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Pakistan players unmindful of healthy diet

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PakPlayer

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Its good to see Pakistan doing well in the champions trophy. But it begs a question is this unit capable of becoming world beaters.

Every day more or less since being in Cardiff, most of the Pakistan cricket team has gone to a local restaurant to eat desi food. Yesterday after the meal, most players and the wives went to a shisha place.

Should this be allowed, players going for shisha?
Should players be allowed to eat what is desired by them or a set menu?

A player who I spoke to was more concerned about weight and did not know his body fat or how he can improve. He felt he knew his body well and therefore was not so concerned. Hence why he struggles to clear the boundaries.

Should players be allowed to roam free and do what is desired? Am sure other teams have diet plans and help them to perform better.
 
PakPlayer said:
Its good to see Pakistan doing well in the champions trophy. But it begs a question is this unit capable of becoming world beaters.

Every day more or less since being in Cardiff, most of the Pakistan cricket team has gone to a local restaurant to eat desi food. Yesterday after the meal, most players and the wives went to a shisha place.

Should this be allowed, players going for shisha?
Should players be allowed to eat what is desired by them or a set menu?

A player who I spoke to was more concerned about weight and did not know his body fat or how he can improve. He felt he knew his body well and therefore was not so concerned. Hence why he struggles to clear the boundaries.

Should players be allowed to roam free and do what is desired? Am sure other teams have diet plans and help them to perform better.
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So Azhar Ali then?
 
One day off - nothing will happen.

Let them relax and you do the same.
 
PakPlayer said:
Its good to see Pakistan doing well in the champions trophy. But it begs a question is this unit capable of becoming world beaters.

Every day more or less since being in Cardiff, most of the Pakistan cricket team has gone to a local restaurant to eat desi food. Yesterday after the meal, most players and the wives went to a shisha place.

Should this be allowed, players going for shisha?
Should players be allowed to eat what is desired by them or a set menu?

A player who I spoke to was more concerned about weight and did not know his body fat or how he can improve. He felt he knew his body well and therefore was not so concerned. Hence why he struggles to clear the boundaries.

Should players be allowed to roam free and do what is desired? Am sure other teams have diet plans and help them to perform better.
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By what logic did you come to that assumption?
 
I didn't mention any particular player on purpose so no guessing.

Its also not about one day as it could be a regular occurrence but from what i saw was not good.

If you look at another nation e.g India or Australia you find the players are stronger and hence score in the last 10 overs easier than our current players. If we want the kohlis then a change of attitude ia required.
 
I don't mind them relaxing.

Yeah but I agree they have had a poor diet for a very long time.

It will take another generation to sort it out.
 
Let them eat. They need to bulk up. Except sarfaraz. And maybe Azhar.
 
Pakistan as a nation has no clue what's a healthy diet or body. Can't blame them the food is too good.

Still I would expect the players to be more mindful and a treat once in a while can't be too hurtful.

A lot has been said about the command of English isn't a requirement for a cricketer but I feel our players lack of proper education and English is disadvantageous. Because a big resource of information, namely the Internet, largely uses the English language. It's a pity that they don't have an access to this resource because of their poor language skill.
 
Then we question why the Indian players have better physiques, conditioning, fitness, running b/w the wickets where they convert 1's into 2's, 2's into 3's and running, catching and direct hits in the outfield.

Our players have no excuses, they have the best training facilities, access to the best fitness trainers, access to a nutritionist.
 
Sirris said:
Pakistan as a nation has no clue what's a healthy diet or body. Can't blame them the food is too good.

Still I would expect the players to be more mindful and a treat once in a while can't be too hurtful.

A lot has been said about the command of English isn't a requirement for a cricketer but I feel our players lack of proper education and English is disadvantageous. Because a big resource of information, namely the Internet, largely uses the English language. It's a pity that they don't have an access to this resource because of their poor language skill.
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Cut this nonsense about the food is too good. Really? How? That's just a lame excuse.

Naan? Biryani? Nihari? all peasant food. Might as well be eating at Popeyes and KFC. It's the same thing. It's food for the poor.

These idiots don't realize elite food is steak etc.
 
Why doesn't team Pakistan doesn't go on gluten-free diet like team India?

Going gluten free enhances an athletes' abilities physically and mentally.

At least go gluten-free 6 weeks before major tournaments (like many professional cyclists, boxers, swimmers, Olympians and mma fighters)

Do you guys agree???
 
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Pak team follows Inzi culture..... in Inzi culture, there is NO existence of the word "diet".
 
Lack of education, grooming and the lack of will to make sacrifices at the top. To be fair, it is very hard for players to stay away from regular foods, the body and mind starts to act up 3 weeks into a diet where you are tempted to cheat.
 
