Professional footballers have to be disciplined with their food. They can have a slap-up meal or a treat now and again, but most of the time they avoid eating rubbish. A healthy diet for a professional footballer will contain plenty of carbs (carbohydrates) together with fruit 'n' vegetables and protein.
Below is a typical example of what a professional footballer would eat while in training:
BREAKFAST
Cereal, half a pint of skimmed milk, bread and fruit preserves. Orange or other fruit juice.
LUNCH
A meal high in complex carbohydrates with a small intake of protein. Chicken with rice or jacket potato and green vegetables. Pasta is also popular. This will be followed by fruit with an isotonic drink. if players are training in the afternoon they will eat smaller portions but the meal will still be based around carbohydrates.
EVENING MEAL
As with lunch, the evening meal should be made up of foods high in carbohydrates. This meal should also contain protein too. Fish and chicken with rice, boiled potatoes, vegetables or pasta are all popular.
KEEPING IT BALANCED
Most top clubs employ dietitians to ensure that their players eat a 'balanced diet'. To ensure that your performance is at its peak, you're going to need keep a balance between carbs, fats and proteins, and try to avoid the junk stuff.
Protein sources are: Meat, Fish, Cheese, Eggs, Soya.
Carbohydrate sources are: Potatoes, Whole Grain Products, Rice, Pasta, Dried fruit, Starchy Food.
Fat sources are: Milk Products, Fish, Meat.
REFUELING AFTER THE MATCH
Footballers' glycogen levels can be down as much as 75 per cent after a game and those levels have to be restored to normal as soon as possible. You have two to five hours to replace your glycogen stores after a game and it is crucial that you eat the right things. Try to eat plenty of, you guest it, carbs after the game; eating junk food will undo your pre-match food preparation.
FLUIDS
The human body is made up of 80 per cent fluid. Some of this fluid is lost every time you exercise. To keep healthy and fit fluids must be replaced. Footballers should drink at least half a litre of water before and after a warm-up. It is also a good idea to consume an isotonic drink before playing a game. Tea, coffee, and any drinks containing caffeine should be avoided.
ISOTONIC DRINKS
Isotonic drinks are easily absorbed into the blood stream and provide quicker rehydration than water. There are many specially designed isotonic drinks on the market, but a simple isotonic solution can be made by mixing equal quantities of fruit juice and water. |
