I met Brandon Guyer on a scouting assignment last season while he was at AAA Durham. I was taken aback by his mature take on training and nutrition. Most young players are scarfing pizzas late at night after games; Brandon was thinking through how to best impact his physical well being through his consumption of natural, whole foods.

I’m honored to give this man a forum to share and educate.

Do your thing, BG.

During the season, MLB players spend a lot of time at the clubhouse. I work hard to ensure that I don’t compromise my nutrition in the name of convenience.

There is no doubt that a major league clubhouse serves better food than its minor league counterpart. Is it the type of food I want to put in my body? The answer is yes and no. A clubhouse spread can offer convenient and healthy options. Hard boiled eggs and fresh fruit are almost always available. I say no, however, because a personal goal of mine is to make sure everything I put in my body is CLEAN. What does CLEAN mean? It means avoiding processed foods and eating as many organic, wild, free-range, grass-fed and raw foods as possible.

It always helps to have a partner or teammate with the same goals. Whether we are at home or on the road, fellow foodies Chris Archer and David DeJesus join me in scoping out the local Whole Foods type of store. When we’re at home in St. Pete, we frequent Rollin’ Oats; when we’re on the road we find a spot and cab it. Trust me; it’s worth the extra effort. A quick sample of what we might bring into the clubhouse includes free-range chicken, wild salmon, turkey burgers, quinoa, sweet potatoes, kale, organic green juices, hard boiled eggs, guacamole, broccoli and various fruit.

If we don’t have the chance to bring in food, David DeJesus found a company that sends out pre-prepared and packaged organic meals. These include everything from wild salmon, grass fed beef, organic chicken to organic beans and vegetables. All it takes is a simple heat up on the stove (never the microwave for various reasons!) and we have our pre-game meal ready.

Because we’re at the ballpark for so long, it’s important to make sure I have some quick snacks available, especially during the game. The following will ALWAYS be in my locker: apples, almond butter, coconut oil, krill oil, Himalayan salt (great electrolyte replacement), hemp seeds, chia seeds, raw honey, All Pro Science grass-fed whey protein, Tanka bison bars, Onnit hemp protein bar, and Vega Sport protein bars.

Why put in the time and eat this way? Simple. It’s clean fuel and energy for the body. It drastically helps with recovery. It helps get rid of muscle and joint aches. IT’S A LIFESTYLE.