Belawal2014 said:
Because Nihari, paya and Biryani matter too.
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Sure, but during off season only.
I have bumped into Pak players so many times at restaurants (during UAE home series) hogging down oily desi food in the evening. And next morning, it is their 2nd/3rd/4th day of test match. This is not acceptable.
 
Savak said:
Lack of education, grooming and the lack of will to make sacrifices at the top. To be fair, it is very hard for players to stay away from regular foods, the body and mind starts to act up 3 weeks into a diet where you are tempted to cheat.
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Yeah, but Indian team and many other athletes from other sports around the world are not edecauted either. They come from less privileged families who can't afford gluten free stuff. However, once they find out that to be number 1 and stay at number 1, you have to sacrifice.
 
Forget specialized diets, a simple removal of junk food would be a solid start.

These guys are so far behind it's embarrassing.
 
I think Pakistani mentality is I am a sportsman and have plenty of physical activity so I will burn off everything.
 
proud_pakistani said:
I think Pakistani mentality is I am a sportsman and have plenty of physical activity so I will burn off everything.
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True, but if only one team member goes gluten-free and shows some good results, then other team members will jump on the band wagon. "Monkey see, monkey do" approach.
 
sjsjsj said:
True, but if only one team member goes gluten-free and shows some good results, then other team members will jump on the band wagon. "Monkey see, monkey do" approach.
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The thing is we don't have a figure like that in the team who would go out if the way to improve themselves. To be fair most of the boys will not even know wat a gluten free diet is.

You would have needed to have a figure like Imran Khan or maybe Shoaib Akhtar who know a fair bit about diets and could possibly inspire others to follow them. One guy who probably has a good diet and fitness regime is Shan Masood but he is barely in the team and hasn't been successful to inspire anyone else.
 
.... why do you want them to get off gluten....

explain the rationale
 
sjsjsj said:
Yeah, but Indian team and many other athletes from other sports around the world are not edecauted either. They come from less privileged families who can't afford gluten free stuff. However, once they find out that to be number 1 and stay at number 1, you have to sacrifice.
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It is the effect that million dollar contracts have on sportsmen. If you want the contract you have to make the sacrifice. Indians have the IPL to thank for producing many professional cricketers.
 
Gluten chor mere bhai, they can't go on biryani-free diet.
 
Younis Khan and Misbah have always been extremely fit. Misbah however i have heard is a hearty eater but he trains it all off as well.
 
Savak said:
Younis Khan and Misbah have always been extremely fit. Misbah however i have heard is a hearty eater but he trains it all off as well.
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You cant train off a bad diet. Misbah does look like a hearty eater because of his build but he definitely eats healthy
 
aliasad1998 said:
You cant train off a bad diet. Misbah does look like a hearty eater because of his build but he definitely eats healthy
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This has been confirmed by many team mates in interviews that Misbah has a huge appetite and eats the most in the team i.e. Nehari, Biryani, Korma, Keema, Daal, his stomach capacity is unmatched and even Afridi admits he is no match for him in this regard. It is just remarkable how Misbah remained so fit inspite of his huge appetite. Tribute to his hard work and genetics perhaps.
 
sjsjsj said:
"Conditioned well" compared to which other team members???
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This is the fittest Pakistan team we've ever had. They don't have to live like slaves. It's fitness in domestic cricket that should be encouraged
 
sjsjsj said:
"Conditioned well" compared to which other team members???
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Any team. Mickey has them working their tail off. You can tell they're in good condition just by the nonexistent face-fat on their faces, except Sarfaraz. I unno what the hell he eats.
 
Our players have always gone by the logic that if you train hard enough you can eat whatever you like
 
the diet will improve over time...as players become more an more professional.
 
Such things are part of Pak culture. The shisha smoking concerns me more then their eating habits.
 
So, I saw on google a picture of Ruman Raees at what looked like a wedding reception with a plate of rice and i think fried chicken/fish.
My thoughts were why are they guys attending a wedding and why this food.
 
Pete Rose said:
So, I saw on google a picture of Ruman Raees at what looked like a wedding reception with a plate of rice and i think fried chicken/fish.
My thoughts were why are they guys attending a wedding and why this food.
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is this true?
 
When it comes to good food nobody can beat Shahid Adridi

afridi.jpg
 
Misbah, and Younus, must have been doing something right. Scoring 99 and 99 not out in a Test match at the age of a few weeks short of 43 years requires a certain level of fitness wouldn't you say?
 
