11. Pratik Patel - New York Giants, Director of Performance Nutrition and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach

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Pratik shares the demands of providing nutritional guidance for one of the preeminent teams in the NFL. With the unique energy demands of NFL caliber athletes, Pratik takes us through what it’s like to train and educate an NFL roster that in the offseason totals over 90 players. Working with the Giants for the past 3 seasons, Pratik has brought a wealth of experience to the position from his previous stops as the Director of Sports Nutrition at the University of Oregon and as a Sports Dietician at Michigan State University.

In today’s show, Pratik describes his approach to educating the Giants players as to how to make sound nutritional decisions that will fuel the energy demands of these elite athletes throughout the season. With players coming from a diverse background with regard to their nutritional education, the approach tends to be as diverse as the demands of their diets. We talk at a high level how Sports Performance needs differ from those of standard dietary needs and his approach to analyzing what each player requires.

We discuss the ever popular post-workout shake and how what you’ve probably been told about Creatine is wrong. Pratik breaks down when you should take it, the foundational supplements that are proven to make a difference and why this should only be one part of a larger overall strategy to maximizing growth and improved performance. He provides an introduction to Nootropics and some of the proven supplements that can help increase cognitive performance. Why 3rd party testing is critical and the approved bodies you can look to understand if what you’re taking is safe for competition. 

For the non-NFL listeners, Pratik shares what a well rounded diet should look like for those still training for performance. The role of biomarkers and how it can help you make more informed decisions about your diet. The importance of hydration and why minerals are a key component. How to approach nutrition in the 48 hours before a competition. Regardless of lifestyle diets, the foundational caloric principles of how you get lean. Tactics to get the most out of your nutritional intake. As well as the many factors that make diet needs so individualized. 

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Instagram:  @pratikxpatel

Twitter: @pratikxpatel

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratik-patel-8685a593/

Articles written by Pratik mentioned in the show: 

Caffeine - Practical Applications for Coaches - https://www.nsca.com/education/articles/nsca-coach/caffeine-practical-applications-for-coaches/

Creatine Supplements for Athletes - https://www.nsca.com/education/articles/nsca-coach/creatine-supplementation-for-athletes/

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Website: Kengunter.com 

Produced By: Justin Gunter, Ken Gunter

Music By: Justin Gunter, Ken Gunter