Inside look at Miami Hurricanes nutrition program
Sports Dissected visited Coral Gables for a closer look at the way the Miami Hurricanes treat their nutrition program, and during the episode host Leland Bruce met with UM Olympic Sports Nutrition Coordinator Nathan Diaz as well as Director of Football Nutrition Kyle Bellamy and campus executive chef Scott Emerson.
There are spaces for the student-athletes to come and pick up food on Miami’s campus and also a dining area with a rotating menu that will include a variety of fruit, salads and main courses that always incorporates protein as well as pasta.
Bellamy is in charge of managing the food for the football student-athletes and purchasing what is needed for ultimate performance in practices, games, lifting sessions, etc.
“From when they come in from high school, they are a blank slate, don’t really know a whole lot as far as nutrition,” Bellamy said. “So starting to implement different things, watching them grow from high school and hopefully getting to the NFL Draft (is rewarding).”
This is Bellamy’s ninth year at Miami.
“It’s just providing variety, the right thigns for the guys to perform optimally but also to recover,” Bellamy said.
Bellamy says variety, including Acai bowls, is key, as is temperature lowering items in the Florida heat as well as shakes for guys who are trying to gain weight.
And when it comes to cooked food, that’s on Emerson.
“We want to know what they like to eat, want them to eat healthy,” Emerson said. “Nutrition is very important. My goal is to make food they like, keep them happy and make it as nutritious as I can make it and variety.
“Different athletes work with their trainers to have different diets.”
As for the non-football sports?
Diaz oversees the nutrition needs for every athletic program other than football. He does 1-on-1 counseling with student-counseling as well as overseeing the operation.
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“At the end of the day we want our athlete to enjoy this process,” Diaz said. “And so when we say `Hey, you have to eliminate all these things from the past, substitute all these super healthy options, we don’t find success in that. It’s all about slowly getting the athlete to that point.”
Diaz says the nutrition staff educates student-athletes on every aspect of what they put in their bodies … including how to grocery shop.
That includes making sure there is a protein, carbohydrate and vegetable source. The program has a list of items in each area student-athletes can choose between.
“Some athletes come in without knowing – you have to put in the time to help these athletes learn how to grocery shop on a budget,” Diaz said. “We talk about cost effectiveness, timeliness, allowing them to cook what they need to cook.”
Diaz says smoothie bowls in particular are popular.
So next time you are watching a Miami sports team compete, you also now know a little bit of what goes into the preparation.
“It’s hot outside, being able to come in and get something refreshing makes that whole experience better,” Diaz said.
