Staying committed to your training program and eating right must be part of your lifestyle. Establishing these practices early enables you to focus on your mental and physical preparation, developing what you need for your game. Here are a few nutrition principles to keep in mind as you take on Erik Phillips' training plan. 

Many basketball players don’t realize that poor nutrition habits can deplete their glycogen stores as the season progresses. As a result, you can enter the post-season with an empty tank, meaning you’ll lack the energy needed to perform consistently. Therefore, you need to approach workouts—and start the season—well rested, hydrated and nourished.

Throughout this summer eating plan, carbohydrates are a critical component—in fact, the focal point—of your training diet, along with protein for post-activity recovery.

Daily nutrition habits you should acquire during the training and eating program include:

• Eating breakfast
• Keeping power snacks handy, especially pre-and post-activity [see list], because you never want to “run on empty”
• Including protein with lunch
• Fueling up every three to four hours for peak energy
• Drinking plenty of water throughout the day

The following menu option provides 3,000 daily total calories. Nutritionally, it breaks down as 50-60 percent carbohydrates, 25-30 percent protein and 15-20 percent fat.

Breakfast: ½ English muffin with 1 tsp. butter; 2 fruits [e.g., apple, pear, orange, 2 plums, ½C grapes, peach, ½C berries]; 1C cereal with 8 fl oz. reduced fat or 2% milk; 4 egg whites [omelet-style with ketchup or hard-boiled]

Lunch: 6-inch sub with 4 oz. chicken or turkey with lettuce, spinach, pickles, peppers, mustard; low fat yogurt; 2 fruits [see breakfast list]; small bag [about 1 oz.] of baked chips or pretzels; 16 fl oz. Gatorade or Powerade or 8 fl oz. any fruit juice [e.g., orange, apple, cranapple]

Afternoon snack: Shake made with 4 fl oz. reduced fat milk; ½C of low fat yogurt [if you can’t tolerate yogurt, use all three of the following fruits]; 2 frozen or fresh fruits [¾C blueberries, ¾C strawberries, ½ banana]

Dinner: 1C cooked pasta with ½C marinara sauce, ½C mozzarella cheese; apple or 8 fl oz. Powerade/Gatorade; 4C of any combination of spinach or romaine lettuce, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and 1 oz. of chicken or turkey and 2-3 tbsp. of fat-free dressing

Daytime snacks
• Fresh or dried fruit
• Sports bars or beverages
• Muffins
• Bagels
• Dry cereals
• Pop-Tarts
• Nuts
• Granola
• Trail mix

Evening snack options
• Big bowl of cereal
• Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with glass of milk or sports drink
• Bowl of ice cream or milkshake
• Fig Newtons
• Sports bars
• Fresh fruit or fruit juice
• Popcorn or pretzels