Skills are improved through training, with players getting better day by day, but to achieve your optimum performance and success on the pitch, you need a diet that will provide you with the nutrition and energy to excel.
According to Player Scout, the right diet is as important as your training regime. If you fuel your body correctly, you’ll see more gains for the same amount of training, and it will ensure you perform at your best and minimise the risk of injury.
Seven days before the game
Reducing your intake of carbohydrates at the start of the week and then gradually increasing it helps to maximise the levels of stored glycogen available during the match, which serves as a readily available source of energy.
Two to three days before the game
Consuming plenty of soups, especially those containing chilli, ginger, and turmeric, helps thin your blood, which in turns delivers more oxygen to your cells. Increasing oxygenation helps to prevent lactic acid formation which causes muscle fatigue and pain.
The day before the game
The evening meal before a game should contain more carbohydrate than usual, but don’t overload. The ideal balance is grilled chicken and fish with either sweet potato or jacket potato and green vegetables like spinach, which is high in carotenoid antioxidants to enhance visual abilities and sports performance.
Six hours before kick off
On match day, you need to take into account the weather and what clothing would be best, considering the range of strips available to you, such as Adidas football kits from https://www.kitking.co.uk.
Aim to eat within 30 minutes of getting out of bed and avoid wheat based or high fibre products. An omelette and fruit salad provides the optimum balance of carbohydrate, fat, and protein, and these are easy to digest to avoid bloating.
Four hours before kick off
You want starchy carbohydrates and low fat options at this point, to fuel power. Chicken with quinoa and roasted vegetables or a jacket potato with tuna or salmon are ideal choices.
90 minutes before the match starts
Tropical fruits including banana, papaya, pineapple, and mango are the best final nutritional hit to have before kick off. They contain a modest amount of fibre, which helps prevent the sugar rush associated with other fruits, and this rush is best avoided because it can lead to lethargy.