What is the best ‘sports nutrition’ …….
…. for playing football, rugby or hockey…..?
How do I get the best results when playing or training?
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Introduction
If you eat and drink the right foods, at the right time, you can make quick and lasting improvements to both your stamina, energy and recovery (less aches and sprains).
Even simple changes, without having to buy any products, can often lead to dramatic results.
The advantage of buying specialised products is that it is often far easier, and requires less planning. But if you are prepared to develop a simple plan (and stick to it) the results will be worth the effort.
For example if you are taking exercise on an empty fuel tank, or one containing the wrong fuel, you can end up feeling tired all the time, have problems concentrating, shorten your stamina and endurance or take longer to recover.
How many people play football on a Sunday morning, having only had a very light breakfast – without spending any time considering the nutritional value ?
Or similarly how tempting is it to celebrate (or commiserate) afterwards with a few drinks?
Herbalife 24
Available from Herbal Energy – More Details
However simply by focussing on 3 main items you will see improvements in your results – whether that is by adding products, like some of the examples below, or making sure you focus on the right foods to eat and drink.
There are 3 main items to boosting sport results :
- Using the right fuel. (before you start)
- Replace lost electrolytes and other nutrients. (when you play)
- Recovery and Repair. (afterwards)
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Item A – Using the right ‘Fuel’
(before you start..)
Probably the single most important change you can make to improve your football results is to use the right ‘fuel’ before starting.
The right food / drink will not only provide you with an instant energy lift but will also achieve lasting results. (to help with stamina and performance).
Most Common Fuel Types
(what’s your fuel ?)
- None – I tend to eat afterwards
- A mars bar or other snack
- Fruit, such as a banana
- Glucose drink, or other supplement
- Herbalife Low GI index formula 1
- Meal
- Other
Sports Nutrition + Low GI Foods
If you look at the list above you will see a variety of different foods, each has their own advantage – but to get the best possible football results focus on low Glycemic Index (GI) foods.
All foods convert to blood sugar-some fast, some slow -and the Glycemic Index measures the rate the conversion takes place.
When you eat high-glycemic foods, your blood sugar levels soar which might give you an instant energy lift ; but when this happens your pancreas produces insulin.
Here’s how it relates to your football results:
- When you overproduce insulin, you clear the sugars out of your blood-the end result is that you are now hypoglycemic.
- What does that mean?
- Blood sugar levels are lower than they should be,
- “you crash” or get lethargic, and now your body craves sugars.
- So what next?
- You have to ‘top up’ again – the time depends on what you have eaten.
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Because if you switch to low-glycemic foods, the energy release is gradual and long lasting which is ideal for football, as you do not tax your pancreas, you feel better and your stamina and performance improves.
It also means that you will improve your performance over the full 2 halves, and will particularly help your concentration and focus in the 2nd halve.
If you want to select low GI foods then at the bottom of this page is the link to the most popular foods and their GI index.
On the other hand a very simple method is to simply drink a product like Herbalife Formula 1, diluted in fruit juice, thirty minutes before starting your game.
It provides immediate fuel (carbohydrates) and helps spare the stored fuel in muscles (muscle glycogen).
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If your body was a Formula 1 Racing Car …..
Wouldn’t you insist on using the right fuel ?
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How does it work in practice ?
Example – Andy
Andy Hill played professional football for Manchester United, Bury, Manchester City, Port Vale and now coaches in the United States PDL League and Nevada’s Olympic Development Programme.
“I was introduced to Herbalife products whilst coaching in Nevada in the United States. Several of the players started taking the products the results of which were quite astonishing.
Football training:
After two months of using the Herbalife products, the players took a physical condition test which revealed that their blood was in excellent condition, their cholesterol was at a very healthy level and that all the players taking the products were in a lot better shape compared to previous tests.
They recovered far more quickly after exercise. I am totally convinced that these products will help improve the sports performance of any one who uses them. Pre Season in Nevada starts in March and all my players will be using them throughout the season.”
Andy Hill, UK Professional Footballer for Manchester United
For the products he used Click Here
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Item B. Replace lost electrolytes and other nutrients.
(when you are playing)
We all know the importance of water….
