NFL Squares, NFL Survivor, NFL Pick 'Em, and Playoff Brackets.

    What is an NFL pickem pool?

    In an NFL pick’em pool, simply pick the outcome of each NFL game throughout the season. You can pick straight up winners or losers, or pick each game against the spread.

    How to play a football pool?

    The way one plays a football pool varies on the game type. For example, in Survivor, you pick one team to win each week and can't pick that team again. Guess wrong and you lose. Another example is Pick'em Pools in which you simply pick every game each week.

    How does a fantasy football pool work?

    Fantasy football pools don’t involve a traditional fantasy football draft. You can have as many members in your pool as you’d like, meaning no more 12 or 14 team limits! You pick a new lineup of players each week, and once you use a player once, you can’t use them again for the rest of the season.

    What is a fantasy football pool?

    A fantasy football pool is similar to a traditional fantasy football league but without the draft. Pick a new lineup each week, and once you use a player, you can’t use them for the rest of the season. Your players will receive points based on their in-game stats, and the member with the most points at the end of the season is the winner.

    What is a football pool?

    "Football Pool" is a broad term for a group of people competitively guessing the outcome of one or more football games. There are many types of formats, each assigning winners differently. They can be played informally between friends or through a more formalized system. They are often considered a great alternative to fantasy football given the ease of playing, although there are fantasy football pools as well.

    How do football pool squares work?

    There are different kinds of football square pools. Most have a 10x10 grid with one team for the rows and columns. In an attempt to win, participants select a square where they believe the last digit number of each team's score will intersect at the end of each quarter, and the game's end.

    How do you play football squares pools?

    To play a football squares pool, you're going to want to pick the squares with the best odds. As winners are determined by the point totals at the end of each quarter, try to consider options where scores are most common. Some of the most popular squares include 7-3, 7-0, 7-7, and 0-0. Numbers divisible by seven are good starting points.

    How many squares in a football pool?

    In a traditional football squares pool, a grid is sectioned off into 100 squares with 10 columns and 10 rows. This accounts for a direct relationship between each possible digit from 0 to 9 on both the X and Y axis. For smaller square grids like 5x5, multiple numbers can be assigned to each column and row.

    How to play squares football pools?

    Football squares are played by creating a grid, in which Team 1 takes the column and Team 2 the rows. In some cases, participants may claim as many squares as they like. In others, commissioners limit them to one. At the quarter times and end of the game, the winner is decided at the point the scores final digit intersect.

    What is a football squares pool?

    Also called Grid, Block, or Box Pools, Football Squares Pools can be played with any single game, but are most popular during the Super Bowl. Pool members claim squares on a 25, 50, or 100-square grid by putting their information in the square. Game scores are matched to the winning square(s), usually with winners being determined every quarter.

    How to read a football pool sheet?

    In Squares formats, football pool sheets include a grid, where one team is the column and one is the row. Winners are determined at the end of each quarter when the last number in the team’s score (on each side) is matched to the numbers on the grid, and the intersecting square wins.

    How do you play football credits pool?

    In the credits format, all players start with the same number of credits. Players make picks each week by risking a certain number of credits on games, assigning more credits to the picks with a higher confidence level. Members receive double the credits risked for each win. The member with the most credits at the end of the season wins.

    What is a football credits pool?

    In Football Credits Pools, players start with the same number of credits. They then make picks each week by risking a number of credits on games, assigning more to the picks they have more confidence in getting right. Members double credits risked for each win. The member with the highest credits at the end of the season wins.

    How to run a football pool?

    How you decide to run a football pool varies greatly depending on the game type. In each case, however, you'll want to determine the rules and settings before you begin inviting members to join you. You'll want to clearly establish how score will be kept, how tiebreakers work, and how winners are decided before anything else.

    How do you play football confidence pool?

    A football confidence pool is played straight up, not with a point spread. Not only do members pick the winning teams, they must back up their picks by giving them a relative confidence ranking. Your score reflects the number of confidence points given to winning teams. So if your confidence for a team winning is '1', then you can only win one point at most. If your confidence for a team winning is '5', then you can win five points for a win. The member with the most credits at the end wins.

    What is a football confidence pool?

    "Football Confidence Pool" refers to how you rank the teams that you think will win each week. For example, in the NFL, there are often 16 games weekly. In this scenario, you would rank each game from 16 to 1, based on the your confidence in that team winning.

    How do you play football margin pool?

    Margin pools are an NFL pool format that rewards members for picking a winning team each week. Pool commissioners can decide whether they award points equal to a winning teams margin of victory or the point spread for that game. When a commissioner chooses the point spread option, this format is often referred to as an NFL Underdog Pool.

    What is a football margin pool?

