Z.diet and Nutrition For Football Players

DIET AND NUTRITION FOR
FOOTBALL PLAYER
What is a healthy diet?
The main nutrients are carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate should provide at least 50% of our energy.
Cereal, bread, rice and pasta, fruits, vegetables, milk and

milk products and many processed foods and drinks.
Proteins
Proteins are the body’s building blocks needed for growt
h and, repair of damaged cells.
Meat, milk and milk products, fish, eggs and nuts.
10-15% of our energy

Fats
Fats provide a concentrated source of food energy, help build our b
ody tissues and contain the fat soluble vitamins-A,D,E and K.
More than 30-35% of our energy. 30-35%

The energy value of nutrients is measured in kilojoules or kiloclories.
Kilocalories are often called Calories. One kilocalorie is worth just ov
er four kilojoules.
Nutrient Energy value per gram
kilocalories kilojoules
Carbohydrates 4 17
(sugars and starches)
Protein 4 17
Fat 9 37
How much energy do we need?
People who do very little exercise need about 1500-2500 calories per day.
More active adults need around 2500-3000 calories per day.

Very active people need more energy. Endurance athletes use 5,000 or more
calories a day.
Some athletes get as much as 60-70% of their energy from carbohydrates.

If you take in more energy than you use up you will put on weight; you
will loose weight if your energy use is greater than your energy intake.
Summary:
A healthy diet is one that provides the energy we need from the
correct proportions of nutrients. We should have a wide variety of
different foods and drinks to ensure we obtain all the vitamins and
minerals we need.
FLUID INTAKE
Dehydration
Fluid replacement is extremely important.
Drinking carbohydrate solutions and commercially available beverages

has been shown to aid re-hydration and improve performance.
Alcohol actually leads to dehydration.

RECOVERY
The amount of carbohydrate consumed, the type and timing of
carbohydrate intake must be viewed as part of nutritional strategy to
improve rate of recovery from exercise.
CARBO-LOADING
Recommendations by early studies are that muscle glycogen stores
should be depleted by prolonged exercise.
For the next 3 days-muscle glycogen stores should be kept low by

avoiding eating carbohydrate.
This period is then followed by 3 days on a high-carbohydrate diet.
Increasing the carbohydrate intake during the 3 days before the

event, has similar effect.
To take advantage of this, it is important to eat food that provide

glucose, quickly after exercise.
NUTRITION RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRAINING AND CO
MPETITION
So to sustain high quality training for several days(daily) p

layers must eat enough carbohydrate to restock muscle a
nd liver glycogen stores and drink sufficient fluids to ensu
re rehydration.
RECOVERY IN 24HOURS WILL OCCUR IF:
1. Players eat food which provides them with the equivalent of about 1
0g per 1kg of body weight, of carbohydrate.
2. Players should drink carbohydrate – containing solutions immediatel

y as they return to the changing rooms and even before they shower.
3. Carbohydrate intake should be at least 1g per 1kg body
weight every 2hours until the next meal. (High density
carbohydrate foods and beverages can be used to meet
dietary requirements)
4. Small snacks can be eaten throughout the recovery

period and this helps to avoid the abdominal discomfort
felt by large meals.
REFUELLING
Refuelling is not about eating sufficient energy as calorie
s, but about the amount of carbohydrate in the diet.
THREE KEY FACTORS IN RECOVERY
1. Consumption of a high carbohydrate diet will help to ensure that
limited reserves of glycogen are refilled between sessions.
2. Variety in training is important in that days of heavy glycogen

depletion should be interspersed with when glycogen stores are
not so heavily taxed.
3. Players need a rest day. With no activity, little glycogen depletion

should be devoted to ensuring plenty of carbohydrate rich foods
can be consumed.
MATCH DAY
1. Hydration Vital
2. Carbohydrate Intake – Important
3. “Snacks” from HIGH CARBOHYDRATE FOODS
4. High Carbohydrate BREAKFAST

PRE-MATCH MEAL
1. At least 3hrs. Before kick-off time.
2. Natural fruit drink or water
3. No fatty foods
4. No gassy food or drinks
5. No spicy food
HALF-TIME
1. FLUID LOSS must be replaced
2. Water, mineral water, diluted fruit juice
3. Cool drinks
4. Anything eaten at half-time cannot be released as energy in
second half.
AFTER COMPETITION
1. Glycogen replacement is 3X quicker if given within first two hours
2. Drink carbohydrate-containing drinks

3. Carbohydrate ingestion after exercise.
IMPROVE RECOVERY
4. The lower the glycogen concentration in muscles at
the end of a game-the greater the amount of glycogen
replaced in 24hrs:
5. Fluids – replace glycogen lost

- replace water lost
6. Eat as much as appetite suggests – replace CALORIES

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DIET AND NUTRITION FOR

Cereal, bread, rice and pasta, fruits, vegetables, milk and

Meat, milk and milk products, fish, eggs and nuts.

10-15% of our energy

More than 30-35% of our energy. 30-35%

More active adults need around 2500-3000 calories per day.

Some athletes get as much as 60-70% of their energy from carbohydrates.

Drinking carbohydrate solutions and commercially available beverages

Alcohol actually leads to dehydration.

For the next 3 days-muscle glycogen stores should be kept low by

Increasing the carbohydrate intake during the 3 days before the

To take advantage of this, it is important to eat food that provide

So to sustain high quality training for several days(daily) p

2. Players should drink carbohydrate – containing solutions immediatel

4. Small snacks can be eaten throughout the recovery

2. Variety in training is important in that days of heavy glycogen

3. Players need a rest day. With no activity, little glycogen depletion

4. High Carbohydrate BREAKFAST

2. Drink carbohydrate-containing drinks

5. Fluids – replace glycogen lost

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