- the body is mostly make up of water and even as little as 2 % fluid loss (mild dehydration) can significantly harm your performance.
Yes in extreme conditions you can lose a litre or more during the match, but even on cold days you will be ‘burning’ water in your muscles, and losing it with your breath and perspiration.
Which is why using your water bottle at every opportunity is a must.
Keep drinking even if you are not thirsty – if you are thirsty it’s to late !
But water is simply not good enough !
- in addition to losing water you are also losing electrolytes (salts) through your sweat.
Even short training sessions will create sweat resulting in a loss of electrolytes and energy.
That is why isotonic drinks are so important – an isotonic drink has a similar carbohydrate and electrolyte concentration to your body, meaning that your body will absorb them faster than water alone.
Simply switching to an isotonic drink with help you to stay energised whilst also helping to keep you hydrated – further boosting energy levels and helping with recovery.
Did you know ?
….. Research carried out in 1976 showed that the average outfield player covered 8 to 11 km in a match
(37% jogging, 20% running below top speed, 11% sprinting and 7% running backwards)
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Item C . Recovery and Repair
(afterwards)
Whatever you do don’t underestimate the importance of ‘repairing’
Having a plan in place for what you do when you finish your game or training will make a significant difference to boosting your results, as well as reducing your recovery time – so that you can play or train again a lot quicker.
The key period to focus on is within 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours after your sport or exercise.
During this period your muscles are desperate for high quality protein to repair muscle fibres. Feed them with this and they will grow quicker and stronger – miss this and you can undo a lot of the effort you put into your sport or the gym.
But in addition to adding protein one of the key items which will help your results is to add antioxidants.
Antioxidants
When you exercise, run, train, etc you will breathe in more oxygen than the average person and therefore generate more free radicals.
Free radicals damage your cells (a bit like the way apples will go brown when you cut them and expose them to air) and you need to take antioxidants to reduce damage. In addition Antioxidants will help reduce muscle cell damage by removing lactic acid from muscles more quickly.
The good news is that if you add antioxidants you will not only help your long term health but will help with reduced recovery times and an increased immune system.
There are lots of different sources of antioxidants, each will also help with specific health issues.
When you are next in a health food shop, or a sports nutrition site, have a look at the many different antioxidants. Just select one for your particular needs, or sport, and notice the difference.
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3 Easy Changes
That will really boost your football results
- Fuel - Select low GI foods from the link below (for example a banana is better than toast) or just have a diluted drink from the sports nutrition products.
- Hydration - Whatever you do have an isotonic drink, but beware they are not all the same. You will really notice the difference
- Repair - Have protein within 1 1/2 hours after training
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How can we help ?
We designed this site to provide background advice for our customers on how to get better sport results by eating the right food at the right time.
Simply follow the links for more information on sports nutrition, or for more detailed advice have a look at the 2 options :
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1. Sports Diet Advice….
The best sport nutrition plan is one that is very easy to follow, you will enjoy and that will help you get the best results.
If you want to get better results (run quicker, react faster, etc.) then your diet can be worth up to 80% of your results.
That is why we like a system called ‘The Truth about Quickness’ – because it not only contains training and exercise advice, but also contains 30 full days of meal plans which clearly lay out for you exactly what to eat for an entire month in order to maximize every ounce of your training results.
With “Eating Explosively” guiding your diet every step of the way, you’ll find yourself moving quicker, feeling stronger and looking leaner within DAYS of starting the meal-plan program.
Yes it is aimed at helping people get better running results, but don’t forget that in sports like football the average outfield player will run between 6 and 10 miles per match.
(not only will it help you with the best sports nutrition – it will also help you get better running results ! ).
2. Using Products
Using the right sports nutrition products is a lot easier, and often more effective. 
For example Herbalife do a range contains all the products for each element of the ‘fuel-refuel’ system and is ideal for all sports (football, hockey, athletics, etc.). All you do is select the right products to fit in with your own objectives.
For example there are specialised products for extra energy, for helping rebuild muscles, boost stamina, etc. More Details
More information
For details of the sports nutrition products mentioned – For herbalife sport nutrition click here
For details of the GI Index - click here
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