The 5,3,2 Diet

February 15, 2021

In the sport of volleyball, you will come across many different styles of plays, strategies and movements. However, something that is not as focused on is nutrition. More specifically, what a want-to-be volleyball player should consume. There are a myriad of food groups like meat and alternatives, milk and alternatives, fruits and vegetables and grain products, but there are also many sub-categories. For example, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and more.

Today, we are going to go over a popular diet plan many volleyball players start off by using to become better at this sport. In this article, you will learn about what is in this diet, how it can help you reach your goals and some nutrition vocabulary. After learning this, you will have a simpler time learning about other kinds of diets and overall become more knowledgeable. You may notice yourself improving if you use this diet, therefore taking your game to the next level. If you want to learn more, continue reading.

Categories the Diet Focuses on

As mentioned previously, there are many different categories when it comes to nutrition, so before we learn about this diet let’s learn about some terminology. The most basic parts of nutrition are the four food groups. They include meat and alternatives, milk and alternatives, fruits and vegetables and grain products. Examples of foods in meat and alternatives are chicken, beef, poulet, fish, seafood and tofu. Examples of foods in milk and alternatives are cheese, milk and yogurt. Examples of foods in fruits and vegetables are strawberries, cherries, apples and cucumber. Examples of foods in grains and alternatives are bread, lentils, wheat and rice.

The 5,3,2 diet focuses more on categories found in these groups however, it is important to know so you have a better time understanding the specifics. Since there are three numbers that can be seen, there are three parts focused on. The first being carbohydrates which have five in total, then protein which has three in total) and finally fats which have two in total.

Why Carbohydrates?

Before knowing why carbohydrates are included in this diet, let’s learn about what they are. Carbohydrates also known as carbs are the primary source of energy for all activities. However, before the body can use the carbohydrates it must convert it to glucose. What is glucose?, you may wonder. Glucose is stored in the liver and muscles in the form of glycogen. Carbohydrates should make up 55-60 % of our daily diet. For volleyball, this can change depending per player. For example, if you need to gain some weight, more carbohydrates would be better, but if you need to lose some weight, less is better. This is because, 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories.

Good examples of carbohydrates are pears ,oranges, bananas, cabbage, peas, beans, chickpeas, whole wheat pasta and cereal, brown rice.

Due to volleyball players being power-strength athletes, lots of carbohydrates are necessary. To be specific, five a day. This is more of a high-power activity as opposed to endurance. Volleyball players are also heavily dependent on glycogen storage in muscles which, if you remember, has to do with carbohydrates. Athletes should have simple carbohydrates after training to replenish glycogen stores and improve recovery. What are simple carbs? Simple carbohydrates can be broken down quickly to be used for energy. Examples include, breads, pastas and more.

Why Proteins?

The next part of this diet includes proteins. To be specific, three a day. Proteins are a vital part of every body cell building block of all tissues. They help build and maintain tissues such as muscle, bone, connective tissue. Proteins are made from building blocks called amino acids. They should make up 10-15 % of the daily diet.

Similarly to carbohydrates, 1 gram of protein = 4 calories of energy.

Good examples of protein are as follows: Low fat beef, low fat pork, skinless chicken, all beans, low fat cheese, low fat yogurt, egg whites, low fat milk, tuna, salmon, trout, sardines, cod and walnuts, peanuts, pecans, cashews, almonds and peanut butter.

Unhealthy examples of protein are as follows: Beef with fat, pork with fat, chicken with skin, cheese, homogenized milk, ice cream, fried meat, cold cuts.

Did you know that protein is used for muscle growth and recovery. Since this is a high power sport, these two things are crucial due to injuries being common. You have a chance of straining or spraining a muscle due to the power needed. For volleyball players, 0.8 grams of protein for one pound of body weight is a good place to start. As mentioned previously, this is for muscle recovery and growth.

Why Fats

The final part of this diet includes fats. To be specific, two a day. The purpose of fat is to be used as long term energy supply. It cushions body parts, protects the body from injuries and insulates the body from cold. For most people, fat makes up 25-30% of their daily diet. 1 gram of fat = 9 calories of energy. Less fat is consumed to maintain a healthy image. More fat is consumed if you are trying to gain weight.

Good examples of fat are as follows: Olive oil, corn oil, nuts including peanuts, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds and cashews, fatty fish including salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines. Unhealthy examples of fats are as follows: Butter, ice cream, palm oil, lard, cheese, fried foods and vegetable shortening. There is one crucial reason for the usage of fat and it is that it is used for long-term energy and joint-stability.

Different Needs

Before you try this diet, remember that some things may not work with everyone. This may help your friend but may not make the biggest difference for you. Don’t worry though. You can obviously change parts to adjust for yourself. It is best to first find out what’s going on with you and what’s not. This diet is perfect in the beginning, but what do you need to work on next? Figure out your goals. For example, are you trying to gain weight? Are you trying to lose weight? If you are trying to gain weight, increase the amount you eat. Then you will need to reduce the amount of proteins you intake and have more carbohydrate. This is because of caloric surplus, you don’t need as much protein. If you are trying to lose weight (caloric deficit), increase the amount of protein since your body will want to break down the muscle even more.

Thank you so much for reading this article. We hope that learning about this diet will spark your interest in nutrition. Remember that each part should feel right to you. Best of luck!