The right diet is a must for fitness and health. Proper nutrition is the key to unlock your body’s potential. If you want to bend like Beckham or want to compete in your soccer league, so the diet is the right diet is the must as soccer is an intense sport that requires a considerable amount of energy, speed, and stamina.
To meet nutritional needs, the players must intake enough calories, vitamins, minerals, and fluids. Diet is highly individual. You have to see what your body wants and what is healthy for it. Soccer is an exhilarating sport to play, so as an athlete, you must know that you have to shape your body in such a tip-top way that you can perform optimally in leagues.
Diet plan and tips for soccer players
Soccer demands a lot of energy, so you need to fuel your body; otherwise, you will not perform well in the field. Eating for any soccer player means eating to make your muscular strength best. You need to take your diet and nutrition seriously if you want to perform full of energy and power in your fields
Here are some diet plans and tips that go on best for soccer players.
Energy demand in soccer
Anyone playing soccer needs to be more energetic because a player can burn up 1500-2000 calories in a 90 minutes match. A study by holland tells us that a male soccer player burns around 3400 calories in a single day. So this means you have to pay special attention to your diet throughout the day.
Diet plan
During the training season, you need to equal your calories 22-24 times your body weight in pounds. So if you are around 160 pounds, the daily calories you will need are 3560-3840, with some added variance for men, women, and kids at different age levels.
Below is the breakdown of macronutrients intake needed for soccer players:
Protein
Take 1 to 1.5 grams per 1 pound of body weight. Make around 15-20 % of protein intake.
Carbohydrates
Go for 50-60% as your daily calories come from carbohydrates.
Fat
Take 20-25% fat calories in a single day.
A balanced meal- during training
- A massive serving of whole-grain that includes brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta
- Tomato sauce
- Mix green and vegetables. Or you can take steam vegetables
- 4-6 oz of fish, chicken, or shellfish
- Fresh fruit dessert of strawberry, mango, or some other fruit of your choice
Necessary intake for soccer players before the match
Adequately fuel yourself before starting the match to play soccer with your super energies. Ideally, players need to get some carbohydrates and fat, which are fast digesting. It will help in pre-game jitters as well.
Following is the list of meals to be taken before the soccer match:
- Spinach wrap having stuffed salad greens, grilled chicken, etc.
- Beef pasta
- Stir-fried chicken and mixed vegetables
- Whole-grain roll or tomato soup with crackers
- Oatmeal with almond milk
- Fresh yogurt and fruit
- Butternut squash soup
Tips to consider before starting the match
Don’t take any meals or snacks at the 11th hour of starting the soccer match. It is suggested to eat before 2-3 hours of the match. Take some snacks, including bananas and nuts or apples with peanut butter.
You can also take crackers with hummus if you like to eat it. If you don’t prefer to eat much before the game, replace it with a fresh shake or a healthy smoothie.
Taking the right balance of diet aids in getting boundless energy and boosting performance. Stick to the diet plan and do wonders while playing and become a champion you wished for. In your leisure time, you can also watch movies here.