Let's start with the types of Food we consume. First we have protein, which aids in muscle growth and repair. Fats, which aids in many things such as skin and organ protection. Carbohydrates, which come in two forms, complex and simple. Complex being your NON-sugars, such as pastas, breads, rice, and simple being your sugars. Then we have electrolytes, vitamins and minerals and so on.
Hydration is also a key factor, try to consume alot of water (Don't overdo it). All I drink is water, besides sports drinks and juices. I always have a water bottle with me, and when you go out for dinner, try to ask for a table water. You have to fight cravings, and it'll be hard, you can have a few other unhealthy beverages here and there, but don't make it a habit. Try to avoid alcohol as much as possible, I know for older players this can be hard, but binge drinking, when you think about it, is not even fun. I find that it's all in the mind, you think it is fun at the time, but in the long run, it is not.
As you should all know, nutrition is a major factor if you want to succeed in Football. The rate at which our muscles repair is determined by what we consume. Say you consume fast, processed and preservative rich foods, you will have a terrible recovery rate and be highly susceptible to injury.
Now what you need to achieve is a constant (but not too big) rate of food intake throughout the day. You can do this by consuming food every say 2 to 3 hrs. This way, instead of packing it in to 3 main meals, you will have 5 - 6. This allows for a steady intake all day.
With your 5 - 6 meals I suggest you minimize fat to an extent. Try to consume non-saturated fats and no trans fats. Fats such as mono and poly-unsaturated fats. You can find these healthy fats in foods such as nuts, oils, fish and meat. Also consume Omega fats (Omega 3 and 6 - aid in muscle recovery) which can be found in the same products.
Consume about 20 grams of protein for a young adult (can vary with teenagers, depending on how much you exercise etc. etc.)with each meal (adds up to about 120g protein a day - adjust to 25-30g if you want to consume more.) By doing this, it gives your body time to process smaller amounts of protein instead of doing it in big chunks. You can find proteins in many foods, such as meats, breads, nuts.
Carbohydrates are a major fuel source for players, this will be the main ingredient to your success. Your muscles use Carbs for endurance fuel. Carbs come in two forms, simple and complex. I suggest you consume mainly complex carbs throughout the day, with the exception of some simple sugars that can come from fruits and drinks. Complex carbs are found in foods such as breads, pasta, rice and potatoes. Simple carbs being found in fruits, sports drinks, fruit drinks and also in many soft drinks which you should avoid.
Now there is a thing called the Glycemic Index, commonly called GI. There are levels at which the carbs are processed in your body, slow to fast. Low GI foods being slow, and High GI foods being fast. You need to aim for Low GI foods if you want to be feeling fuller and more energised. High GI foods process faster and you will experience and energy crash earlier than you expect. High GI foods are better left till after exercise, but can be consumed here and there in small amounts along with Low GI foods. Low GI foods are mainly complex carbs and High GI is mainly simple carbs.
With all that being said, I will show you my Nutrition plan, on a training day. I will try to post a new one for a competition day and maybe the days leading up to the competition. Because there is a process called Carbohydrate loading that can aid in your performance on match-day.
Anyway...
Breakfast - 7:00-8:00am
High Carbohydrate (Complex Carb) cereal with No Fat milk.
1 cup of 100% fruit juice.
If I still feel hungry add in some toast with fruit spread or something similar.
Morning Snack - 10:00-10:30am
1 piece of fruit, my preferance being an apple.
Large handful of mixed nuts and seeds.
4-6 Rice cakes.
Lunch - 12:00-1:00pm
Two sandwiches with low fat meat, preferably chicken, ham or beef.
As you should all know, nutrition is a major factor if you want to succeed in Football. The rate at which our muscles repair is determined by what we consume. Say you consume fast, processed and preservative rich foods, you will have a terrible recovery rate and be highly susceptible to injury.
Now what you need to achieve is a constant (but not too big) rate of food intake throughout the day. You can do this by consuming food every say 2 to 3 hrs. This way, instead of packing it in to 3 main meals, you will have 5 - 6. This allows for a steady intake all day.
With your 5 - 6 meals I suggest you minimize fat to an extent. Try to consume non-saturated fats and no trans fats. Fats such as mono and poly-unsaturated fats. You can find these healthy fats in foods such as nuts, oils, fish and meat. Also consume Omega fats (Omega 3 and 6 - aid in muscle recovery) which can be found in the same products.
Consume about 20 grams of protein for a young adult (can vary with teenagers, depending on how much you exercise etc. etc.)with each meal (adds up to about 120g protein a day - adjust to 25-30g if you want to consume more.) By doing this, it gives your body time to process smaller amounts of protein instead of doing it in big chunks. You can find proteins in many foods, such as meats, breads, nuts.
Carbohydrates are a major fuel source for players, this will be the main ingredient to your success. Your muscles use Carbs for endurance fuel. Carbs come in two forms, simple and complex. I suggest you consume mainly complex carbs throughout the day, with the exception of some simple sugars that can come from fruits and drinks. Complex carbs are found in foods such as breads, pasta, rice and potatoes. Simple carbs being found in fruits, sports drinks, fruit drinks and also in many soft drinks which you should avoid.
Now there is a thing called the Glycemic Index, commonly called GI. There are levels at which the carbs are processed in your body, slow to fast. Low GI foods being slow, and High GI foods being fast. You need to aim for Low GI foods if you want to be feeling fuller and more energised. High GI foods process faster and you will experience and energy crash earlier than you expect. High GI foods are better left till after exercise, but can be consumed here and there in small amounts along with Low GI foods. Low GI foods are mainly complex carbs and High GI is mainly simple carbs.
With all that being said, I will show you my Nutrition plan, on a training day. I will try to post a new one for a competition day and maybe the days leading up to the competition. Because there is a process called Carbohydrate loading that can aid in your performance on match-day.
Anyway...
Breakfast - 7:00-8:00am
High Carbohydrate (Complex Carb) cereal with No Fat milk.
1 cup of 100% fruit juice.
If I still feel hungry add in some toast with fruit spread or something similar.
Morning Snack - 10:00-10:30am
1 piece of fruit, my preferance being an apple.
Large handful of mixed nuts and seeds.
4-6 Rice cakes.
Lunch - 12:00-1:00pm
Two sandwiches with low fat meat, preferably chicken, ham or beef.
Mixed salad and/or vegetables (large serving).
A side of rice/pasta.
Afternoon Snack (Usually before training) - 3:00-4:00pm
1 piece of fruit, my preferance is a banana.
3-6 rice cakes.
Post Training - 6:00-7:00pm
Protein shake with water (About 30g of protein).
Consume sports drink (Gatorade) and water throughout session and usually 1 bottle sports drink after session.
Handful mixed nuts and seeds.
Dinner - 8:30-9:00pm
Chicken Pasta with tomato based sauce.
Large side of mixed vegetables.
Usually this will be an hour or two before I hit bed, so add some extra rice cakes, another piece of fruit or something small to fill you up before bed, some milk is a good choice.
And there you have it, my nutrition plan. This plan has been tested by myself, and I work extremely hard practically every day (I also have a day job where I have to be on my feet) and these foods have helped me in recovering from strenious workouts. I suggest you mix it up every so often and change a few meals, because the same thing can get old sometimes, try to avoid bad foods, all the fast foods, preservative foods, fatty foods and high sugar beverages. With this and other recovery methods, such as stretching and massaging, you will feel greater than you would without a great nutrition plan!
Hope this helps fellow footballers.
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