Healthy eating for footy

Is what you eat really important for training and recovery?

Yes!!!!!! What you eat and drink in your everyday diet determines  How you feel and the quality of your training session  How well you recover for the next training session or match  How much energy you have for the next training session and match  Your preparation for competition

Typical symptoms of an unhealthy diet and lifestyle Getting frequent infections Falling asleep at work or school Often really tired Moody and irritable Large fluctuations in weight Bad breath, constipation Frequent headaches Feeling stressed An elevated resting pulse rate

Does an athlete have to eat differently to the rest of the population? No - For most team sports, the type of diet is no different to that recommended for the Australian population. For those athletes involved in endurance training programs, higher intakes of carbohydrate and higher total energy intake is needed to meet high energy requirements.

What is a healthy diet? Enjoy a variety of nutritious foods from the 5 food groups. What are the 5 food groups? 1. Breads, cereals and grains 2. Vegetables 3. Fruit 4. Dairy products 5. Lean meat and meat alternatives

The Five Food Group Plan

Calories or kilojoules?? Calories are the American way of counting how much energy is in foods. Kilojoules (kJ) are the Australian way of counting. There are 4.2 kilojoules to 1 calorie. Australian food labels are counted in kilojoules

Kilojoules This is the main form of energy our body uses Contributed to the diet via carbohydrates, proteins, fats and alcohol Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel that our body uses Carbohydrate is essential to fuel you for your sport The breads and cereal food group are the main source of carbohydrates

Protein? Protein is essential for building, repairing and restoring damaged tissues Protein is found in meat and meat products, tofu, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans, milk and dairy products

 Never miss meals, especially breakfast  Eat carbohydrate-rich and protein-rich foods at each meal  Include snacks between each meal rather than 3 large meals a day EAT FREQUENTLY  Never go to training hungry  Eat carbohydrate-rich and protein-rich foods within minutes after hard exercise  Ensure fluid needs are met before training  At 60 mins into a training session, start consuming carbos Nutrition tips for training, recovery and competition

Carbohydrate- and protein- rich foods Breads Breakfast cereals, cereal bars Pasta Rice Baked beans Fruit (not much protein) Low-fat milks Low-fat yoghurts Starchy vegetables (eg potato, corn, peas) Cracker biscuits Base all meals and snacks on carbos  Choose high fibre carbo foods

Do you need protein powders or extra protein as an athlete? NO Lean red meat, chicken, fish Eggs Milk, cheese, yoghurt Legumes (ie chickpeas, lentils, baked beans) Soy products (ie soy milk, yoghurt, tofu) Food first is the best approach Will I end up looking like this as an athlete?

Putting together a meal for an elite athlete ½ veges ¼ pasta, rice, bread or potato ¼ meat, fish, chicken, legumes

p. 480

Fluid: Are you having enough? Dehydration impairs performance Drink water consistently throughout the day Don’t wait till just before a game or training and drink 2 litres

What is a good training diet? Eat plenty multigrain or whole meal bread high fiber breakfast cereal rice, pasta 7 serves of cereals a day

At least 3 to 4 serves of dairy food per day

Choose low or reduced fat milk and yoghurt or ‘added calcium’ soy drinks.

At least 2 serves of fruit a day

5 serves of vegetables/salads a day

Eat plenty of vegetables 2 ½ cups a day Choose a variety of different colours everyday

How to eat more fruit and vegetables Include salad vegetables on sandwiches or rolls. Always serve a meal with steamed vegetables or salad. Add kidney beans or chickpeas to casseroles or soups. Have fresh or tinned fruit as snacks. Add fruit to breakfast cereal

Summary  Look after yourself on the inside  Your everyday diet should be fairly consistent and balanced  Consume all food groups most days  Consume fluid before you are thirsty  Consume carbos early in a long training session