Draymond’s Drop In The Draft
Green was a star basketball player in high school, leading his team to a Class A State Championship in his junior and senior years. He signed a letter of intent to play for the Michigan State Spartans where he also kicked butt. But Draymond hasn’t always been on top. He was selected as the 35th overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 2012 NBA draft. Not exactly first pick, but Draymond made it into the NBA and was determined to succeed. According to an article from ESPN, Green had struggled with his weight since his college days playing for Michigan State. Despite bringing the team to victory, helping the Spartans to two Final Four appearances and a Big Ten Tournament championship, his weight may have held him back at the start of his professional career.
Cutting Out The Junk
Green decided it was time to cut the crap – literally. In an ESPN article detailing the diets of the NBA’s top stars, he describes eliminating “bad carbs” from his diet. Carbs like bread, pasta and his beloved tacos from Vargas & Sons Tortillas in his hometown of Saginaw, Michigan. He made the switch from unhealthy foods, to clean eating after his rookie year and, according to MLive.com dropped from near 248 pounds to a leaner, meaner 230 pounds. He arrived at training camp with less weight to lug and more energy to dedicate to his sport. A study from the New England Journal of Medicine examined low carb diets like the one Green used to shed his rookie weight. Participants who were assigned a low carb, high fat, high protein diet were given a copy of Dr. Atkin’s guide and instructed to limit their carbohydrate intake.
Compared to participants following a conventional diet that got 60 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, 25 percent from fat and 15 percent from protein, the low carb group lost more weight after three months and six months. The low carb group had more urinary ketones, which present themselves when the body is breaking down fat for energy, during the first three months of the study as well.
Paleo, primal, Atkins, low carb – a diet that cuts crappy carbs can come under a lot of names, but for people like Green, they’re effective.
Green Rises To The Top
Once Green kicked the carbs, he felt better and performed even more like the stellar champion he is. During his second season with the Warriors he improved his scoring, rebounding, assist, steal and blocked shot averages. His three point shots got even better, too. He told ESPN that losing the extra body fat has “alleviated chronic knee pain, improved his stamina and enabled him to cut down on mental errors.” That’s good news for Draymond Green and good news for anyone embarking on a low carb lifestyle to meet their fitness and physique goals. After he kicked his extra body fat to the curb he was able to make the All-Star Team, the National Team and the NBA Championship. He took his passion to his work and improved on his already outstanding career.
He also joined the Performance Inspired Nutrition team, bringing his knowledge of nutrition and what it takes to be one of the greats. Green is part owner in the business, not just an athlete with an endorsement. He contributes his expertise when it comes to recovery and maximizing his nutrition, even getting his friends and teammates involved in the quest for the best, natural nutritional supplements.
