Football diet - pre/post game nutritional needs

A football player is continuously looking for ways to enhance his or her body and increase their level of fitness to exceed the average limit to the human body. This is accomplished through rigorous training and with that level of physical exertion can come a need for high energy intake. That is where diet comes in to play.

However, just because you work out, doesn’t mean you need to eat more. Remember two important diet tips when staying at the top of your fitness level for football and that is healthy nutrients and high energy.

A diet rich in carbohydrates is an excellent way to obtain high energy. Not only are they a primary fuel and energy source, but you’ll also want to consume quite of few of them to keep up with your heavy football training regimen.

Choose your carbohydrates carefully, making sure they are rich in healthy nutrients. Protein also plays an important role in a football diet as it helps in developing lean muscle growth.

Pre-Game Meals

Eating a normal meal before a football match will leave you feeling full and hinder your ability to move around with ease. However, choosing not to eat is a horrible idea also and will leave you feeling lethargic, run down and weak.

Instead select light snacks that are rich in carbohydrates and consist of vegetables, fruits or whole grains. They are sure to give your body the added energy that is needed before a match or practice. Some of the best carb-rich foods include toast, crackers, peaches, apples, grapefruits and oranges.

It’s also important to be aware of your Glycemic Index (GI) which is a scale that measures how a specific food will raise the blood sugar level in comparison to glucose. So, when preparing for a match, choose foods with a low GI value to help in conserving energy.

Post-Game Meals

A post game meal is just as important as the pre-game one. Whereas the pre-match meal consisted of full carb foods to ensure an energetic performance, the post-match one will help you recover the nutrients that were lost during your workout and rebuild muscles and stamina. High GI foods are best to refuel a body after the game and include things like potatoes, bread and rice.