Nutrition Guide For the Female Footballer In the modern world of football, performing at your best requires commitment at all levels. It is no longer enough to rely on natural talent, hard training, superior equipment or a will to win. Under such conditions, sound nutritional practices can make the difference between winning and losing. Whether the stakes are fame and millions of pounds, or the satisfaction of achieving a sporting goal, there are clear rewards for eating well. Throughout this booklet, the crucial influence that nutrition can have on football training and competition has been highlighted. A well balanced diet that is sufficient in energy, high in carbohydrate and adequate in its fluid content will ensure that the footballer can support consistent and intensive training, ultimately optimising performance in training and matches. Hope Powell CBE National Women’s Coach 2 3 Food for the Female Footballer A footballer could have the best skills in the world, How tired you are depends not only on your fitness level however without the correct nutritional support the player but also on what foods and fluid you have consumed. will not be able to sustain a hard training programme over Scientific studies have shown that players who eat a good a long period of time and improvement will therefore be diet, in relation to quantity (number of calories) and quality limited. Good nutritional practices are also necessary (composition of the key nutrients, carbohydrate, fat and to ensure optimum performance in competition, and protein), run longer, sprint more, keep their concentration changes in the diet can lead to substantial improvements longer, are more successful with passing/crossing accuracy, in performance. The difference between winning and and are less likely to get injured. losing is small and, where other things are equal, attention to diet can be the difference between the team at the top “Looking after your diet and lifestyle is a massive part of the league and the others. A good diet will make sure of being an elite player.” Rachel Unitt that you compete to the best of your ability throughout the whole match because: This booklet will provide some guidelines to help you, the player, make sure that you can take full advantage of your • Energy stores will be high enough to last skills throughout a match and avoid running out of fuel the whole match and getting tired. • Concentration will be better • There will be less chance of getting injured How you perform during a match and training will depend on what you eat/drink BEFORE, DURING and AFTER each game/session. By eating and drinking the right foods and fluids your performance and, collectively the team’s performance, will IMPROVE. 4 5 Nutrients and Foods It is important that the components of nutrition are known, mainly: No one food contains all the nutrients you need, therefore, it is important carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water. The that a wide variety of foods are consumed. Figure 1 shows a number of food and drink that we consume contain a variety of these nutrients, and foods from the major food groups, and indicates what proportion should it is essential that the right balance be achieved on a daily basis in order be consumed on a daily basis. to optimise performance. The table below summarises the essential nutrients and some of their food source. Table 1: Sources of nutrients. Figure 1: The major food groups and the proportional daily requirements. Nutrient Sources Carbohydrate Simple (sugars): Dairy Products Foods high in carbohydrate are commonly Confectionery, cakes, jams, milk divided into two types: soft drinks. Starchy Foods cheese yoghurt 1. Simple carbohydrates, which tend to be bread and rolls pasta etc. found in highly refined foods. Complex (starches): rice 2. Complex carbohydrates, which tend to Rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals Vegetables & Fruit exist in their natural unrefined state. cereals, fruit. potatoes root and leafy Fats Butter, margarine, lard, oils, oily fish etc. vegetables salads Fats can be split into two types: (mackerel, pilchards, salmon), pasties, apples 1. Saturated fatty acids, which are mainly cheese, whole milk, nuts, fresh food. oranges found in animal fats and are usually solid bananas etc. at room temperature. They raise levels in cholesterol in the blood. 2. Unsaturated fatty acids, which mainly Meat & Meat Alternatives come from vegetable or fish sources and meat, fish, eggs, beans, nuts, etc. are liquid or soft at room temperature. They help to lower cholesterol in the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease later in life. Protein Milk, cheese, meat, yoghurt, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, pulses. Vitamins and minerals Fruit, vegetables, nuts, fish, meat, eggs, dairy products, cereals. Fibre (non-digestible carbohydrates) Seeds, peas, beans, vegetables, fruits, wholegrain cereals. Water Foods, drink, formulated sports drinks. 