SABATHIA: STRONGER & LEANER FOR 2014

This week I happened upon a saying across the social media channels that I carried with me throughout my workouts- “Fit looks good on everybody.”  If you are like me, I need to have some check-in motivators to keep me going, particularly when I am having a challenging week and it is as cold and snowy as it has been this winter.  And let’s face it, so do pro-athletes.  That’s why I say to CC Sabathia- Fit looks good on you!  Stay with it, Ace!

Speaking at a Roc Nation sponsored Super Bowl event this week, CC acknowledged leaving out an important part of his weight loss regiment last season.  “Last year, I lost a lot of weight, so I kind of lost a little bit of power,” Sabathia said. “This year it’s all been strength building and worrying about getting better and stronger, so I feel pretty good.”  He has been looking considerably leaner, but he has not lost weight.  His lean physique progressively has been adding more muscle.  According to an article in the New York Post, “last winter Sabathia shed about 30 pounds, and said it affected his pitching. The goal this time around has been to add muscle.”

 According to a New York Times article published in November, Leo Mazzone, a former pitching coach for the Atlanta Braves states that Sabathia may just have to gain some of that weight back.  "'I think in Sabathia’s case, the loss of weight caused a loss of strength,” Mazzone said. “You have to determine what weight is good for the individual. Don’t base it on statistics. If you pitch at a certain weight and you’ve been successful, there’s no reason to lose it. I’ve had guys that lost a lot of weight, then they complain that they’re tired.”

Strength and endurance training is the often missing ingredients in diet and weight loss regiments employed by people looking to shed a few unwanted pounds quickly.  We often know we need to lose the pounds and we crash diet, but truthfully a full fitness and nutritional program is what we need.  CC figured that out with his statement earlier in the week.

Besides strength and conditioning, a good healthy diet is something you have to retrain your body to implement regularly not just for a month.  “Eating at restaurants drains your wallet- and can add pounds to your waist.  A University of Texas at Austin study found that dieters scarfed down 253 more calories and 16 extra grams of fat on the days they ate out,” according to an article published in Runner’s World this month.   The challenge for CC is to be extra careful when he’s on the road and to keep with his strength training on his off days.  The Captain Crunch loving CC will need to maintain his muscle mass and lay off added sugar and fats that eating out and binge eating provide.  “Even nutrition labeling on many restaurant menus isn’t doing much to slash the calories we inhale,” according to a study by researchers at the University of Washington. 

Having a positive mindset to parallel both a healthy fitness and nutritional regiment is the perfect recipe for a successful season.  “You look at who we signed, we’ve got Carlos Beltran and Jacoby Ellsbury addressing the outfield,” Sabathia said. “We’ve got [Brian] McCann behind the plate. I’m excited for this team and where we can go and the possibilities. Keeping healthy for a whole year, I think it will make a big difference.”  And remember, CC, fit looks good on you- I’m excited to see what your hard work has in store for you this season.  It could be a personal best for you!

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Opinion Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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