Fuel your game

Below is guidance for what you need to be drinking and eating pre, during and post games. Consuming the correctnutrientsat the right times will help maximise your performance, reduce fatigue and speed your recovery times.

Before you warm up…

What you need: / Why you need it:
  • Carbohydrates
  • Fluids
/
  • Energy
  • Dehydration negatively affects your performance. Start as you mean to go on

Food examples:
  • 2-4hr pre= pasta, rice, potato based meal. No cheese, low fat, lots of fruit and veg. Lean protein; chicken, turkey, non-oily fish, egg
  • 1hr pre = cereal, jam sandwich/toast, rice cakes, fruit smoothie. At least 500ml of fluids over the full hour
  • Changing room = Powerade and water

Before you play…

What you need: / Why you need it:
  • Carbohydrates
  • Fluids
/
  • Top up your energy stores after the warm-up
  • Re-hydrate after warm-up

Food examples:
  • Powerade and water

Half time…

What you need: / Why you need it:
  • Carbohydrates
  • Fluids
/
  • Refuel you energy stores after half time
  • You maybe dehydrated after the first period of play

Food examples:
  • Jelly beans, jelly babies, Haribo (non- fizzy, will dry your mouth), jelly cubes
  • Powerade and water

After the game…

What you need: / Why you need it:
  • Carbohydrates
  • Protein
  • Vitamins and Minerals
  • Fluids
/
  • Recovery your energy stores
  • You damage your body and now you need protein for growth and repair
  • You will have caused large stress within your body and you will require select vitamins and minerals to recovery fully
  • You will probably be dehydrated, and this will impair you recovery

Food examples:
  • Immediately after the game; Low fat milkshake and a piece of fruit
  • Recovery meal; pasta, rice, potato based meal. Lots of fruit and vegetables. Protein; chicken, turkey, non-oily fish, egg
  • Aim to drink at least 1ltr of fluid within the 1st hr after the game, monitor you hydration (urine charts)
  • It is very important that you get nutritionallyvaluable foods into your system after a game. Your ability to recovery effectively may the factor that gets you picked ahead of your team mates for the next game

Your kit bag should contain:

  1. 2-3 bottles of Poweraid or other carbohydrate drinks
  2. Large bottle of water
  3. Sweets of your choiceor jelly cubes
  4. 1x flavoured milk (Yazoo, this does not need to be kept in the fridge and is available in 200ml bottles)
  5. At least one piece of fruit, banana and oranges

Any questions come and speak to the Nutritionist

Adam