As a soccer coach and personal trainer, I get questions about what to eat on game day and/or tournaments and when to eat. Unfortunately, many athletes are poorly prepared nutritionally to be able to sustain a high level of play during the entire match. This post is geared towards our soccer families, but can be applicable for any sport that requires 1-2.5 hours of sustained energy.
Food Examples
Below are some suggestions for fueling for soccer tournaments and matches, especially for multiple games like our Academy (younger) teams play. Again, these are only suggestions and not dietetic advice. ;)
Fruit
Dried cherries, pineapple, mango, and other fruit of your liking
Raisins, in single-serve boxes
Apples, oranges
Protein
Grains
Snacks and Treats
Fluids
Timing is key!
For optimal nutrient uptake, it’s best to consume your macros (Protein, Carbs, and Fats) as soon as you can after the match. Once an hour passes, the body begins to decline it’s absorption rate and no matter how much you want to catch up on your nutrients, you won’t be able to. So, timing is key with refueling after a match. Here’s a general recommendation for macro consumption: 0.7-1.0 gram of protein per pound of body weight, about 2-3 grams of carbs per pound of bodyweight, and 15-20 percent of calories from fat.
The Bad and the Good Foods high in omega-6 polyunsaturated fats should be avoided. Corn, safflower, sunflower, soy and vegetable oils are examples of omega-6 polyunsaturated fats. These fats along with pepperoni cause an inflammatory response within the body and should be avoided if at all possible. On the other end of the spectrum, foods that contain monounsaturated or omega-3 polyunsaturated fats can help combat inflammation. Examples are olive, avocado, canola, almond, and flaxseed oil.
The Plan
So what does a fueling plan look like? How do I fuel for 1-2.5 hours of activity (like back to back soccer games)? Here is an example of what this may look like:
2 hours before start time - oatmeal w/ a boiled egg, peanut butter toast on whole grain bread, or a bagel to name a few (see food list mentioned earlier in the post)
1 hour before start time - granola bar, small pack of pretzels, trail mix, etc (see food list mentioned earlier in the post)
15 min before start time - handful of gummies (not busting out of the seams handful haha), dried fruit, and sports gels to name a few
If the game is early in the morning, you may want to fuel starting the night before and have a late meal high in carbs. Since the body consumes nutrients during sleep, this will tap into your energy stores and you'll definitely need to eat something in the morning to offset the calories burned overnight. I will sometimes eat homemade pancakes or waffles if I have an early match so I can eat a very light meal the next morning. I know we have focused on carbs out of the three macros, but they supply almost 50% of your energy and vital to the performance of your athlete.
No-bake protein balls are one of my favorite snacks on match day. They are delicious (minus the coconut haha), high in omega-3s, and include the necessary mix of nutrients pre/during/post exercise. They are super easy to make and you can throw 3-4 of them in a ziplock bag for easy transportation. We usually take 1-2 bags of the protein balls for each day during tournaments.
Here’s the recipe (Thanks to thewhoot.com.au!):
Electrolytes and fluid consumption
One other aspect to consider, especially for us in the South, is replenishing electrolytes during exercise/games/tournaments. This is a MUST to maintain peak athletic performance since an electrolyte imbalance can be possible. Although the list of sodium sources go against some of the do not eat foods, they have been used to help players replenish their sodium from excessive sweating that occur during hot days. Keep in mind there are many factors that work in conjunction with muscle contraction and relaxation (sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium); but if a player has a well-balanced diet, most of these issues are not a problem. However, there are players that do not eat properly or hydrate effectively and can suffer from poor nutrition or dehydration. As a general guideline, for every pound lost during exercise, 13-16 oz of water would need to be consumed to offset the effects of dehydration. If you need a few ideas for sodium and/or potassium sources, please see the list below. Lastly, the electrolyte chart provides some info on the amounts of each electrolyte and the average loss in 2 lbs of sweat along with some food comparisons.
Sodium
Pickle or salt and vinegar flavored chips Pickle juice
Potassium
Electrolyte | Average amount lost in 2 lbs of sweat | Food comparison |
|---|---|---|
Sodium | 800 mg (range 200-1,600) | 1 qt Gatorade = 440mg sodium |
Potassium | 200 mg (range 120-600) | 1 medium banana = 450 mg potassium |
Calcium | 20 mg (range 6-40) | 8 oz (230g) yogurt = 300 mg calcium |
Magnesium | 10 mg (range 2-18) | 2 tbsp peanut butter = 50 mg magnesium |
I hope some of the info is helpful, useful, and offers ways to help your athlete play with peak performance longer than they could with improper fueling during matches and tournaments.
Thanks for taking some time to read the article and please post any comments!
Rob
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