Brentwood Soccer Club

nutrition

Soccer: Energy for Tournaments

By MICHELE MACEDONIO, M.S., R.D. L.D.
Nutrition consultant and freelance writer, Nutrition Strategies (Loveland, OH)

Tournaments present unique opportunities and challenges for the individual soccer player and the team as a whole. One of the most important challenges is supplying adequate fluid and food to fuel the athlete participating in multiple matches throughout the tournament period. What makes the challenge especially complex is the two-fold nature of the dilemma, that of supply and demand.

Multiple matches mean increased demand for energy

A single soccer match may deplete most of a player's fluid and nutrition reserves. During a tournament, matches may be as close as an hour apart, leaving little time to rebuild fuel stores. Consequently, fatigue sets in sooner; speed, skills, accuracy and concentration are compromised; and the risk of dehydration increases. In warm environments, the degree of dehydration and its associated dangers are even higher.

Planning ahead will ensure an adequate supply of "sport-friendly" foods

Immediately after a match, the hunger sensation may be blunted so it is crucial that foods or beverages consumed at this time be high in carbohydrate (CHO), the preferred fuel for the physical demands of soccer. In order to store those carbohydrates as muscle glycogen, the body also needs sufficient fluid.

Tournament concession stands offer limited selections, often with many high-fat foods. Fast food restaurants may be an option but careful selection is necessary to ensure adequate amounts of carbohydrates. When possible, the best bet is to bring a supply of "sport-friendly" foods and beverages to the tournament. Even when traveling far from home, there are some simple tips for ensuring a supply of portable foods and fluids that meet the high-energy demands of soccer tournaments.

Beverages and Carbohydrate-rich Foods that Power Soccer Players and Travel Well

Beverages

Choose a sports drink. Gatorade supplies 14g CHO per 8 oz, a good choice for quickly replenishing fluids and electrolytes lost in sweat and supplying carbohydrates during exercise. Follow these guidelines from the National Athletic Trainers? Association:

17 to 20 oz fluid 2 to 3 hours before the match

7 to 10 oz fluid 10 to 20 minutes before the match

28 to 40 oz fluid per hour during the match (7to 10 oz fluid every 10 to 15 minutes of play)

20 oz fluid per pound of weight lost during the match, within 2 hours of finishing the match. Players should weigh themselves before and after several games to estimate weight loss during matches.

Water alone doesn't cut it alone. It blunts thirst and doesn't supply needed nutrients to fuel the body.

Skip the soda. The carbonation makes it harder to gulp down enough fluid plus carbonation can bloat the stomach causing indigestion.

Cut the caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic increasing fluid loss, impairing rehydration.

Carbohydrate-rich Foods
To quickly restore lost muscle glycogen, soccer players should consume 2g CHO per kg (.9g CHO/lb) body weight within the first 2 hours after a match. Pre-game meals should be eaten 2 to 3 hours before a match to allow food to empty from the stomach. Frequently, the interval between games may be too close to digest a standard high-carbohydrate meal. In that case, athletes are wise to select easy to digest, carbohydrate-rich foods that will provide quick energy for the next match.

Try combining several of the items below:

Energy or fruit Bars

Fresh fruit

Fruited yogurt

Bagels, muffins, cereal mixes with dried fruit and nuts

If an athlete feels uncomfortable eating solid food between matches, consider these convenient liquid options:

Carbohydrate-rich drink

Liquid meal

The importance of proper nutrition and hydration with regard to the Soccer can not be overlooked.

Performance can drop as much 15% with as little as 1% of body fluid lost.

Good Nutrition can improve performance by as much as 15%

Hydration

It needs to be stressed to the players the importance of getting plenty of fluids when training or playing in hot weather. Important that players drink plenty of fluids in the days leading up to a hot weather game, however players should also be advised about the importance of game day hydration. Get them to drink fluids en-route to the game. Don't wait till the game is under way and then have to play catch up to the fluid drain.

