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Nutrition Tips
Nutrition
There are 3 key time frames for sports nutrition
- Pre-Training/Game
- During Training/Game
- Post Training/Game
Pre-Training/Game Nutrition
Pre-training or game nutrition does not start in the hours
before the game or session, but in the days and weeks before
hand. Adequate nutrition over a prolonged period of time will
lead to an improved performance.
The major part of every meal consumed should consist of a
source of carbohydrate — such as pasta, rice or potatoes.
Added to this is a good source of protein such as lean meat,
chicken or fish. Vitamins and minerals are important to ensure
that the body can make the best use of the carbohydrate and
proteins ingested, so a good range of fruits and vegetables
should be consumed at meal times and throughout the day as
snacks.
In the week leading up to an important match, there should
be a gradual increase in the amount of carbohydrate consumed
to ensure that stores are topped up. If the increase is sudden
the benefits will be lost, and this, in fact, can prove detrimental.
Match Day
Any meal taken on match day should be taken 2—4 hours
prior to throw in to allow for digestion. If you suffer from
nerves or anxiousness before a game, it is possible to replace
a meal with a liquid meal.
The match day meal should again consist of a good source of
carbohydrate, such as pasta, as well as a source of protein,
such as lean meat or chicken.
You can also have some fruit available to maintain the carbohydrate
intake.
Fluid intake is important at this time, see Hydration Fact
sheet for information on how to assess your hydration status
and maintain your fluid intake.
During Training/Game
During training or a game, replacing fluids and fuel lost
is the most important element of nutrition.
You should have access to a sports drink and water during
training and games. More information on sports drinks can
be found in the next section.
Players and coaches should use every opportunity possible
to get fluids into your system — injuries, substitutions,
stoppages in play, half time.
Post Training/Games
After training and games it is important to start refueling
the body as soon as possible.
Fluids lost through sweating must be replaced. Monitoring
of hydration is important to refueling. For each kg of weight
lost due to sweating, replace with 1.5 litres of fluids. Sports
drinks containing 6 — 8% carbohydrate, some electrolytes
and a source of protein are important in the initial stages
of refueling,
Keep some fruit, such as a banana or some dried fruits along
with water or a sports drink in your gear bag to ensure that
you can begin refueling as soon as possible.
Your post training/game meal should mostly contain a source
of carbohydrate, such as pasta or rice, to replace lost carbohydrate
stores, and some protein such as chicken or lean meat as a
source of protein.
Maintain a high carbohydrate intake in the days after a high
intensity training session or game to ensure that carbohydrate
stores are maintained in preparation for the next session/game.
Source - http://www.medicalwelfare.gaa.ie/generaladvice.html
Losing Weight
Excess fat can hinder performance in football,
so losing body fat is often high on the wish list of many
football players. You may have gained some excess weight following
an injury or during the off-season period when your exercise
levels dropped. It can be hard to respond to a sudden drop
in exercise levels immediately with an equal reduction in
food energy intake. In fact, many players are tempted to eat
more however, the result is a rapid gain in body fat. Whatever
the reason for your weight gain, the key to losing weight
is to achieve a long term scenario where energy intake is
lower than energy output. It is important not to become obsessed
with dieting or embark on faddy weight loss methods.
How to Reduce your Fat Intake?
- Start your day with fruit, yogurt, wholegrain cereal,
porridge or wholemeal toast.
- Include five portions of fruit and vegetables in your
daily diet – eat fresh fruit as a snack, pile salad
into your sandwich or add a side salad to your main meal.
- Make vegetables and grains the base of your meals –
pasta, potatoes, rice, cous cous, bulgar wheat.
- Flavour salads and vegetables with herbs, lemon/lime juice,
fruit vinegar
- Add extra vegetables to pasta and curry sauces, stews,
soups, bakes, shepherd’s pie and lasagne.
- Make fresh fruit the base for dessert – add yogurt,
fromage frais, custard or half fat crème fraiche.
- Minimise added fats and oils in food preparation (e.g.
dressings, added butter and margarine, cream, fatty sauces).
- When cooking, opt for lower fat cooking techniques such
as baking, steaming, boiling and grilling instead of frying.
- Reduce saturated fats e.g. butter, pastry, biscuits and
puddings. Choose lean cuts of meat and substitute skinless
chicken, white fish and beans for some of the meat in your
diet.
- Avoid foods made with animal fats or hydrogenated vegetable
fats as they contain larger amounts of trans fatty acids
i.e. margarine, biscuits, cakes and bakery items.
Low Fat Snacks
- Sandwiches/rolls/pitta/bagels (filled with salad, tuna,
chicken, turkey, ham, marmite or banana)
- Low fat yogurt and fromage frais
- Fresh fruit (e.g. apples, bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines,
grapes)
- Scones, potato cakes, crumpets
- Dried fruit
- Rice cakes/ bread sticks
What about Carbohydrates?
Eat enough carbohydrates because carbohydrates fuel all types
of exercise. If you eat too little carbohydrate, you will
experience fatigue, lack of energy and your training will
suffer. Low carbohydrate diets can result in muscle loss.
Sugary foods and drinks may be useful to meet carbohydrate
goals in some situations – for example, using a sports
drink during exercise. Take advantage of these uses, but otherwise
focus on bulkier and more nutrient-dense carbohydrate-rich
foods.
Fill up on High-fibre foods
High fibre foods will help to fill you up and feel satisfied
for longer, keeping hunger at bay. The following is a list
of high fibre foods which you should base your meals and snacks
on:
- Wholegrain breakfast cereal
- Porridge
- Wholemeal bread and pasta
- Brown Rice
- Beans and lentils
- Potatoes
- Fresh fruit
- All kinds of vegetables
Eat Little and Often:
Aim to eat 5-6 small meals and snacks each day at regular
intervals. This will help maintain energy levels, prevent
hunger and avoid fat storage. Avoid leaving long gaps between
meals as people often over-eat when they are hungry or are
‘eating on the run’. A well-chosen snack before
training or in the afternoon can take the edge off evening
hunger. Take time to slow down and eat, even when you are
busy. Your brain and your stomach both need to enjoy the experience
of eating.
Alcohol
Cutting down on your alcohol intake can help you lose unwanted
body fat. One pint of beer is equivalent to 182 kcal so if
you cut out five pints per week, you’ll save 3640kcals
per month, that’s 0.5kg in body weight! Since alcohol
is associated with relaxation, it is often also associated
with unwise eating. From a sports performance point of view,
alcohol can interfere with post-exercise recovery. It acts
as a diuretic and may slow down the process of re-hydration
after a match. Alcoholic drinks are low in carbohydrate content
and will not fuel up your glycogen stores.
Source - http://www.medicalwelfare.gaa.ie/losingweightforgaafootballers.html
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