Joe Bastianich Quotes

At the most elite level, your nutrition becomes a lifestyle: it's not something you have to do when you're preparing for Olympic games or World Cup games - you just do it. You're more inclined to eat healthier because it's better for your muscles.

People making it like I sit there and eat a whole plate of candy before I play a basketball game. I don't think anyone could do that.

There is one thing on which most athletes and experts seem to agree. If you want to be an elite athlete, good nutrition at a young age is an important place to start.

Growing up, my parents were healthy eaters and starting to run and compete when I was 13, I knew the need to focus on what you need to eat. I remember going to grocery store myself and picking up fresh fruit and knowing early on the right foods to fuel my body.

Throughout my life, I have tried to share my philosophy that getting and staying healthy doesn't have to feel like work. I don't diet or slave away in a gym - what I do is make excellent food choices.

It sounds awful and sort of goody two-shoes, but I never eat between meals.

I eat healthy when I can; I eat a burger when I want, and I work out. You have to live with the routine that keeps your body the healthiest, and that's what I do - I don't change it for a swimsuit shoot. You have to figure out what works with your body the best.

If you're going to lose weight, you have to do it by changing your way of thinking about food. It cannot be the highlight of your life.

I never, ever, restrict food, and I will never go on a diet ever again.

I always say centered food equals centered behavior.

I try to eat in a way that makes me feel good. If that means a little bite of chocolate I do that, but I try not to use food as a reward for myself.

I don't do fad things or diets - they don't work.

Make food a very incidental part of your life by filling your life so full of meaningful things that you'll hardly have time to think about food.

I don't think it ever works to tell people what they can't eat. They can do it for so long, and then they fall off. You have to bring them into a new relationship with food.

My advice for anyone looking to lose weight is to not make it feel like a job.

'I resolve to eat less food' sounds good in theory, but it's often hard to sustain. And if you believe that it's all willpower, then you're likely to be upset with yourself if you don't succeed.

Understand that nutrition plays a huge role in athletes' lives, and one of the most nutritious ways to eat is to cook your own food.

I always have oatmeal before training or a match. It's easy on the stomach, offers so many vitamins and minerals, and is slow-burning, so it won't leave me hungry at half-time.

As a rookie, I worked with my agent and the training staff to figure out what diet works for my body naturally.

During the season, nutrition is so huge.

I always like it when I eat myself out of breath. That's a good boost to my day. You know, I'm eating, and I go, 'Oooohhh.' It's better a few moments later when you get to think about it, when you're like, 'Why did I just stop to take a deep breath? Oh yeah, my body also needs air.'

If your body needs certain food, you have to give it to it. And as an athlete, if I'm doing 100 miles a week and working out, if I eat bad food one day, it's not bad for me because I burn it off.

I try to eat a lot of carbs, especially the day of the game, because it fills you up. I have my breakfast and I have a huge lunch before I play. For me it's always having pasta and chicken to get some protein in me, so I don't play on an empty stomach at night. The day before a game it's high protein, mostly, with fish or steak, but nothing crazy.

As a professional athlete you have to be technical with what you eat. You have to make sure your intakes are on point every day.

Eat... to live, and do not live to eat.