Nutritional program for soccer players/athletes

Special nutrition program

Intensity Training for soccer athletes

Introduction

Intensity training can allow player such as soccer athletes to play longer in the field and not get tired easily when playing for a longer period of time. Due to the prolonged and vigorous nature of the sport, carbohydrates are soccer players main fuels. Soccer players also need protein and fats so that. Good carbohydrate sources include bagels, cereals, beans, rice, pasta, bread, pretzels, fruit, juice, potatoes, beans, whole-wheat bread and tortillas. This program focuses on eating carbohydrates food.

Why do intensity training?

The body stores carbohydrates in the muscles as glycogen, but these stores are limited and need to be constantly replenished. Small meals and snacks throughout the day can help keep energy levels high. Glycogen depletion can lead to fatigue, both physical and mental, and performance maybe compromised as players lose fuel they need to think and make good decisions on the field. This nutrition program is to conserve muscle glycogen and prevent fatigue, have a carbohydrate sports drink before and during practice sessions and game.

Intensity training instructions:

•   About 4 hours before a match, eat a meal that includes plenty of easily digestible, carbohydrate-rich foods. Avoid fried foods and foods with fatty sauces because fats are slowly digested. If you tend to be nervous before a match, consider an easy-to-digest liquid meal such as a nutrition shake that contains 60% of its calories as carbohydrate. 30% of it should be protein and only 10% should be fats.

•   About 2 hours before a training session or match, drink about 500-600 ml (16-20 oz) of a carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drink that contains 5-7% carbohydrate. This will provide some last-minute carbohydrate and body fluids insurance

•   During stoppages for injuries and penalties and during half-time, drink as much of a carbohydrate-electrolyte sports beverage as you can comfortably consume.

As soon as possible after a match or hard training session, start consuming carbohydrate-rich foods and beverages to rapidly begin replacing glycogen stores. Energy drinks that contain 18-20% carbohydrate (18-20 g/100 ml or 43-48 g/8 oz) can be a good source of easily digested carbs. A little protein is good, but don’t go overboard. Aim to consume plenty of carbohydrates (8-10 g/kg) in the 24 hours following strenuous play.

Benefits:

1.     Eating carbs benefits you after intense strength exercise by replacing muscle glycogen and spiking insulin to switch the body back to an anabolic state. You need carbohydrates for intense training. So when soccer players are at a match. They won’t be tired to run around the field and also carbohydrates provide energy and also carbohydrates will allow your muscles to be strong and to delay muscle fatigue. So when players are playing on the field, their muscles will be fit and this can make soccer players shoot harder because their muscles are fueled.

2.     Carbohydrates make the glucose not entering at a fast rate to the bloodstream. Having too much sugar in the blood for long periods of time can cause serious health problems if it's not treated. Hyperglycemia can damage the vessels that supply blood to vital organs, which can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke, kidney disease, vision problems, and nerve problems in people with diabetes. These problems don't usually show up in kids or teens with diabetes who have had the disease for only a few years. However, these health problems can occur in adulthood in some people with diabetes, particularly if they haven't managed or controlled their diabetes properly. This will make players

 Limitations:

1.     Carbohydrates can cause weight gain. Because carbohydrates are sugar, their primary role in the body is to fuel muscle tissue by filling it with glycogen. In physically active individuals, these glycogen reserves are used for fuel, yet in sedentary individuals, carbohydrates often go unused. This excess energy is then deposited as body fat. Carbohydrates are converted into glycogen, which is stored in the liver and in muscles; but as the body can store only a limited amount of glycogen in this way, all other excess glucose is stored as body fat. This is the process of putting on weight. Causing weight gain can make soccer players not agile anymore, because their body is weightful and our body is heavy.

2. Carbohydrates, in particular simple carbohydrates, raise insulin levels in the body by increasing blood-sugar levels. High insulin levels can, over time, lead to insulin resistance in which the body does not create enough insulin to match the high blood-sugar levels. Insulin resistance in turn leads to diabetes. Diets high in refined carbohydrates and processed foods have been closely linked with insulin resistance.

 http://www.everydiet.org/wp-content/uploads/carbohydrates.jpg

Main source of carbohydrate such as potato, pastas, rice, sweet potato