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ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- **Broncos rookies continued their series of introductory talks about adjusting to NFL life with a discussion with Director of Team Nutrition Bryan Snyder.
Snyder spent much of the talk discussing the timeline for proper nutrition, which includes a pregame carbohydrate load, a small-to-medium size meal a few hours before the game and constant refueling during a game.
Snyder also encouraged the rookies to see him during games to get snacks like Fig Newtons and Rice Krispies to keep the body going.
"I'm like a vending machine," Snyder said. "I've got everything you can imagine."
But Snyder emphasized the post-workout diet above all else. In the 30-minute window after a practice or game, a player must replenish with a 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio. If not, the long-term consequences can result in injury or decreased athletic performance.
The same can happen when a player doesn't get enough sleep, Snyder said. As the season progresses, the lack of sleep can accrue and cause problems. That's one reason for the infamous "rookie wall," he said. Snyder suggested the rookies get eight or nine hours of sleep a night.
Synder made a number of other points in his 45-minute talk:
- The Colorado altitude can take a toll, and players may need to drink as much as 80 ounces of fluid per day to stay hydrated.
- Alcohol consumption, especially during the season, will cause inflammation and can prevent an athlete from reaching peak performance.
- A huge number of supplements are on the list of banned substances, and players should be careful with everything from medicine to certain energy drinks to avoid failing drug tests.
- Snyder advised players to drink Gatorade before, during and after workouts, but to drink water at all other times.
- Paxton Lynch asked about whether players should avoid coffee, but Snyder assured him that was fine. Snyder said an offensive lineman would need to drink as many as eight cups of coffee a day before they began to see negative effects.
