Health+and+Nutrition+Advice+for+Players

It is important as an athlete to make sure we are getting the right mix of nutrients to reach optimal performance. When a soccer player is relying on his or her body to provide them with the energy for sprints up and down the field, or fast-paced tackles; it is important to have the right nutrients in our systems to succeed. There are a wide variety of foods from various food groups that can help athletes perform to the optimal performance, but we are going to focus mainly on carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and water.

Carbohydrates are important fuel for our muscles. You can carbohydrates in bread, rice, pasta and cereals. One of the better choices is from the whole grain variety. These are a better choice as they are broken down at a slower rate and will give longer lasting energy.
 * __ Carbohydrates __** - (for energy)

Fat can be found in meat, butter, dairy, convenience food and oils. Try to choose monounsaturated fats or polyunsaturated fats and eliminate saturated and trans fats. It will protect your heart and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Believe it or not, fat provides fuel for long duration activities. Carbohydrates really help with high intensity exercises where fat can help with endurance exercises-soccer being both.
 * __ Fats- __** (for energy)

Proteins can be found in meat, fish, beans, nuts and lentils (plant). Protein is important because it is needed to repair and rebuild muscles that have been damaged during exercise. It's important to get protein into your diet, but do not overdue it.
 * __ Proteins- __** (for growth and recovery)

Staying hydrated helps optimal performance in your muscles and can help prevent injuries from occurring. We lose a lot of water through sweating so be sure you are getting adequate amounts of water before, during, and after activity.
 * __ Water- __** (for hydration)

Be sure that the meals you eat reaching your nutritional goals. A healthy meal should be made up of 2/3 whole grains, fruits and vegetables and 1/3 low fat meat, dairy, beans or other protein-rich foods. Having three nutritional meals a day with snacks is going to be vital for performance. An example of a meal might be something listed below:
 * ** Breakfast: ** whole-grain cereal, low-fat milk and fruit
 * ** Snack: ** yogurt and granola
 * ** Lunch: ** whole-grain bread with tuna and a glass of milk
 * ** Supper: ** chicken, potato and greens


 * Do your meals need to be exactly like this? ** The answer is no, there are a wide variety of foods to give you the energy and recovery you will need to perform your best, just try and get a good variety and do not overdo it.