6 7 Practical Issues for the Footballer Why do different foods carbohydrate, fat and protein it Carbohydrate and Energy To ensure that a footballer’s provide different amounts contains. Carbohydrates, fats and Carbohydrate and fluid intake diet is high in carbohydrate of energy? protein are all capable of providing should be the main consideration and is also balanced a mixture energy for exercise, they can all be of carbohydrate rich foods and Foods are made of different for football players, since transported to and broken down drinks should be consumed. amounts of carbohydrates, fats and glycogen (stored carbohydrate in, muscle cells. Proteins do not This variety will help the player proteins. Each of these nutrients in the muscles) depletion and make a substantial contribution to to consume adequate quantities provides a certain quantity of dehydration are 2 major causes providing the body with energy. of other nutrients such as protein, energy when it is broken down of fatigue during football training The production of energy during vitamins, minerals and fibre found in the body. For example, 1g of and matches. It is recommended exercise comes mainly from in foods such as breads, rice, carbohydrate or protein releases that players should get as much broken down carbohydrates and pasta, breakfast cereals, potatoes about 4kcal of energy, while 1g as 60 – 70% of their daily energy fats. As the exercise becomes and fruits. of fat releases 9kcal of energy. requirements in the form of more intense, carbohydrates are Although fat provides the body carbohydrate, which is more the main energy provider and this with more than twice as much than is recommended in the is the main fuel you need during energy as carbohydrate or protein, average healthy diet as shown your football training and matches. it is not necessarily the best form in Figure 2 below. Therefore you should aim to have of energy for exercise. All foods a high amount of carbohydrate in contain a mixture of nutrients and your daily diet. the energy value of a particular Figure 2: The proportion of major food groups in various diets. food depends on the amount of Carbohydrates (50%) Carbohydrates (70%) Fat Fat (15%) (30-35%) Protein (15%) Protein (15-20%) Average Healthy Diet Recommended Footballer’s Diet 8 9 Practical Issues for the Footballer Carbohydrate Intake Immediate recovery after exercise Protein Intake Fluid It is extremely difficult to achieve (0-4 hours): The importance of protein to Drinking plenty of fluid is another the recommended intake of 1.0-1.2g/kg body-weight per hour athletes has long been recognised. key consideration for ensuring carbohydrate from only 3 meals consumed at frequent intervals. Protein makes up part of the players perform at their best a day. It is valuable to choose structure of every cell and tissue in training and matches. The nutrient-rich carbohydrate Daily recovery: in the body, including muscle water that is lost from the body foods and to add other foods to moderate duration/low-intensity tissue, internal organs, tendons, through sweating needs to be recovery meals and snacks to training: 5-7g/kg body-weight skin, hair and nails. Additional replaced to delay the onset of provide a good source of protein per day. protein is needed to compensate fatigue and to also speed up the and other nutrients. Therefore, for the increased breakdown of recovery process. During training snacking should play a crucial Daily recovery: protein during intense training and competition players should role in a footballer’s nutrition moderate to heavy endurance and for the repair and recovery of monitor their state of hydration. programme. An important part training: 7-12g/kg body-weight muscle tissue after training. The If you feel thirsty it means that of a player’s diet is when to eat per day. general recommended intake of you are already dehydrated, which the right foods and snacking protein is 1.4-1.8 g/kg body weight will have a negative effect on your should take place immediately Daily recovery: per day (for a 50kg player this performance. This will mean you after training and competition. extreme exercise programme would be 1.4 x 50 = 70g protein). will recover slower, your physical This is when the energy stores in (>4-6 hours/day):≥10-12g/kg In phases of heavy training, you and technical performance will the muscles that have just been bodyweight per day. should aim to achieve the higher decrease, concentration will be working are best refuelled. General value recommended. Table 3 (p24) lower and you may experience recommendations regarding Table 2 (p22-23) highlights good highlights the protein content of more muscle soreness. The the amount of carbohydrate to sources of carbohydrate foods, try some common foods. Following following checks will help players: consume are: to include a variety of food sources every training session you should so that you achieve a good range aim to consume a food/drink • Weight – 1kg of weight lost over of nutrients in your diet.