Yossarian said:
Misbah, and Younus, must have been doing something right. Scoring 99 and 99 not out in a Test match at the age of a few weeks short of 43 years requires a certain level of fitness wouldn't you say?
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An unfit batsman can score centuries in Tests, however in ODIs his fielding and running between the wkts will be exposed.
 
The real question needs to be asked is do we have good cooks in Pakistan, expert trained cooked who can make extremely healthy food delicious and tasty so that players are not tempted to cheat in the first place?
 
Savak said:
The real question needs to be asked is do we have good cooks in Pakistan, expert trained cooked who can make extremely healthy food delicious and tasty so that players are not tempted to cheat in the first place?
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The sad fact of life is you have to choose between healthy or tasty :(
 
Napa said:
The sad fact of life is you have to choose between healthy or tasty :(
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It is possible to make healthy food tasty as well, otherwise fitness models would not be gorging on healthy stuff on a daily basis, just look at the recipes in their diets. Same goes for Hollywood and Bollywood celebrities as well.
 
PakLFC said:
Such things are part of Pak culture. The shisha smoking concerns me more then their eating habits.
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I have heard culture argument before but I dont think it applies to professional international players. You have a street culture then you have a culture that you must follow if you are in sports profession.

Even average Indian eating habits are not very healthy, and not every Indian goes around with tattoos and designer facial hair, but when you look at Indian team almost all of them have tattoos, offbeat facial hair and different dietary habits.

I think its more of local culture in sporting arena then general culture.
 
Savak said:
The real question needs to be asked is do we have good cooks in Pakistan, expert trained cooked who can make extremely healthy food delicious and tasty so that players are not tempted to cheat in the first place?
Click to expand...

Most of the times the players are on the tour so team management should be the one look after their diet.

If not on the tour I'd imagine their wives doing some cooking as the majority are married.

Perhaps they are the culprit.

They want to show off their cooking skills to their husband's since they are rarely and home. Our poor and innocent players give in since they can't handle any sort of pressure to begin, how are they going to say reject the hard work of their wives.
 
BlueAngel said:
I have heard culture argument before but I dont think it applies to professional international players. You have a street culture then you have a culture that you must follow if you are in sports profession.

Even average Indian eating habits are not very healthy, and not every Indian goes around with tattoos and designer facial hair, but when you look at Indian team almost all of them have tattoos, offbeat facial hair and different dietary habits.

I think its more of local culture in sporting arena then general culture.
Click to expand...

I must say the Indian of in the last 10-13 years has become more and more Westernized in terms of Grooming, Fashion, Outlook, Tastes, Fitness and Training habits and this i credit to the IPL and the exposure to the likes of Bollywood celebrities and International super stars from West Indies, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand e.t.c.

Pakistani players unfortunately do not get that kind of continuous exposure and are stuck with the Paindus from club cricket in Pakistan and domestic cricket.
 
Sirris said:
Most of the times the players are on the tour so team management should be the one look after their diet.

If not on the tour I'd imagine their wives doing some cooking as the majority are married.

Perhaps they are the culprit.

They want to show off their cooking skills to their husband's since they are rarely and home. Our poor and innocent players give in since they can't handle any sort of pressure to begin, how are they going to say reject the hard work of their wives.
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Surely the PCB can hire a healthy cook for the players and all the players must have meals prepared by that cook only on tour. Surely that cannot be a very expensive investment for the PCB?
 
Napa said:
An unfit batsman can score centuries in Tests, however in ODIs his fielding and running between the wkts will be exposed.
Click to expand...
What a silly response. A 43 year scoring 99 in each innings of a Test match (which requires running between wickets, both when you're scoring/running 1's, 2's and 3's as well as when your batting partner is doing the same), along with fielding for two innings when the opposition are batting, is no mean feat in a 5 day Test match. It's no lesser a feat than a 20 something year old batting for a few overs and fielding for a maximum of 50 overs in an ODI.

Besides, this is not a competition as to whether the 43 old performing in a Test match as outlined above is more or less fitter than some 25ish years old limited overs hacker playing in an ODI, but a general discussion on cricketers eating habits and the effects on their fitness levels.
 
I have seen so many videos of Imran Khan eating at resteraunts, dinners, lunches and he eats all the regular stuff like Tikkas, Karhai's, Daal, Roti's, Chawals and even has the regular soft drinks but he is still unbelievably fit and does not compromise on excercising and working out.

Some people are just genetically best.

For e.g. me if i were to have a good body, i will have to sacrifice on my eating habits because just working out alone will not get me there.
 
Slog said:
Our players have always gone by the logic that if you train hard enough you can eat whatever you like
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Well there is some truth to it. Michael Phelps at his peak used to consume 8,000 calories a day.
 
