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By
Coach Darden:
Football
is a game of strength, speed and skill - all of which can
be affected by what, when and how much an athlete eats and
drinks. Athletes need to apply the same effort to
proper fueling as they give during practices and
competition. Players sometimes neglect nutrition, which
can result in poor performance.
Common
Nutrition Mistakes
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Not
drinking enough fluids |
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Not
eating at regular intervals |
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Eating
too much protein and short-changing
carbohydrates |
Setting
Nutrition Goals
With
a little education, football players can make changes that
will be felt both on and off the field. The team should
set nutrition goals together, such as:
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Drinking
on a schedule
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Refueling
at half-time |
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Eating
immediately after practices or games |
What
to Eat
Football
players need carbohydrates to fuel hard-working muscles.
Bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables should
be the bulk of a football player's diet filling up 2/3 of
the plate at every meal. Protein foods, such as meat,
poultry, fish, eggs, dairy foods, nuts, soy products and
beans, are essential for good health, but are not the
primary fuel source for exercise, and so should occupy
only 1/3 of the plate.
All
Day Fueling
Unlike
professional football players who practice during the day,
younger athletes don't take the field or hit the gym until
after school. Since bodies don't run well on empty, eating
every 3 to 4 hours is necessary to properly fuel both the
body and mind. Encourage your athletes to:
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Eat
within 1 hour of waking up. |
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Eat
something at lunch. |
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Snack
before practice on a sports drink, energy bar,
cereal or granola bar. |
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Bring
a post-exercise snack to eat before leaving the
locker room. Good choices include an energy bar,
bagel, crackers or fruit with a sports drink. |
Drink
Up!
All
players benefit when the body is optimally hydrated. This
is not just a game-day issue, but a daily priority. To
prevent dehydration, especially in hot, humid
environments, athletes need to drink often and enough. Get
your athletes off to the right start:
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Recommend
sports drinks over water, because sports drinks
taste great, contain electrolytes, like sodium,
and may help prevent cramping. |
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Weigh
players before and after practices to determine
individual fluid losses and monitor them to
replace every pound lost by drinking at least 20
ounces of fluid. |
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Ask
athletes to bring their own sports bottles and
drinks so their favorite fluid is readily
available. |
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Remind
athletes that spitting out fluids doesn't
hydrate the body! |
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Educate
players about the importance of seeing what they
pee. The goal is light-colored urine and lots of
it! |
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