Tag Archives: basketball

5 Top Athletes Prove Being a Pro Doesn’t Mean You’re in Perfect Shape

We look to professional athletes as the pinnacle of health and fitness. In many cases, however, that’s far from the truth. Professional athletes are a prime example of how someone can appear fit and healthy without either one being true.

We want to celebrate the athletes that who made the effort to lose unhealthy pounds or do more to be truly fit. In the long run, a healthy lifestyle is more beneficial than a pro sports career, and we think it’s great these athletes make the commitment to health and fitness.

Steve Atwater
As a two-time Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos, Steve Atwater was in peak physical condition. That changed after he retired and put on weight. Now, he has lost 21 pounds with Retrofit. He says his biggest hurdle to losing weight was his mind. “I knew I had a problem, especially when it came to large, multiple servings. I couldn’t resist. I knew I needed more discipline.” After joining Retrofit, he said the changes that led to weight loss were fairly easy. “It didn’t seem like I had done anything major. It didn’t really feel like dieting because I just made small adjustments.”

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Posted on February 12, 2024 by Elizabeth

90 Percent of NBA Players Eat Like Crap; Chris Kaman, Dwight Howard, and Others Clean Up Their Diets

“They don’t care because they’re already built to where they look good. They’re a freak show, they’re ripped, they’re lean and they can jump high, so they don’t care…”

These are the word of Chris Kamen, Los Angeles Lakers player, referring to how nearly 90 percent of NBA players do not eat properly or care about their bodies.

chris kaman

Kamen’s thoughts, along with many other NBA players’, were captured by NBA reporter Ken Berger in a three-part series running on CBS Sports this week. The first article in the series, titled Nutrition in the NBA: Part 1: Lessons Learned in L.A. Help Howard’s Career, closely follows Dwight Howard, former Laker now a Houston Rocket, and many of his former teammates as they undergo a major diet overhaul at the advisement of Dr. Cate Shanahan.

In a nutshell, Dr. Shanahan reports in the article that she watched Howard play in a Lakers’ game last season and while she saw a strong outer shell, what stuck out was how she could compare this professional athlete to a pre-diabetic patient. She said Howard looked like he was wearing oven mitts and she feared he was having a major neurological problem due to sugar intake. Her observations lead to Howard being her prime test subject for a diet change that she believed would improve the entire NBA. (more…)

Posted on December 12, 2023 by Lacy

Dwyane Wade’s Driven App Offers Expert Basketball Training to Players at Home

Is there anything hotter than the Miami Heat right now? The team, lead by superstar Dwyane Wade, walked off the court with the NBA Championship this weekend. And as confetti is swept away and parades are held, people can start focusing on more important things, like getting fit with Wade.

Today he launches his first iPhone app – Dwyane Wade Driven. He appeals to the average Joe, saying he knows not everyone has access to trainers and gyms, so he wants to take care of that for them.

“So it’s kind of like I’m the personal trainer for basketball and fitness and I’ll show them a lot of things I do with my body and for my body,” he said in a story at Yahoo Sports.

dwayne wade ed downs

To the best of our knowledge, the 31-year-old basketball star doesn’t have any fitness credentials, as would a credible personal trainer. That’s why you’ll see him demonstrating the workouts designed by Driven Apps founder and professional trainer Don Saladino, as well as bonus workouts designed by and Wade’s own trainer Ed Downs. (more…)

Posted on June 24, 2023 by Natalie K

Journalist Fired for Calling OKC Thunder Cheerleader “Chunky”

In the aftermath of the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s 29-point blowout over the Houston Rockets in the NBA Playoffs last week, a CBS Houston relationship columnist named Claire Crawford felt inclined to give sports blogging a shot.

Crawford’s first foray into this new medium was epic. She’s become a search bar staple, but not because of her prodigious basketball analysis. Here’s what she took away from the game: “The Rockets looked terrible in Game 1,”—obvious, but so far so good—”but some say they weren’t the only bad-looking people on the court.” The rest of the prose is a bit elementary, so I’ll sum it up for you. She more or less called Thunder cheerleader Kelsey Williams “too chunky” for her position. Queue the social media firestorm.

 

 

The passive aggressive jab at the beautiful and fit Williams has Claire Crawford—pen name of real life blogger Anna-Megan Raley—in some hot water. Disdain for Crawford/Raley has been universal, and support for Williams has poured in from all over the web. The reasoning behind Crawford’s criticism is all speculation, but one could assume she might have been trying to boost her own self-esteem. It’s also insane; Kelsey Williams is an athlete, and a gorgeous one at that. Maybe Crawford just wanted to get her 15 retweets of fame, or maybe it’s a reflection of our society’s sea change in perception of beauty. (more…)

Posted on April 30, 2023 by Patrick

NBA Basketball Stars’ Workouts, Including Kevin Durant and Lebron James

While football teams are bulked out with the biggest and toughest guys around, basketball teams are stocked with lean, mean, jumping machines. Speed, agility, balance, and even a nice long jump are all key to running up the score board. You don’t get that from resting on your laurels or your hind end, and any NBA player worth his salt spends as much time in the gym as they do on the hardwood.

As we’re in the thick of basketball season, and New Year’s resolution season is creeping up on us, we thought some of you might find inspiration in the fitness regimens of your favorite star players. Basketball season may have a definitive start and finish date, but players like Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony know that’s when they build most of their strength, improve their balance, and even bulk up a bit.

Click here to see how these stars, as well as Lebron James, Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard workout.

View Basketball Stars' Workout Plans Slideshow

Posted on December 19, 2023 by Natalie K

OKC Thunder and Miami Heat Healthy Game Day Recipes

Can Oklahoma handle the Heat? We’ll find out when the NBA Finals tip off tonight in Oklahoma City. The city is used to sweltering temperatures and humidity, but can it stand up to the kind that the Miami Heat no doubt packed with them?

