1. BASED ON WEDNESDAY GAME 7.30 KICK OFF TUESDAY RUGBY GAMES DO NOT REQUIRE A PERIOD OF CARB LOADING, AS THE GAME ITSELF IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY A CARB LOADING PROTOCOL. CARB LOADING CAN RESULT IN PLAYERS FEELING HEAVY AND SLUGGISH FROM THE INCREASED BODYWEIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH CARB LOADING. TEAM RUNS AND TECHNICAL WORK ARE SHORT, LOW INTENSITY SESSIONS, THEREFORE A NORMAL EATING PLAN WILL BE SUFFICIENT ENOUGH TO REPLACE THE GLYCOGEN UTILISED DURING TUESDAYS SESSIONS. RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

2. THE AIM IS TO MAXIMISE GLYCOGEN RECOVERY DURING THE WEEK LEADING UP TO EACH TRAINING CAMP TO ALLOW FOR GOOD RECOVERY, ENABLING US TO PUSH HARDER IN EACH TRAINING SESSION LEADING UP TO AND INCLUDING THE MONDAY OF EACH TRAINING CAMP. THIS WILL IN TURN ALLOW YOUR BODY TO ADAPT AND MAKE GAINS IN MUSCLE STRENGTH AND SIZE. RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

3. BREAKFAST (NO LATER THAN 9.00AM) WHILE WE ALL WANT A LAY IN, IF CHOOSE TO DO SO YOU WILL MISS THE CHANCE TO EAT BREAKFAST WHICH CAN HAVE A KNOCK ON AFFECT ON YOUR PRE MATCH PREPARATION. IN ADDITION TO THIS IT ALSO MAKES IT HARDER TO MAKE GAINS IN LEAN MUSCLE. GET UP THE SAME TIME YOU HAVE ALL WEEK, YOUR BODY CLOCK WILL BE USED TO THIS TIME AND YOU WILL ACTUALLY FEEL MORE ALERT THAN IF YOU SLEEP IN BREAKFAST GOALS GOOD SOURCE OF SLOW RELEASING CARBOHYDRATES TO ENSURE GLYCOGEN STORES ARE FUELLED UP, A SUFFICIENT SERVING OF PROTEIN TO MAINTAIN LEAN MUSCLE AND FLUID TO HYDRATE THE BODY RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

4. BREAKFAST (CONTINUED) 1-PINT WATER/SQUASH UPON RISING. BREAKFAST OPTIONS PORRIDGE WITH SEMI-SKIMMED MILK, BANANA AND HONEY AND PROTEIN SHAKE SCRAMBLED EGGS (3 WHOLE EGGS) WITH 4 SLICES WHOLE MEAL TOAST, BEANS AND A BANANA. RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

5. LUNCH A LIGHT LUNCH AT 2-3PM FOR 7.30 KICK OFF. PASTA, RICE OR POTATOES WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF CHICKEN, TURKEY OR FISH, EXTRA BREAD AND HIGH CARB DESERT SUCH AS MULLERICE, FRUIT SALAD, FRUIT CRUMBLE OR SPONGE PUDDING. IF WORKING BEFORE AN EVENING KICK OFF THEN MAKE SURE YOU PREPARE GOOD FOOD CHOICES TO TAKE WITH YOU. PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS!! RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

6. PRE-MATCH MEALS (04.30 PM) 1. BASMATI RICE WITH CHICKEN BREAST, PEAS, SWEET CORN AND SAUCE 2. MASHED POTATO WITH TUNA AND BEANS 3. BAGEL WITH HAM OR TURKEY SLICES, LOW FAT YOGURT AND BANANA 4. FRESH MINESTRONE SOUP WITH WHOLE MEAL BREAD, SMALL TIN RICE PUDDING IF YOU EAT EGGS AT BREAKFAST THEN PORRIDGE IS ALSO A GREAT PRE MATCH OPTION, EASY TO EAT AND PROVIDES A SLOW RELEASE OF ENERGY RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

7. SNACKS LEADING UP TO THE GAME NO SWEETS OR CHOCOLATE – GAME TIME IS NOT AN EXCUSE TO EAT CRAP THE ONLY THING YOU SHOULD BE SNACKING ON ARE GRAPES, THEY PROVIDE A SMALL AMOUNT OF CARBS AND FLUID. ONCE YOU HAVE EATEN BREAKFAST, LUNCH AND A PRE MATCH MEAL THEN THERE SHOULD BE LITTLE TO NO NEED FOR EXTRA SNACKS. I APPRECIATE SOME PLAYERS LIKE TO SNACK TO OCCUPY THE MIND; GRAPES ARE FINE FOR THIS PURPOSE. WATER/SQUASH IS FINE TO BE FINE TO CONSUMED THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND JUST USE ISOTONIC DRINKS DURING THE GAME HOWEVER WITH AN EVENING KICK OFF, AS IT CAN BE A LONG DAY THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF OVER-HYDRATING, THIS IS MORE LIKELY TO HAPPEN ON HOT/WARM DAYS. IN THESE SCENARIO IT WOULD BE ADVISABLE TO UTILISE A POWERADE ZERO FROM THE PRE MATCH MEAL ONWARDS. THE DRINK CONTAINS ELECTROLYTES TO AID THE BODY BETTER RETAIN FLUID. RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

8. POST WARM UP DRINK 250 ML OF ISOTONIC DRINK SUCH AS POWERADE ION, THIS WILL REPLACE ENERGY USED DURING THE WARM UP AND REPLACE FLUID LOSS DRINKING AT THIS TIME WILL PRIME THE STOMACH; MEANING ANY FLUIDS TAKEN ON-BOARD DURING THE GAME WILL EMPTY FROM THE STOMACH QUICKER. SIP ISOTONIC DRINKS AT REGULAR INTERVALS (WHERE POSSIBLE) DURING THE GAME. AT HALF TIME TRY TO DRINK AT LEAST 250ML OF AN ISOTONIC DRINK. RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

9. POST MATCH DRINK 500ML OF AN ISOTONIC OR SUITABLE RECOVERY DRINK. DRINKING PLAIN WATER POST EXERCISE/GAME CAUSES PLASMA SODIUM LEVELS TO FALL, WHICH STIMULATES URINE OUTPUT AND REDUCES THE FEELING OF THIRST. THIS WILL INTERFERE WITH THE REHYDRATION PROCESS. AIM FOR A LIGHT CARB/PROTEIN SNACK SUCH AS CHICKEN WRAPS WITHIN THE HOUR AND THEN EAT A LARGER MEAL SUCH AS SPAGHETTI BOLOGNAISE WITHIN THE NEXT 2 HOURS RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition

10. ADDITIONAL THE NIGHT OF THE GAME IS AN IDEAL TIME FOR TREATS; DUE TO THE ENERGY EXPENDED DURING THE GAME. ANY JUNK FOOD IS UNLIKELY TO BE STORED AS BODYFAT DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. HOWEVER PLAYERS WHO DO HAVE HIGH BODYFAT LEVELS SHOULD STILL EAT CLEAN FOLLOWING A GAME DISCIPLINE IS THE BRIDGE BETWEEN GOALS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS RAF RU Development Squad Game Day Nutrition