"Right, right. We’ve been talking for so long, Dr. Chen must be tired. It’s about that time, let’s go eat first."
When he heard Chen Yu ask about diet, Yao Songping subconsciously assumed he was hungry.
Besides, it was almost noon. It was time to eat.
Li Yaoming immediately said, "I’ve already spoken with Meilong Town. I booked a private room. When we had dinner last night, I noticed our two guests prefer more heavily-flavored food. That place is a mix of Sichuan and Yangzhou cuisine, so it might suit their tastes."
Yao Songping nodded and added, "I have a bottle of red wine in my office that someone gave me as a gift. I’ve never been fond of it, so I’ll bring it along. They’ll probably like it."
As he spoke, he gestured for everyone to disperse, reminding them to remember what they had seen and learned today for an internal discussion later.
The two of them arranged everything in just a few words. Chen Yu overheard bits and pieces, and upon hearing about the restaurant and reservations, he knew they had misunderstood. Half-amused, half-exasperated, he said, "Director Yao, I meant to ask how the players’ daily diet is managed, not that I wanted to eat."
Li Yaoming reacted instantly, laughing. "Ah, we must have misheard. But it is almost time for lunch. How about we head to the cafeteria first, and then go to the restaurant afterward?"
Yao Songping nodded, then asked, "Dr. Chen, I know that daily diet has a huge impact on an athlete’s condition. So, in the United States, how is diet generally managed?"
The group, which had been about to disperse, immediately perked up their ears and looked toward Chen Yu.
Chen Yu said, "You’re right, diet has a huge impact on athletes. On our team, for example, we have dedicated nutritionists responsible for planning and preparing meals during daily training. And it’s not just during training and games—their diet is controlled in their personal lives as well."
’That’s the idea, anyway,’ Chen Yu thought. ’But when you run into someone like O’Neal, who eats five meals a day and adds extra snacks for fun, there’s not much anyone can do.’
"Then let’s go to the cafeteria. They should be eating soon anyway." Yao Songping called for Yao Ming and the others to wrap up their training, and the whole large group headed toward the cafeteria.
By the time they arrived at the cafeteria, many students and athletes were already eating there.
As they walked, Yao Songping explained how the cafeteria worked.
He still held the title of vice-dean, so he was familiar with the academy’s daily operations.
"The athletes at the academy have a set meal allowance. First and second-tier athletes get the highest standard, one hundred yuan per day. As for what they eat specifically, we have dedicated nutritionists who make adjustments based on their training."
In this regard, it wasn’t too different from the United States. After all, this was a professional sports academy with a large number of national-level athletes, so the standards were naturally high.
"By the way, Dr. Chen," Li Quping, who was walking beside them, suddenly asked.
He asked if the difference in physique between Chinese athletes and foreign athletes was because foreign athletes ate beef from a young age, while Chinese athletes ate less beef and more pork.
"Hm? Why would you think that?" Chen Yu asked, puzzled.
Li Quping and a few other coaches exchanged glances. Truth be told, they didn’t know where the idea came from either. The media just said it often, and it seemed to have become a common consensus.
"Of course not." Chen Yu shook his head firmly. "Beef is higher in zinc, magnesium, and amino acids, which helps build muscle. And yes, if you look at it comprehensively, beef is a high-quality protein among various meats. But I don’t believe eating beef is the key reason for the difference in physique."
’In the NBA, it’s not like they eat beef at every meal. In fact, chicken breast, fish, and shrimp are more common.’
’The idea that American players grow up eating beef is even more ridiculous.’
’In America’s major professional leagues, plenty of players grew up in the slums. A lot of the time, they were worried about just getting enough to eat, let alone what they were eating.’
’Of course, it’s an undeniable fact that beef is cheaper in the United States, but it’s not like I ate beef at every meal when I was a kid.’
"A high-protein intake can make someone stronger, but I think genetics play a bigger role than what you eat. And even with genetic differences, you can compensate with training. If it were just a matter of what you eat, then why does China have so many world champions and Olympic champions?"
Globally, China is a major sporting nation.
Besides, once athletes reach the national level, it’s not like the country is going to skimp on their food.
So it’s definitely not a question of affordability, but a question of how to eat.
Yao Songping nodded in agreement. "Dr. Chen is right. You all keep saying you don’t eat enough beef, but that’s because you choose not to eat it. If you really wanted it, has anyone ever denied you beef?"
Since he was in charge of sports, he knew the inside story.
For a country this large, even if beef is expensive, there are only so many athletes. Even if they ate it every day, how much could it possibly cost?
As for eating less beef since childhood, that might be true, but it’s just a matter of dietary habits.
Pursuing sports costs money, so many who train from a young age come from well-off families. The issue was never about not being able to afford it.
His authoritative tone instantly silenced Li Quping and the others.
Just then, the group arrived at the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was quite large and sectioned off. For example, athletes had a dedicated kitchen, while regular students and staff had another.
There was a wide variety of food available: milk, eggs, fresh juice, various whole grains, and meat products, all served in virtually unlimited quantities.
Yao Ming and the others had already gone to get their food. Chen Yu didn’t rush to give his opinion, instead choosing to walk around and observe first.
He wasn’t just looking at what they ate, but also how they ate, and whether they finished it all.
