Badminton Queen of India Saina Nehwal (9 page)

Evening Meal

•    Lean fillet steak or chicken breast or fish and herbs to taste

•    Boiled new potatoes

Or

•    Basmati rice

Or

•    Dry roasted sweet potatoes

Or

•    Whole wheat pasta

•    Loads of vegetables

•    Low fat yoghurt with no added sugar

•    Drink

1 hour pre-bed

•    100 grams cottage cheese/quark/low fat natural yoghurt

•    Item fruit

•    Small handful mixed nuts & seeds

•    Drink

The plan utilises slow released low glycaemic carbohydrates. This ensures a sustained energy intake required for training sessions. The above mentioned plan also provides adequate levels of all vital nutrients.

Caution:

However, the plan is merely a general guide to diet regime for Badminton player. The portion sizes should be adapted to suit a specific player’s body type, weight, stamina and playing requirements.

Men usually need larger portions than women. It is also vital to include a wide range of fish, meat, complex carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables each day. Also drink plenty of water.

Saina Nehwal’s – Diet Schedule

Saina Nehwal, one of the most accomplished athletes in Indian sports is fit and focuses on staying healthy. A vegetarian from Hissar – Haryana, Saina has successfully battled with agile and strong players from China, amongst other countries. Saina’s tenacity and grit have won her many fans across the world. Today, Saina is recognized as one of the fittest players in India.

At 22, this amazing badminton player became the first Indian to win a medal in badminton at the Olympics. Apart from rigorous training schedule, Saina has always maintained a strict, healthy diet schedule. This young athlete believes that a balanced, healthy diet plays an important role in achieving this victory.

Female badminton players must consume a lot of calories from all macro nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Saina was born into a vegetarian home. However, once she embarked on her chosen career, Saina started eating meat.

According to Saina, “Players need strength and the only way to get it is through eating meat. I eat a lot of chicken and I believe it has helped me to gain strength.”

This Olympic gold winner had also given up junk food.

Here is a glimpse at the diet followed by this elite badminton player:

A High Carbohydrate, Moderate Protein Diet

In order to fuel the muscles, a carbohydrate rich diet with moderate protein and low fat content is recommended. This helps a player perform his/ her best at each game. They need a minimum of 3000 calories a day for all the vigorous hours of practice and training. Vitamins, minerals and fluids are also vital and must be present in balanced amounts on a daily basis. Popular low carbohydrate and high protein diets are not recommended by experts for a badminton player.

Prior to displaying her amazing badminton skills in the Olympics game, Saina lost 5 kgs to become fitter and leaner. To achieve this goal, she gave up all foods that were high in carbs and starch. This included all oily and junk food that give only empty calories.

Saina emphasized on having a lot of proteins that was mainly derived from non veg sources.

Early Morning

Saina’s day starts with a glass of milk.

Breakfast

Her best choices for a healthy breakfast are eggs and milk. This makes for a high protein breakfast which is needed by a badminton player.

Lunch

Saina’s lunch primarily consists of steamed or boiled chicken. This is important to accelerate repair and growth of the muscles that get strained due to physical activity. Proteins helps Saina stay lean and lose any excess body weight.

Dinner

Dinner consists of grilled chicken, steamed food and salads.

Saina avoids having carbohydrates after 7.30 PM.

Saina avoids rice and rotis as far as possible. She tanks up on protein shakes, and even resists the urge to snack on a burger.

The No-Nos for Saina

The Olympic winner does not indulge in ice creams and other sweets.

The Must Haves

She also drinks plenty of fluids to hydrate herself on a daily basis. On match days she takes small sips of water as and when she requires it.

Saina Nehwal surely did India proud by winning the bronze in the 2012 London Olympics. All credits go to her dedication and change in diet that helped her perform so well.

How to Be Mentally Prepared
Before a Game

Mental preparation is extremely important for a player. In fact, this is known to be one of the most important parts of an individual’s sports performance. Some players are blessed with amazing skills and incredible stamina to pay around for hours together, but if they are not mentally prepared they would not be able to implement their skills and stamina through the duration of “game time”.

Saina Nehwal prepares herself mentally prior to playing a tournament. So, how does she do it? She practices visualization. In fact, all successful players prepare themselves mentally via practicing visualization.

Here are some tips aspiring players can integrate into their lives to prepare themselves mentally before a game and increase their chances to win:

An Early Start

You need to prepare for a game the night before. This is important to get the grip of the event.

Visualize

You need to visualize the game and then replay it over in your head. Try visualizing yourself hitting homerun. You need to imagine yourself pitching a no-hitter. You need to visualize all that you are planning to do in the tournament. For instance, you may visualize yourself dribbling the ball and then swishing a three-pointer. Imagine your victory as much as possible.