Most of the fittest, professional athlete i know ( and I know quite a few ) here in USA, eat all kind of junk food but exercise regularly .
 
Syed1 said:
Well there is some truth to it. Michael Phelps at his peak used to consume 8,000 calories a day.
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I'm sure he watched what he ate

500 calories of nihari and paye aren't equal io 500 calories in a Caesar salad
 
Slog said:
I'm sure he watched what he ate

500 calories of nihari and paye aren't equal io 500 calories in a Caesar salad
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If you can find 500 calories wali nihari then let us mere mortals know too. :afridi
 
3cfb40d4fe6f4bb21ed28fa8de1fcdf3783d89157dc94bf7578d0473d264fff7_large.jpgB3CwuwSCAAEKRe-.jpgBoLlc82IYAEc2vY.jpgdb4169b80e6c0a3758de557591a23462.jpgimran-khan-001.jpgshowimage-1.jpg

This man is the fittest Pakistani Cricketer and individual in our history and look at the stuff he is eating. But he exercises rigorously and religiously everyday.
 
Haha, it also helps that he is not playing cricket professionally. You retire and you can eat whatever crap you want to eat.
 
Rotoman said:
Haha, it also helps that he is not playing cricket professionally. You retire and you can eat whatever crap you want to eat.
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He is still as fit as he was in his playing days. He can the players in our squad a run for their money at the age of 65.
 
Savak said:
Surely the PCB can hire a healthy cook for the players and all the players must have meals prepared by that cook only on tour. Surely that cannot be a very expensive investment for the PCB?
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Obviously PCB is run by incompetent fools.
 
Savak said:
He is still as fit as he was in his playing days. He can the players in our squad a run for their money at the age of 65.
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My guess would be he eats such foods like once a month and not on daily basis.

Eating once a month would mean 12pics of Imran in different places with truck loads of food in front of him. I find hard to believe that he hits the gym regularly at this age and with all the political stuff he is involved with.
 
There is no need for a highly specialized diet. Cutting off junk food is a good start. Staying away from excess sugar, sodas, fast food. If these guys follow the basics and train properly, then they will be fine. We are so far behind the rest of the world it is embarrassing.

You CAN eat desi food and still be fit and healthy. It's all about control. Eating the proper portions at the proper times.
The MAIN difference between Pakistan and the rest is that our players don't behave like athletes when they are on their off days.

Players in other teams and sports may come back a few pounds overweight after the off season, but some of our players will gain 15-20 pounds (or more) if they are given some time off.
Being fit is not just about eating properly, it is a complete mentality that you need to have. It is a state of mind.
Our players don't have it.
 
AamirWarraich said:
There is no need for a highly specialized diet. Cutting off junk food is a good start. Staying away from excess sugar, sodas, fast food. If these guys follow the basics and train properly, then they will be fine. We are so far behind the rest of the world it is embarrassing.

You CAN eat desi food and still be fit and healthy. It's all about control. Eating the proper portions at the proper times.
The MAIN difference between Pakistan and the rest is that our players don't behave like athletes when they are on their off days.

Players in other teams and sports may come back a few pounds overweight after the off season, but some of our players will gain 15-20 pounds (or more) if they are given some time off.
Being fit is not just about eating properly, it is a complete mentality that you need to have. It is a state of mind.
Our players don't have it.
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I always thought if you were to cut down on all the oil, butter and fried stuff than you get a healthy meal in pak cuisine. Rice and chicken are unhealthy. It's the way the are prepared with ghee and all that stuff.
 
Slog said:
I'm sure he watched what he ate

500 calories of nihari and paye aren't equal io 500 calories in a Caesar salad
Click to expand...

Wrong wrong wrong

500 calories are 500 calories. Yes one is more filling than other because of nutrients and fiber.
 
Sirris said:
My guess would be he eats such foods like once a month and not on daily basis.

Eating once a month would mean 12pics of Imran in different places with truck loads of food in front of him. I find hard to believe that he hits the gym regularly at this age and with all the political stuff he is involved with.
Click to expand...

Oh he eats this stuff on a regular basis, he makes time out to exercise no matter how busy he is. Even during the Dharna's in Islamabad, he would leave the shuttle to go to Bani Gala to freshen up, exercise and come back. The man has not forgotten his discipline as a sportsman. Even on youtube you can find a recent pic of him jogging in Nathiagalli
 
They had horrible diets in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s also. One could argue that cricketers now are more professional and follow diet regimens of Footballers, Basketballers etc.

However at the same time you cannot force somebody to eat a certain way. At the most, PCB itself could promote healthy diets by not offering certain foods. For example, many schools refuse to sell soft drinks and candy at canteens now.

That could be a start.
 
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