"May I get some food to try?" Chen Yu asked.
Yao Songping was taken aback for a moment, then nodded. "Of course you can. But we do have reservations at a restaurant for later."
Chen Yu said, "It won’t be a problem. I’ll just have a taste."
"No problem, then," Yao Songping quickly replied.
They had come to the cafeteria for his advice, and he was curious what kind of suggestions Chen Yu would offer.
Chen Yu grabbed a tray, picked out a little of everything, and began to eat under everyone’s watchful eyes.
’He had to admit, it tasted pretty good.’
He took a bite of this and two bites of that. By the time he was done tasting, he was already about sixty percent full.
Seeing everyone staring at him, Chen Yu put down his spoon. "I’ve noticed that you also prepare special nutritional meals based on the athletes’ needs. That’s very good. It shows you’re paying attention to balanced nutrition."
’After all, China is a major sporting nation. You don’t win that many world championships and Olympic gold medals for nothing. Sports and nutrition go hand in hand, so China must have done its research in this area.’
"Actually, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with your diet. Even if there are issues, they aren’t major ones."
It wasn’t as if the United States had some food that China didn’t. Ultimately, it all came down to the intake of protein, carbohydrates, and various micronutrients. At worst, the quantitative control was just not precise enough, such as a lack of awareness about how many calories to consume.
Then there were the cooking methods. Perhaps the intake of oil and salt was a bit excessive, but these were all minor issues.
"I think the real problem is control," Chen Yu said, pointing toward Yao Ming and the others eating nearby. "For example, that player, number 8. I noticed he took some vegetables, but he only ate a couple of bites and left most of them."
Everyone’s head snapped in that direction.
Liu Wei, who had been laughing and talking with his teammates, instantly shut his mouth and froze.
Chen Yu continued, "Even with the specially prepared nutritional meals, I see some people aren’t finishing them completely. So this is a problem of enforcement, and of personal discipline."
For instance, maybe a coach tells the cafeteria to add extra food and increase nutrition right before a competition.
The cafeteria complies, but with so many athletes eating in the same place, it’s not like a coach is standing over you, making sure you eat everything.
Only the athletes themselves know exactly how much they ate.
If the nutritionist and coach who created the plan don’t notice, and the athletes themselves don’t strictly follow it, then the effectiveness of the so-called nutritional meal is compromised.
"In the NBA, we create a meal plan for every player. For training and games, the food is provided by the team. In their private lives, they also strictly adhere to their meal plans. You could say that apart from what’s on the plan, they won’t eat anything extra."
"Then it comes down to the individual player. There are some who lack self-discipline and don’t strictly follow their meal plans."
’Take O’Neal, for example. He was a huge headache for Jackson and the others.’
"But the vast majority of players are very strict. Take Grant Hill, for instance. He never eats high-sugar or fried foods. In the seven years since he entered the league, he has genuinely never eaten them."
Having treated Hill personally, Chen Yu knew exactly how disciplined he was.
"And there are many such examples. A.C. Green, for instance. He just retired last year. From the time he was drafted into the NBA in ’85, for a full 16 years, he only missed 3 games. And you should know how chaotic the private lives of NBA players can be, yet he remained celibate for 16 years, never touching a woman."
’The guy was born in ’63 and retired last year.’
’In other words, he was still a virgin until last year.’
’In the United States, something like that is simply mind-boggling, unbelievable.’
The expressions on the faces of everyone present shifted slightly.
"Seven whole years without fried food? That’s insane."
"That’s probably nothing. The really insane one is that Green fellow. 16 years without touching a woman... how did he do it?"
"Yeah, and in the NBA of all places! Haven’t you read the papers? That one guy, Chamberlain, was with twenty thousand women."
"I know about that. It’s definitely an exaggeration. It’s fake."
"Even if it’s fake, maybe not twenty thousand, but two thousand is believable, right? And that’s still an insane number."
The topic of women inevitably led to a flurry of whispers among the many male coaches present.
Yao Songping cleared his throat, silencing the whispers. "Dr. Chen, are you saying our players aren’t disciplined enough?"
Chen Yu nodded. "That’s right. For an athlete to achieve results, scientific and rational training is very important. But what’s more important is self-discipline. Extremely strict self-discipline."
’Freaks of nature like O’Neal, who can dominate the court without caring about their weight, are rare.’
’The vast majority of players who make a name for themselves in the NBA rely on an almost monk-like, insane level of self-discipline.’
’And even O’Neal trained pretty hard.’
’So no matter how good the training methods or how rational the diet plan, it’s all useless without self-discipline and strict execution.’
"Actually, since your players live in dormitories, you should have the perfect conditions for enforcement," Chen Yu added.
Yao Ming and the others all lived in dorms, which in theory should make them easier to manage.
What NBA players did after they went home from training was completely up to their own self-control.
Li Quping snorted softly and shot a quick glance at Yao Ming and the others.
There were several young players on the team who wouldn’t sleep after lights-out. He’d caught them more than once climbing over the wall in the middle of the night to get a late-night snack.
Even Yao Ming had been mischievous as a child, often stealing money from home to play games at the arcade.
Even now, whenever he had free time, he would run off with Liu Wei to play Counter-Strike. By Chen Yu’s standards, that also counted as a lack of self-discipline.

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