Fuel the engine
What you put in to your body, before, during and after a game or training session influences how you perform, how you recover and how you perform next time. Just like a car, you’ll perform better on the right fuel. You need enough energy to fire your performance but not too much that your body stores it as fat.
Fatigue late in the game is often caused by inadequate nutrition and hydration. This can have game changing consequences. Most goals and most injuries occur in the last 15 minutes of games, when players start to tire.
Hydration
If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated so follow these tips to ensure you can train and play at your best:
- Pre-hydrate! Drink fluids well before starting a training session or game
- Drink small amounts, where possible, throughout the game e.g. breaks in play, injury breaks and at half time
- Increase your intake in hot and humid conditions
- Drink sports drinks (4-8% carbohydrate) during activity lasting longer than one hour
- Avoid alcohol and caffeinated energy drinks immediately after exercise
- Don’t share drink bottles so that flu, meningitis, hepatitis and other infections don’t spread between players
- Rehydrate fully after exercise - you continue sweating after you stop exercising so you need to keep your fluids up.
Nutrition
The right amount, timing and type of food are crucial to maintain sufficient energy levels and allow you to perform at your best. If you have any doubts about your food intake, talk to a dietician to make sure you’re meeting your energy requirements.
As a guide:
- Ensure that over half your food intake comes from carbohydrate-based foods (potatoes, pasta, bread, rice, cereals, bananas)
- Increase your intake of carbohydrate foods a few days before playing
- Ensure your diet contains at least 15% protein (eggs, fish, meat, chicken, shakes) to help repair damage to body tissues after hard training and games
- Eat six smaller meals spaced through the day rather than three big ones
- Eat some protein and carbohydrate immediately after play (within 30 minutes to enhance recovery and again within 2 hours
- Avoid foods high in fat before and during exercise
- Don’t try anything new on game day!