    In a Football Margin Pool, you are awarded points for picking a winning team. Pool commissioners get to decide whether they award points equal to a winning teams margin of victory or the point spread for that game. The player with the most points at the end of the season wins.

    How do you play football 33 point pool?

    The football 33 pool format is a casual pool where members are each assigned an NFL team (these pools are 32 members max, as there are 32 NFL teams). Members win when their team scores 33 points. Options for changing the target score, or having the closest to the target win each week is also available.

    What is a football 33 point pool?

    In the football 33 pool format, each member is assigned a unique NFL team (32 members max). A member will win when their team scores 33 points. This is a casual pool where you can change the target score or the option to have the closest to the target that week win.

    How to run a weekly football pool?

    In order to run a football pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like Survivor or Pick'Em. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.

    What is an NFL Playoff bracket pool?

    NFL Playoff Bracket pools are simple NFL pool formats where members pick every round of the playoffs before they start in an attempt to predict every match up correctly. It's optional to configure a multiplier for each round, or add a tiebreaker option of total points in the Super Bowl.

    How to make a football pool?

    A football pool generally requires the creation of a shareable spreadsheet (like Google Sheets) so that members may pick teams. Then depending on the game type, creators must use several kinds of formulas (e.g. CountIF), data validation, and conditional formatting. Or, you can just use football pool hosting service like RunYourPool where we do all the work for you!

    How to set up a football pool?

    To set up a football pool, you'll need to first choose a pool type like Survivor or Pick'em. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As pool commissioner, you'll enforce these rules and make sure the game runs smoothly throughout the season. Many commissioners use pool hosting sites like RunYourPool to make it easier and more engaging.

    What is a football power ranking playoff pool?

    In a power ranking playoff pool, members rank all 12 NFL teams competing in the playoffs from strongest (12 points) to weakest (1 point). Picks are made only ONCE before any games begin. Members are awarded the number of points assigned to a team when they win. Commissioners can optionally set up a point multiplier for each playoff round.

    What is a football confidence pool?

    "Football Confidence Pool" refers to how you rank the teams that you think will win each week. For example, in the NFL, there are often 16 games weekly. In this scenario, you would rank each game from 16 to 1, based on the your confidence in that team winning. This is similar to the Playoff Pool Power Ranking, just less teams.

    How to run a football pool?

    How you decide to run a football pool varies greatly depending on the game type. In each case, however, you'll want to determine the rules and settings before you begin inviting members to join you. You'll want to clearly establish how score will be kept, how tiebreakers work, and how winners are decided before anything else.

    What is a football playoff precision pool?

    In a playoff precision pool, members attempt to pick the winner of every playoff game each week. You can decide if it’s straight up or on a point spread picks, but point totals are also added. Points are awarded for correct picks AND for how close to the correct combined point total they were.

    How to read a football pool sheet?

    In Squares formats, football pool sheets include a grid, where one team is the column and one is the row. Winners are determined at the end of each quarter when the last number in the team’s score (on each side) is matched to the numbers on the grid, and the intersecting square wins.

    What is a Super Bowl Prop Bets Pool?

    A Super Bowl Prop Bet Pool is a fun and thrilling way to compete against friends and family during the big game! It's a simple questionaire of prop betting questions revolving around the Super Bowl, and whoever earns the most points based off correct answers wins!

    How does a Super Bowl Prop Bets Pool work?

    Pool members simply fill out a wide range of prop questions, each question worth a different value. Commissioners decide on the point value for each question, along with the amount of questions. Whichever member earns the most points based on corret answers wins the pool.

    What is a football Super Bowl Squares pool?

    Also called Grid, Block, or Box Pools, Football Squares Pools can be played with any single game, but are most popular during the Super Bowl. Pool members claim squares on a 25, 50, or 100-square grid by putting their information in the square. Game scores are matched to the winning square(s), usually with winners being determined every quarter.

    What is a prop bet?

    Prop bets are any sort of pick or wager on a game that has nothing to do with the score or the final score outcome. Props can range from game types, to team types and even player types - such as who will score the game's first and last touchdowns? Other props, such as novelty or exotic, feature bets on things such as the coin flip or the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

    How to read a football pool sheet?

    In Squares formats, football pool sheets include a grid, where one team is the column and one is the row. Winners are determined at the end of each quarter when the last number in the team’s score (on each side) is matched to the numbers on the grid, and the intersecting square wins.

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    About Author

    Matt Krol

    Matt is the Social Media Manager at RYP and currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts. He has experience managing social media accounts with agencies, small brands, and large companies. He’s a diehard New England sports fanatic, and if he’s not watching the Celtics, he can be found roaming around Boston discovering all that the city has to offer.

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