Julie Loria - The Game of Eating Smart: Nourishing Recipes for Peak Performance Inspired by MLB Superstars

Julie Loria is the author of Diamond Dishes, her first book, which showcased stories and recipes from twenty top MLB players, including Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, and Alex Rodriguez. She was born and raised a baseball fan, with a passion for food and cooking. She honed her culinary skills in Paris at the French cooking school La Cuisine de Marie-Blanche. She now lives in New York.

Allen Campbell is known as the chef of peak performance. He was most recently the personal chef for the New England Patriots star quarterback Tom Brady and his wife, Gisele Bndchen. With Tom, he coauthored the TB12 Nutrition Manual. Allen lives in Boston.

FULL NAME: Jos Carlos Altuve

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5'6", 165 lbs

BORN: May 6, 1990, in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela

POSITION: Second baseman

SIGNED: As an undrafted free agent in 2007

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: 2017 World Series Champion; 6x AL All-Star; 2015 AL Gold Glove Award; 5x AL Silver Slugger Award; 3x AL batting title; 2x AL stolen base leader; 2017 AL MVP; 2017 AL Hank Aaron Award

My motivation for eating smart comes from my family. We are a healthy family that likes to eat right. Also, my dad noticed some of the big league players eating well and playing well, so he recommended that I improve my diet. Since I changed my diet a few years ago, Ive noticed a big difference in my performance.

Ive noticed a connection between my eating habits and performance because when I eat right, I not only go out there and play well, I also feel well. I feel better on and off the field, and my recovery is much faster. Once I started eating better, I noticed a 100 percent change. Now I can play all season and I still feel great after its over. After the season, I still want to go out there and play baseball. I feel faster, and after a game I sleep better. I feel very healthy.

My breakfast routine starts at about 7:00 a.m. with an omelet of spinach, onions, and tomatoes and two pieces of wheat bread. I eat some fruit too, usually pineapple. I also eat bananas and watermelon, and occasionally an apple. I like a mixed fruit salad with strawberries.

In my refrigerator youll always find fruit and yogurt. For a midmorning snack, I will eat yogurt and granola. Then later in the day I eat a protein bar or a smoothie for energyespecially on really active days when I need to keep my calories high. My favorite smoothie has a mix of vegetables and fruit. I like spinach with a banana and unflavored protein powder. I just add water, mix, and drink.

My biggest meal is lunch and its usually two pieces of grilled chicken breast, a cup or half a cup of brown rice, and vegetables. I also eat big salads with lettuce, tomatoes, and all kinds of vegetables. And then for dinner, I usually have more protein and vegetables, but fewer carbohydrates than at breakfast or lunch. I find that eating this way works best for my body and helps my performance on the field. I feel strong and energized. But I also know that I need to maintain a certain level of body fat and not get too lean because it can affect my power. I know when Im hitting well and I know when Im not, and sometimes it is as simple as needing to balance my intake of carbohydrates.

I recently discovered that I like fish, and will usually choose salmon or sea bass. Yesterday I had red snapper. I put it in the oven with just a little olive oil. But once a week I just eat whatever I feel like eating. A once-a-week treat is good for my mind and my body.

I got some great wellness advice from my teammate Carlos Correa. He showed up to training camp one year in really good physical shape. At the time, I was trying to get to the same place because I wanted to become a better player. So Carlos gave me some great advice: You have to eat well. If you eat well, youre going to look good and feel good, and youre going to go out there and play well. Even though it seems like obvious advice, I always remembered it.

Once I started eating better, I noticed a 100 percent change. Now I can play all season and I still feel great after its over. After the season, I still want to go out there and play baseball. I feel faster, and after a game I sleep better. I feel very healthy.

SIMPLE SCRAMBLED EGGS

with Veggies

SERVES: 1 // PREP: 15 minutes // COOK: 5 minutes

This is a no-fuss alternative to Jos Altuves everyday omelet that is reminiscent of his Venezuelan roots. The added vegetables give these eggs a delicious and healthy boost.

2 large eggs

1 teaspoons coconut oil

1 tablespoon finely diced onion

teaspoon minced garlic

cup chopped tomatoes

2 cups chopped baby spinach

Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Set aside.

In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat and cook the onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for about 30 seconds.

Pour in the eggs and continue to stir the mixture with a rubber spatula until the eggs begin to scramble, about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and add the spinach. Cover to allow the spinach to wilt, about 30 seconds. Fold in the spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste.