In any sport, finding peak performance starts with your diet. No matter how much you train or how naturally talented you are, you can only reach your full potential when you fuel your body in the right way. Eating enough food is part of the task, but you also need to pay attention to the nutritional benefits of the meals you choose.
If you’re on the lookout for new ways to improve your gameplay, it’s worth knowing about these top tips for getting your diet right.
How to eat and drink like a pro footballer
- Stay hydrated
Hydration can literally make or break your performance. Professional players drink plenty of water, and they often use electrolyte mixes too. These contain salts and minerals to help the body restore optimum hydration levels faster, so it’s important to find the best electrolyte drinks to improve your post-workout hydration.
- Focus on carbs before the game
Before any session, you should try to eat foods that contain plenty of carbohydrates.
That includes both your evening meal the night before, and any meals you eat beforehand on match day. Professional footballers typically eat foods like pasta and sweet potatoes the night before a game, but any carb-heavy whole foods will do the trick.
On the morning of the meal, the same principles apply – but it’s fine to add a little bit of protein, so nobody’s stopping you if you want scrambled eggs on toast. Rich, fatty foods like bacon and sausages need to wait until the off-season!
- Refuel after playing
Whether you’ve just finished an important game or a lengthy training session, it’s so important to replenish your energy supplies. All your carbs will be used up during a game, so you need to replace them once the whistle blows – and preferably within an hour. Aim for a large recovery meal that incorporates both protein and carbs after the game.
Liverpool FC legend Mohamed Salah is known to enjoy ‘carb-loading’ at lunchtime, with foods like lentils, vegetables, bread and chicken making up a few of his staples. If you follow his nutrition advice and buy a Salah shirt on your next visit to Anfield, you’ll be two steps closer to being just like your idol.
- Remember the fruit and vegetables
Lastly, even though it sounds like common sense, there’s plenty of reasons to remember your fruit and vegetables. Green, iron-rich vegetables not only provide key minerals themselves, but also speed up your body’s absorption of Vitamin C.
Fruit and vegetables provide an easy way for you to get sufficient fibre into your diet. This vital nutrient aids digestion and can reduce the risk of other serious illnesses and health problems, including stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. What’s more, eating a diet that’s rich in fibre will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Food for thought…
While it’s true that you should pay attention to your diet if you’re training at a professional level, it’s important to strike a balance.
Eating disorders are disproportionately prevalent in the sporting community, with one study suggesting that 13.5% of elite athletes have experienced an eating disorder.
If thinking about food ever distracts you from your daily activities or you feel very worried about eating, it could be wise to seek help.