It’s LeBron vs. Durant, from fabulous Florida to the heart of the country. Fans are already on edge as the 8:00 pm game time ticks nearer. If you aren’t cramming in to the Chesapeake Arena in downtown OKC, then you probably plan on cramming on to your sofa with some homemade snacks. In the spirit of both teams, we’ve come up with a few locally-inspired, game-friendly foods that are actually good for you.

Ready to Thunder Up? If you’re cheering for Oklahoma City this week then you’ll want to eat a few local favorites. When hanging out near the arena, Fuzzy’s Tacos is an excellent restaurant choice, with a variety of grilled fish and chicken tacos lightly topped with vegetables in a corn tortilla. However, if you’re parked at home, try these: (more…)

Posted on June 12, 2023 by Natalie K

Kevin Durant’s Fitness Focus is as Likeable as His Player Persona

Whether or not you’re a fan of basketball, or even Oklahoma City, it was hard not to Thunder Up last night. This newer franchise in the NBA has stormed the playoffs, and after last night’s win over the Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder is headed to the NBA finals.

Kevin Durant has become a face for the team and he’s becoming a super star on the court. He’s young, only 23, and a towering 6′ 9″ tall. He’s not big and he’s not bulky but he’s a fit and powerful player.

In recent seasons he’s put more emphasis on strength training, which has made him an even stronger player. He told Men’s Fitness that “Eating right and lifting three or four times a week will give me the extra push,” he needs to succeed, and said that he’s more aware of his training throughout the entire season rather than just what he does in the off season. Durant’s strength routine is said to involve weights, use of an Airex pad, TRX and moves like lunges.

Improving his balance has also been fundamental for Durant, so he works out on unstable surfaces, like the Airex pad. At home, you could use a BOSU ball. (more…)

Posted on June 7, 2023 by Natalie K

10 Healthy Recipes for Your Final Four Watch Party

Alright sports fans, it’s time to get serious about the Final Four tournament this weekend, and the food you’ll be eating during your playoff celebrations.

Just because sporting events can bring out our worst eating habits doesn’t mean you have to blow your diet while cheering on your favorite team. Leave the planning to us with this full spread of healthier-for-you dishes themed by region of the Final Four teams. And just in case you don’t know who this year’s top four are, the Kansas Jayhawks are facing off with the Ohio State Buckeyes, and the Louisville Cardinals are going head-to-head with the Kentucky Wildcats. Let the (healthy) games begin!

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Posted on March 31, 2024 by Dana

Jeremy Lin Ditches Traditional Workouts to Stay Fit

jeremy lin new york kinksKnicks point guard Jeremy Lin believes in old-fashioned hard work on the court, but he’s less traditional in his personal fitness regime. He doesn’t do any straightforward cardio in the gym, like running or working out on the elliptical, but he does get in that kind of workout doing drills with a basketball. “If I’m going to get myself tired, I want to make sure it’s functional and makes sense with a basketball,” he says.

Most of Lin’s workout is geared towards strengthening muscles that will benefit him on the court. He reportedly works out with Phil Wagner of Sparta Science and E.J. Costello. Lin follows a weight training program that builds endurance without adding bulk. “It’s all based on increasing my lateral speed, my agility, and my vertical,” says Lin. His strength training includes Olympic lifts, sideboards, lunges, squats, dead lifts and hang cleans. Once per week he does a dumbbell press with 20 to 40 reps per set, and then once per week he’ll do a heavier weight lifting set with fewer reps.

Lin also does yoga, which he says helps him stay flexible and prevent injuries. He also says he enjoys playing football in his free time, although he doesn’t consider that a real workout.

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Posted on February 16, 2024 by Health Buzz

As Charles Barkley Represents Weight Watchers He’s Poised to Become a Role Model

“Lose weight like a man,” says Charles Barkley, the newest spokesperson for Weight Watchers. The former NBA superstar, who has been nicknamed “Round Mound of Rebound,” has gotten tired of his weight and pledged to drop it, once and for all. At his highest weight, the 48-year-old retired basketball star weighed more than 350 pounds.

Famous for a 1993 Nike ad in which he says “I am not a role model. I’m not paid to be a role model. I am paid to wreak havoc on the basketball court. Parents should be role models,” Barkley has changed his tune.

In the Weight Watchers ads, slated to run most often during sporting events, Barkley says “I am still not a role model. But maybe I can change that. Maybe if I tell you I’m losing weight and getting healthy, you’d see that you can too.” Nowhere in the advertisements does he mention black men specifically, but the message of “health first” is one that is very often overlooked by men, especially men of color. They are often underrepresented in the weight loss field, often to the gross extremes of encouraging heaviness with the popularity of such men as “The Notorious B.I.G.”, and the recent passing of comedian Patrice O’Neal. (more…)

Posted on January 2, 2024 by Carmen

Red, White, and Blue 4th of July Activities to Get You Moving

by Kelsey Murray

The 4th of July is quickly approaching and along with lighting firecrackers and watching fireworks shows, many of us tend to eat a lot of high-calorie foods such as hamburgers and potato salad on this summer holiday. If you want to burn off these extra calories while still celebrating the holiday, try these red, white, and blue activities everyone will enjoy.

Red: For your red exercises, it’s time to regress to your childhood days. Find a red ball like the one you used to play with when you were younger. It could be a basketball, a tether ball, or even a baseball (the stitches are red) and then enlist a friend or family member to join you in the fun. Throw the ball back and forth, roll it down a hill and chase it, or just play a traditional game. Either way, using a red ball is a great way to get in some cardiovascular exercise this Fourth of July.

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Posted on June 23, 2023 by Health Buzz