Eating the right foods can translate to performance at game time.
Football is the mother of all anaerobic sports and it is not surprising that eating the right food at the right time is one of the keys to success. Nutrition is becoming as important as weight training routines done every other day during the season.
PRE-GAME MEAL TIMING The team should eat about two hours before the game. The players should not eat to get ‘stuffed’, but eat the correct foods to sufficiently fuel them throughout the game. Players need to know that small amounts every two hours keeps the fire burning.
CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are KING when it comes to football. The players’ bodies will use mostly muscle glycogen during the game and this glycogen is converted from eating carbohydrates. Stay away from sugary and white refined flour foods that are high gylcemic, quick digesting carbs that will spike insulin too quickly and may make a player shaky, hyper and sweaty before a game. These types of carbs can be utilized to refuel depleted glycogen stores AFTER a game or eating them the night before the game, but not just before.
PROTEINS Proteins are responsible for muscle recovery, repair and growth as the amino acids they provide are the building blocks of new muscle tissue. Typically, protein quality is maximized in animal products. Therefore, a vegetarian is at high risk for protein deficiencies and for optimal athletic performance. A vegetarian player can supplement this with milked based ‘approved’ products such as whey or caesin. The protein quality of a diet can be enhanced through consuming a variety of protein sources. The best are whole eggs, grass-fed beef, lamb, chicken breast and fish.
FATS As a general fuel, football players tend to eat too much of the wrong fat. Stay away from trans fats, hydrogenated oils, margarines or shortenings which have a negative effect on the body and avoid anything that is deep fat fried.
Fat is not an effective fuel source for a pre-game meal as it takes several hours to become available for energy UNLESS it is coconut oil or MCT oil which quickly becomes available for energy and is excellent to include in a pre-game meal. New research is showing us that the “bad” saturated fats like those contained in grass fed butter and red meats are now the new “health” foods, especially helping with testosterone levels in males and strengthening the outer layer of cells. Fish oils are still fantastic for their anti-inflammatory and repair properties but the nut oils (apart from coconut) have been overrated and the low-fat diet recommendations from nutrition organizations are ineffective and may be harmful.
P.M. - BACK LOAD SUGGESTIONS Remember, with the frequent short bursts of energy it takes to play football, carbs are critical. Make sure your players back load their carbs the night before (they will still be available for energy the next day.) The night before the game is when players can have a bit more fun with their carb choices. Sweet potatoes and white rice are excellent bed time meals to make sure their glycogen stores are fully loaded if they want to avoid sugary items. But, they can actually have pancakes, cheesecake and more starchy/sugary foods the night before the following day’s game.
PRE-GAME MEAL For the pre-game meal or breakfast, avoid trans fats, go for MCT oil, coconut oil, drink coffee eith caffeine but NO sodas or juices (too sugary.) Eat meats, eggs, veggies and slower digesting carbs (avoid any high insulin spiking refined, sugary carbohydrates that may make a player hypoglycemic pre-game). An ideal pre-game meal could consist of a turkey sub, eggs, pasta, grilled chicken breast, lean red meats, a smoothie, cottage cheese and plain yogurt.
GAME-TIME SNACK It is very important to keep energy levels up with a light snack during halftime. Bananas or something similar can be effective to keep players fueled and the fiber in the fruit will slow the digestion down just enough so the fuel will be readily available. Sports beverages containing 6 to 7% carbohydrates are also useful for maintaining the players hydration levels and replenishing carbohydrate fuel, but be sure that the sugar content isn’t too high. A great alternative to all the sugary sports beverages is coconut water as it hydrates in a more nutritious natural way and is a source of carbs. Feed your players getting on the bus pre-game and at halftime. At colder games, try to keep the players having small meals for the energy produced.
HYDRATION It goes without saying players need to be fully hydrated going into a game and to constantly be drinking during breaks in the game to replenish what they lose in sweat. Sodas are too sugary and will impair performance. Hydration should be mostly with pure water as tea and coffee dehydrate and juices are sugary and spike insulin. Coconut water is very healthy and keeps players from cramping up.
About the Authors: Tim Tobin is an assistant coach at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee. He is a frequent contributor to both American Football Monthly and Gridiron Strategies. While coaching at Kutztown University, Tobin won the Samson Equipment Division II Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year.
Stella Tobin is a Nutrition Consultant, Advanced Yoga Instructor and Personal Trainer. She is also a national spokesperson for a variety of exercise and health products. An accomplished author, she is also a contributor to both American Football Monthly and Gridiron Strategies.