Dietary Advice as recommended by SCFC Centre of Excellence [24 Sep @ 2:27pm]

As seen on the Stockport County Centre of Excellence website: Carbohydrate Playing football can be exhausting. Tiredness can be avoided by eating the right foods. Food containing carbohydrate provides the body with energy. When you eat any food containing carbohydrate, some of it is converted by your body into glycogen, a fuel for the body which is stored in your muscles. Many footballers believe that you need to eat extra protein to build muscle, they concentrate on eating food such as steak and eggs. - This is wrong - a high carbohydrate diet combined with exercise will help you develop strong muscles far better. Days Before Match For a few days before a match try to make sure that you eat cereal/toast for breakfast, for your main meal try plenty of rice, pasta or potatoes together with some chicken, fish, lean meat or low fat cheese. Match Day On match day, eat your last meal 3 or 4 hours before kick off. 1 or 2 hours before kick off have a snack high in carbohydrate. Also it is important to drink plenty of water, or other fluid, as too little will affect your performance. Immediately after the match you need to start replacing your glycogen (energy) stores by eating carbohydrate. Also drink plenty of liquid to help recovery, don’t wait until you are thirsty. Fat There are two types of fat: Saturated Fats These are found in many foods including meat, dairy products and some margarines. Unsaturated Fats These are found in most vegetable oils like corn, sunflower and olive oil and in oily fish. Whilst fat is an important part of our diet, there are two main problems with fat, if we eat too much fat we are likely to put on weight. Too much fat, especially saturated fat is linked with a high risk of heart disease due to an increase in the amount of cholesterol in the bloodstream. Try to cut down on the amount of fat you eat.. When you do eat fats choose those high in polyunsaturates. How to cut down on fat Use skimmed or semi-skimmed milk Use less butter or margarine Choose lean cuts of meat and try to use chicken or fish more often (remove skin from chicken as this is where most fat is) Cut down on meat products like sausages, meat pies and pate Eat less cheese or choose a low-fat variety like Cottage cheese or Edam Eat more fresh fruit or low fat yoghurt in place of cakes, pastries, biscuits and chocolate. Instead of chips, boil, bake or mash potatoes - keep chips and fast food for a treat. Snack Ideas Snacks high in carbohydrate for before, during and after a match: Bananas, raisins, muesli bars, fruit juice, muffins, oatcakes, spiced buns, fruitcake and dried fruits. Sandwiches with easy fillings (jam, peanut butter), bagels with low fat cheese, gingerbread, digestive or jaffa-style biscuits, fig rolls, breakfast cereals, sports drinks. Drinks Fruit juice, skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, fruit squash, water, isotonic commercial drinks e.g. Lucozade sport. Home made isotonic drinks Dilute squash (not sugar free) with 4-5 parts water and a tiny pinch of salt per litre. One litre water, 40-80g glucose and a tiny pinch of salt. Dilute fruit juice with 2 parts water and a tiny pinch of salt per litre. Suggested Meals Breakfast Fruit juice Fresh, stewed or tinned fruit and low fat yoghurt Muesli or breakfast cereal (with semi-skimmed milk) Bread, rolls or toast with a little butter or margarine, jam, marmalade or honey Small amount of low fat cheese and/or ham. Main Meals Thick vegetable soup with bread roll Deep pan pizza (thick crust) Baked potato with cottage cheese, tuna, baked beans or chill-con-carne Sandwiches made with thick bread, thin spread of butter or margarine and filled with low fat cheese, lean meat, chicken, salad, honey or banana Rice with low fat meat sauce. Risotto made with tuna, lean ham or chicken Pasta with tomato or meat sauce Eat salad or uncooked vegetables Rice pudding, crème caramel, sorbet ice or fruit salad, Cake, cereal bar, chocolate flavoured semi-skimmed milk Drink plenty - water, fruit juice, fruit squash, sports drink Light Meals and Snacks Toast with jam and a little butter or margarine. Sandwiches (honey, jam, marmalade or banana) Scone, muffin Apple cake, carrot cake, gingerbread, fruit cake Breakfast cereal with raisins and semi-skimmed milk Fruit, yoghurt or flavoured milk drink Oatmeal raisin biscuits, cookies or flapjack Pancakes and maple syrup with fresh fruit Dried fruits Banana, water melon, grapes Water, fruit squash, fruit juice or sports drink Chocolate or muesli bar