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plan or posters pointing out which foods meet which requirements. At the pro level, a team nutri- tionist is usually around to give advice, too.” “Oh, well, then that’s my excuse. We don’t have a team nutritionist,” Gordo said, sauce dripping from his chin. “You don’t need to have someone standing over you watching what you eat, Gordo. You know that choices like you made today aren’t the best ones. You’re thinking with your mouth, not your head.” “Well, my mouth is very happy right now,” Gordo said, but he was getting the sinking feeling that his friend was right. In just a few hours, he’d be taking the field for his high school . . . and he was worried that he might be feeling every one of those fries as he tried to keep up with the other team. I hope they didn’t have lean chicken and a sal- ad before the game , he thought.

For a while, 275-pound (125-kg) first baseman Prince Fielder said he followed a vegetarian diet.

One Big Menu The days of NFL players stepping up to the training-camp buffet and loading up on greasy food are over. Today’s NFL players know that good nutrition can turn into better play . . . and more money. Still, they are big guys and can put away a lot of food. Philly.com reported that at one dinner, the Philadelphia Eagles put away 250 pounds (113.6 kg) each of filet mignon and lobster tails. A typical breakfast might include 70 pounds (31.7 kg) of eggs and 30 pounds (13.7 kg) of bacon. To help players with their options, the nutrition staff puts stickers on the food choices: green means low fat, yellow means me- dium, and red is for high fat foods. Even when eating meat, NFL players know that lean protein will give them the strength they need without adding pounds.

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