Go Easy

Players should keep their mind at ease. It is important to try not to let anyone upset you.

Keep Calm

Staying calm and focused at all times is an integral part of preparing for a game mentally. If you are calm, nothing can come between you and victory.

Positive Pals

It is vital to have healthy discussions with encouraging, positive individuals. Strictly stay away from those with negative attitudes.

Less of Game

Focussing on game is good but make sure you don’t overdo it. You should not focus on the game too much. Since, you may make mistakes and get upset. This may also deteriorate your level of game.

Only Success

Try gathering all of your attention to just one thing; Success! Don’t think about anything else. You should think about the best times in your career and all the good things you do. Divert your attention to the positives you bring into being. Understand that your mind and body is one unit. What your mind sends to your body that is how it will react.

Have Fun

If you are stressed out, you will not be able to perform well. Look at the brighter side of the picture. Remind yourself that you have practiced a lot and the hard work will not go waste. But you need to excel in the balancing act. Relaxing too much and ignoring practise sessions can invite more harm than good.

Discipline is the Key

Saina has been practicing since she was a child. But she was a disciplined child and grew up to be more disciplined teenager. As a child, she sacrificed on playing with other kids and watching cartoons. Unlike other teenagers, Saina doesn’t get to sleep in, watch movies or hang out with friends. Her schedule is fixed. She gets up at 6 am everyday, 6 times a week and practices. Much of her success has come from just great discipline. This may sound a bit scary but achieving a celebrity status does not happen without sacrificing on certain things in life.

Discipline is something most players lack. To attain a status that Saina has already acquired in the sports arena, discipline is a must. You need to practice discipline in your lifestyle, the way you think, practise sessions, diets and exercise routines.

Awards and Honours
– A Part of Saina Nehwal’s Life

What makes most of us struggle, indulge in hard work and sacrifice certain things in life? Well, for some, money makes the world go around while others strive for recognition. Awards are a part of life and work towards boosting the spirits of those who wish to carvea niche in their respective fields. In short, each of us is driven by an entirely different set of compulsions.

But one thing is certain. Some professions are meant for those who want to make money and some, for those who want to discover themselves.

Ambition always begins with a dream, a purpose. And even though money may be an important part of it, it doesn’t really matters that much. Most people strive, excel, achieve for reasons other than money. It’s the desire to prove themselves.

But not all those who strive, succeed. That’s where the role of awards and public recognition comes in. Awards do not only acknowledge success; they recognise many other qualities: ability, struggle, effort and, above all, excellence. For every Shah Rukh who succeeds and hits the jackpot, winning wealth, fame and honour, there are hundreds of equally gifted actors who do not make it! For every Sachin, there are hundreds of brilliant young sports people in India who never get the grooming and the break they need. And, even when they do, they are stymied at every level by a disrespectful system.

Would you have heard of Aruna Roy or Deep Joshi were it not for the Magsaysay? Would you have gone out and bought Aravind Adiga were it not for the Man Booker?

Awards and recognitions play an integral part of a profession, especially those that bring individuals and their performance into limelight. When it comes to sports, a sportsperson is generally recognized for the number of victories he or she had and most importantly, the awards.

Although, not an out and out sports oriented country, there has been no dearth of incredible players here. Be it cricket (that’s what we know India’s sports as), hockey, tennis (thanks to Sania Mirza) and the recent fad among Indians for badminton, people have always had some time to spare for sports.

Sports Awards in India

Sports Awards in India are bestowed by the Sports Ministry, Government of India to various sports personalities in different fields for their accomplishments and outstanding performances. These awards include the Arjuna Award, the Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Dronacharya Awards Dhyan Chand Award.

Initially, the Government used to confer these awards to the sportspersons for their performances in all types of competitions. However, from the year 2001, the Sports award is given only in those disciplines that fall under the categories like the Olympic Games or the Asian Games or Commonwealth Games or the World Cup or World Championship disciplines and also in Cricket. These awards are also given for the Indigenous competitions and for the Sports for the Physically Challenged.

Some of the most reputed and popular Sports Awards in India are mentioned below –

Arjuna Awards

The Government of India established the Arjuna Awards in India in the year of 1961 for the outstanding performance from the sportspersons in sports and games. The Government has modified the format of Arjuna Award very recently and as per the revised schematic guidelines a sportsperson must have very good consistent performances for the previous 3 years at the international level to be considered as eligible for the Award. The person should also have excellence in his or her respective field of sport for the year for which the Award is recommended he or she should show some extraordinary qualities like the leadership, sportsmanship and a sense of discipline in his or her own field throughout his or her career. The Government gives a statuette of the legendary warrior Arjuna, a scroll of honour, a ceremonial dress and also a cash award of an amount of Rs.3 lakhs to the Awardees.