Athletes are often creatures of habit in that way, and rookie wide receiver Casey Washington is no exception. When Washington isn’t at the facility there’s only one thing he’s eating — Cava. Like clockwork, Washington picks up the same meal, at the same location.
He’s become a regular; he’s sure the employees know his face at this point. He’ll order one particular meal: a bowl of chicken, tzatziki, red pepper hummus, white rice and every vegetable option. He’s eaten this meal at least once — often three times — a day since he was drafted, and he hasn’t grown tired of it yet.
“Every time I eat it I’m like, ‘That was really good,’” Washington said. “… It’s actually fire, I got to learn how to cook it.”
Wherever they can get their calories is, at times, sufficient enough. For defensive back Dee Alford, sometimes a burger is the easiest thing to eat. Alford admitted his diet isn’t the greatest right now, and he’s working with Benjamin on a plan and asking teammates for tips.
Alford said he’s been able to get by without eating super clean because the amount he’s running at the nickel position makes him lose weight quickly. While it’s preferable that they watch what they eat, it’s paramount that at minimum they’re eating in volume.
“You got to (constantly eat). If you don’t you’re gonna lose your appetite,” Alford said. “There’s gonna be days where you don’t get hungry, so it’s kind of tough you don’t weigh as much as other guys.”
Listed at 180 pounds, Alford is the lightest member in the secondary room. He said he put on more weight this offseason and is now trying to sustain it.
Keeping up with calorie intake is perhaps the biggest hurdle in a player’s nutrition journey. Weight loss can lead to a drop in a player’s strength, muscular endurance or even cognition. That’s why it’s especially important during the hot, humid days of training camp.
It’s a “free-for-all” when it comes to calories because players lose so much weight, sometimes 10 to 12 pounds a practice, during training camp. At a normal practice, offensive linemen lose six to eight pounds in just a couple of hours.
“Think about what it’s like to try to come off the field and then regain 16 pounds afterward,” Benjamin said. “That’s really challenging.”
A lot of what’s lost is water weight. To combat that, Benjamin will administer IVs to help with hydration in those extreme moments of weight loss during training camp. If a player were to lose 16 pounds they would need to drink 2.25 gallons of fluid using Benjamin’s 150% rule for hydration replenishment. He’d also recommend that they load up on carbs — pasta, potatoes or rice — paired with a lean protein post-practice to aid in absorbing the fluids.
Smoothies are a simple way to regain weight, too. Benjamin’s staff makes about 60 standard smoothies in a big batch each day, and some are made special for specific players with their names labeled on the cup.