By Mark Eckel, Player Engagement Insider
Caraun Reid admitted that his rookie year in the NFL was the toughest
And not just from an on-the-field, adjusting from college life to the professional level, but also in what to eat, or more specifically what not to eat.
Reid, the Detroit Lions defensive tackle who was drafted out of Princeton University in 2014, now has a personal chef cooking his meals for him, so eating right has become as much a way of life for him as clogging the middle of the line and stopping the opponents’ running game.
“Your rookie year is the toughest year,’’ Reid said. “You’re still in the mindset, ‘Oh this is what’s in the cafeteria, that’s tasty. I’ll eat this.’ Then you start to see how it affects your practice and all of that. And then you know it’s time to change.’’
For Reid change meant more protein, although a cut back on one of his favorites — red meat — less carbs and a balance of lots of small meals a day.
That’s also where his chef, Jason Kowal, came into the picture.
“After my rookie year is when I started to really get into this,’’ Reid said of realizing how important nutrition is for performance. “I saw how by body transformed was directly related to how I played.’’
Reid, unlike some players who need to keep their weight down, wants to get a little bigger. He played between 290 and 295 pounds last year, but wants to get up around the 300-pound mark and stay there.
“When I was in college I was around 300,’’ he said, “but it wasn’t all good weight.’’
Now it is because of a regimented diet and the cooking of Kowal.
“He knows exactly what to make for me and what athletes need,’’ Reid said.
And what’s that?
“A lot of fish. I have a Caribbean background, so I’m used to eating a lot of fish anyway, so I’m good with that.’’
Reid says a typical day during the season for him consists of five to six “small’’ meals over the course of the day. He’ll start with a yogurt parfait for breakfast, then a frittata as a second breakfast. A chicken salad sandwich, or something similar for lunch; a light snack after that, a healthy dinner and then. . .
“If I’m still hungry I’ll make a protein shake later,’’ he said.
That’s during the season, or in camp, when players burn the most calories. In the offseason it’s a little different, although Reid says he tries to stay the course.
“During the season, and out of the season are about the same, except I give myself a little bit of time out of season to pig out,’’ he said with a laugh. “But once March comes around I’m back on my regimen of low carbs, organic meat.
“I try not to eat too much red meat, maybe once every two weeks, or so. For the majority it’s heavy protein, light on carbs. I try to maintain a lot of calories, at least 5,000 per day. Because of the amount I burn every day.’’
What was the toughest food for him to cut back on, or give up entirely? Take note kids, because it’s probably one of yours as well.
“I love ice cream,’’ Reid said “I’m a big kid at heart. I really love ice cream. But I knew I had to cut back on it.’’