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WT: Burgers get boot at Redskins' training table


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http://insider.washingtontimes.com/articles/normal.php?StoryID=20060517-125656-7053r

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Burgers get boot at Redskins' training table

By David Elfin

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

May 17, 2006

It was an effective, if not sensible, diet: The Washington Redskins won three Super Bowls while dining at a training table of double cheeseburgers and fries.

The Redskins team that yesterday began five weeks of limited on-field workouts is better fed, at least, than its more successful, championship-winning predecessors were.

These days, the Redskins, like 20 of their National Football League rivals, employ a nutritionist who not only helps select the food for every meal the team serves, but also arranges for prepared dinners that players can take home, teaches them how to cook nutritious meals and takes them grocery shopping in a quest to make the players healthier and more productive.

"We have absolutely the best nutrition we've had in my 35 years here," said director of sports medicine Bubba Tyer, who joined the Redskins as an assistant trainer in 1971. "We're in line, if not doing better, than a lot of teams when it comes to eating right."

That wasn't always the case.

John Riggins, Darrell Green and Co. would chow down on McDonald's double cheeseburgers (with fixings bought in bulk down the street at Giant Food) before every practice in the 1980s. These days, Clinton Portis, Shawn Springs and the Redskins are offered more healthy fare.

The players generally are given breakfast and lunch during the season and three meals a day during training camp. The team spends hundreds of thousands of dollars feeding its players every year, Mr. Tyer said.

And that is where Ann Litt comes in.

"It makes sense for teams to put an emphasis on their players' whole bodies," said Mrs. Litt, an area nutritionist who has been on retainer with the Redskins for three years. "Once we can give them the right information on improving their diet, they can perform a lot better."

Mrs. Litt recently took snapper Ethan Albright and his wife, Kathy, on a nutrition tour of the mammoth Wegmans grocery store near Redskin Park in Ashburn, Va.

The 6-foot-5 Albright's weight has fluctuated over the years. At 35, he's focusing on eating food healthier than the ham, sausage and eggs he ate growing up on a North Carolina farm.

"Kathy and I are from that 'Eat what's on your plate; there are starving children in China' generation," Albright said. "Before we got married, Kathy was looking at my checkbook, and there were checks for Domino's, Papa John's and Pizza Hut. I said, 'See, I'm getting variety.'

"I put on a lot of weight when I was bucking to be a lineman, but when they told me to focus on snapping, I had to drop a bunch. My portion sizes are so messed up that I would put a huge amount of food in front of my kids."

And when they didn't finish their food, Albright would eat it for them. Mrs. Litt advised the Albrights on the proper ratio of meat, vegetables and carbohydrates to consume, assuring them that even junk food has its place in a balanced diet.

"I look at those 3-ounce vacuum-packed [steaks], and I'm like, 'You've got to be kidding,' " said Albright, who, at 260 pounds is halfway between what he weighed as a high-school senior and what he weighed as a second-year pro. "I want enough to satisfy me."

Chris Samuels was voted to his third Pro Bowl in 2005 despite playing the second half of the season on a sprained knee that would require surgery. But the offensive tackle wasn't completely satisfied, either.

"I want to play at the weight I played at in college, between 295 [and] 305, so I can be quicker," said Samuels, who weighed 321 on April 18 and had dropped 7 pounds just 10 days later. "That's hard to do when you're getting older, and you've had another knee scope. Ann has definitely helped me out a lot. She has really changed my diet."

Linebacker Marcus Washington wasn't as devoted to fried foods as Samuels was, butMrs. Litt has given the 2004 Pro Bowl linebacker a boost, too.

"Ann has really helped me out a bunch with those dinners," said Washington, a 28-year-old bachelor. "They're pretty good for a single guy. You pick them up on Tuesday, and you have your dinners for three days.

"Talking to guys on other teams, we really work hard here, and Ann definitely plays her part to help us," Washington added. "Guys make suggestions like turkey burgers and low-fat mayonnaise, and Ann will listen and add them to the menu. I've heard that some teams are still eating cheeseburgers and pizza. I don't see how you can eat all that stuff and go out there and work the way we do."

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"Kathy and I are from that 'Eat what's on your plate; there are starving children in China' generation," Albright said. "Before we got married, Kathy was looking at my checkbook, and there were checks for Domino's, Papa John's and Pizza Hut. I said, 'See, I'm getting variety."

This is a classic! :hungry:

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I wonder if shes hot! Maybe Washington bangs her.

:wtf:

LOL.

Marcus Washington? The Washington Redskins as a whole? Washington D.C.? Washington Wizards, Nationals...

Anyways: My girlfriend wants to get into nutrition. Hopefully someday she'll be lucky enough to be a team nutritionist. I would so marry her if she landed a job with the Skins. :)

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It surprises me that they haven't been doing this before now. - If these guys eat cleaner all the time, it improves energy and endurance.

Plus, I remember there was a concern that Samuels lost too much weight toward the end of the season. - Maybe she can help with that.

.

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They should throw that into players' contracts, "and we'll even feed you every year!" Sheesh, huge contracts and free healthy food. Eating healthy is more expensive than not, which some action should be taken on.

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Leonard Washington, that sig is friggin hillarious.

I think it is actually kinda sad that the team needs to spend $100,000 + each year feeding athletes that make $300,000+ each year. I personally would think that these guys could afford their own nutritionist and would be happy to do so to maximize their on field potential.

Then they can give me the free healthy meals on tuesday. I am more deserving, I have only had oodles of noodles to eat for 5 straight days.

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:wtf:

LOL.

Marcus Washington? The Washington Redskins as a whole? Washington D.C.? Washington Wizards, Nationals...

Anyways: My girlfriend wants to get into nutrition. Hopefully someday she'll be lucky enough to be a team nutritionist. I would so marry her if she landed a job with the Skins. :)

My wife is a licensed nutritionist in her country, but she has to redo all her tests here to become certified. I'd marry her again if she worked for the redskins.

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I wonder if it helps having a Wegmans near Redskins park now? Great grocery store.

Jason

Wegmans has the BEST hoagies in the WORLD !! Read the story on the wrapper about Danny Wegman going to DiBella's sub shop in Rochester NY and buying their recipe. I used to live in Rochester, and WEGMANS subs ROCK !!

HTTR

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