Practice and Games

If players are feeling tired, drained or weak during practice and games, a handful of clear candies, Jelly beans, skittles, gummies, etc, during a water break or half time can give a welcome energy boost.

Days prior to competition

The most important food the girls can eat is not on the actual weekend of competition, but the 2-3 days before competition starts. It is vital that the players increase the fraction of their total diet that is carbohydrates. This will help the muscles load up extra Glycogen (the main fuel for muscles) for the games.

Studies show that soccer players with the most pre game muscle glycogen run the farthest at the fastest speeds during a game!

Foods to Eat:

Baked Potato, Pasta, Bread, rice, cereals, jams, spaghetti, and oatmeal.

Day of Competition

Most pre game meals are eaten 3-4 hours before competition, important to realize that the food eaten will have little to do with the energy expended in the game, that comes from what was eaten in the 2-3 days before the game. Remember the more calories (i.e. Fat & Protein) in a meal the slower the food leaves the stomach. Carbohydrates are always the best choice over sausage, egg, gravy, fries, burgers or most other choices on the menu at a fast food place.

Foods to Eat:

Fruits, cereals, juices, pancakes, waffles, baked potato, sandwich, pasta, bread, lean meat (turkey/chicken), clear candies, jelly beans, gummy bears, skittles etc.

Foods to Avoid:

Fast Food, Dairy products, fried food.

Eating after the Game

Exercise uses muscle glycogen (carbohydrate) so it must be replaced. Muscle is most receptive to carbohydrate replacement in the first two hours after exhaustive exercise. Important that the girls eat carbohydrates between games. If time permits they should try to eat the foods recommended for the day of competition.

Eat high glycemic foods in the first hour after training or competition. Foods like this include Cheerios with skim milk and raisins, peanut butter and jelly/jam on bagels or sourdough bread, graham crackers and cottage cheese, Chex mix, Nutri-Grain bars and lo-fat vanilla wafers. Later meals should include moderate glycemic index foods like bananas, orange juices, corn, pita bread, oatmeal cookies, pasta. The goal is 8-10 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight in 24 hours. An acute supplement of a high carbohydrate drink can be effective in adding some alternate fuel to help save glycogen for late in the game.

Any suggestions for soccer players when choosing foods to eat?

Choose foods with the highest carbohydrate and lowest fat count. Carbohydrates should make up 55-65% of the diet. Choose, for example, bagels over sliced bread, baked potato over french fries, a high carbohydrate cereal over a low carbohydrate cereal (read those labels!).
A teenage or adult athlete should eat 450-600 grams of carbohydrate a day (spread it out over 24 hours-think you can eat that amount of spaghetti in one sitting? That?s over 2 dry pounds of spaghetti!). Younger players would eat less because they are smaller. The rough formula is 7-10 grams/kg/day.
If you make poor food choices and train regularly, you can't refill your glycogen levels before tomorrow's practice. Thus, glycogen levels stair-step down as the week goes on. Ask any trainer of a team training daily - most injuries happen late in the week. Wonder why? It is important to eat plenty of carbohydrates during training, not just for matches.
Your muscles are the most, thirsty, for glycogen right after exercise. So try to eat a good supply of carbohydrates within the first 2 hours after play. Don't wait. Have carbohydrate rich foods available right after a game. This is especially important if you are playing in a tournament with many games in a short time. Give yourself every advantage and refuel for the next games. Pack food and stay away from the drive through window. Pack fruit juices, carbohydrate replacement drinks (see recovery-part 3 for suggestions), bagels and jam, fresh or dried fruit, PB&J sandwiches, pasta salads, uncooked Chex Mix. If candy is acceptable, choose clear candy like gummi candy, jelly beans, etc. (chocolate-based candy has too much fat and calories). Stay away from the chips, burgers, fries, nachos, etc.; too much fat and not enough carbohydrates.