EATING TO WIN

Leonardo Mohamad, II Level ARU Rugby Coach. http://miblogderugby.blogspot.com http://twitter.com/miblogderugby

What you eat before training or games is of great importance as thi is the great importance as
this is the fuel supply you will need to play
Before a training or game
* Have your last meal 2 to 3 hours before the game (e.g. cereal and
toast, sandwiches, pasta with vegetable-based sauce) and possibly a
light snack 1 to 2 hours before (e.g. banana, toast, cereal bar, drink of
water).
* If you suffer from pre-game nerves or can’t compete with a full stom-
ach, try having nutritious drinks (e.g. smoothies) or eat early and top up
with small snacks or drinks closer to the game.

Light meals, snack ideas prior training or game

* Porridge made with semi skimmed milk
* Cereal with low fat milk, topped with a banana, juice or drink
* Granary toast with margarine, jam or honey, glass of milk to drink
* Chicken, ham or tuna sandwich and a piece of fruit
* Cereal or muesli bar (some have a high fat content) and a low fat milk-
shake
* Baked beans on toast or with jacket potato
* Bagel with reduced fat cream cheese
* Fruit Salad with low fat yogurt
During a training or game
* Top up fluid levels and carbohidrates during a training or
game to minimise fatigue and help concentration.
* Drink during breaks in play. Some drinks will replace
fluids and electrolytes (e.g. sodium) lost in sweating. Good
examples are sport drinks, milk drinks and water.
After a training or game
Start refuelling your energy stores as soon as you have
finished exercising. If you wait too long your recovery will
be delayed. Drink and eat nutrient-rich carbohydrate foods
inmediately after the training or game.

Ideal refuelling foods

Choose one of these ideas to recharge after training or games
* 2 large bananas * 2 Nutrigrain bars
* 3 slices thick-sliced bread * 1 Muller rice
* 1 bagel * 60 g breakfast cereal
* 2 slices malt loaf * 8 tablespoons cooked pasta
* 330 ml bottle fruit smoothie * 4 tablespoons rice
* 15 dried apricots * 75 g noodles
* 6 jaffa cakes * 1 medium jacket potato
* 79 -90 g chocolate-covered snack bar * 8 tablespoons baked beans
THE GOOD
What you eat and drink can affect your health and sports
performance.
Good nutrition can make a great difference to how your body
responds to trainings and how you perform during the game.
But what constitutes good nutrition?1
The most important dietary requirement for a rugby player in
training is to consume a well-balanced, nutritionally complete
diet that allows the player to train hard, recover from training
and maintain a healthy body.
Players need to start each training and game, hydrated and
work at drinking fluid (small amount) regularly throughout the
game. REMEMBER to improve your performance is vital to
eat and drink properly before, during and after training and
FOOD Healthy tips
* Switch from white bread to wholemeal bread.
* Eat wholegrain cereal for breakfast
* Include a variety of cereal foods in your meals
such as pasta, noodles, rice, couscous and
polenta.
* Eat at least four to five serves of cereal foods
a day.
* Enjoy lean red meat three or four times each
week.
* Choose lean cuts of meat rather than sau-
sages and processed meats.
* Try to eat one or two fish meals a week.

THE BAD FOOD

games. * Use low fat dairy foods at two or more meals
each day.
* Low fat milk and yogurt are excellent choices.
As a coach I have found players who eat food that is high * Be moderate with full fat cheeses.
in fat, sugar, salt or simply do not eat before training or * Drink water.
games. This impact negatively in either way there per- * Limit your intake of biscuits, cakes, pastries,
formance An example of what they eat or drink is shown snack foods and fried take away foods.
below. Do you eat or drink them? watch out! * Choose unsaturated vegatable oils and use
The Fast Food and Take Away Lover margarines in moderation.
They are often high in saturated fat, salt and kilojoules (calo- * Include more fresh foods, especially fruits,
ries). Regular and or daily consumption of food high in energy, vegeatbles in daily meals.
salt and saturated fat can contribuite to the risk of hearth dis- * Look for reduced salt or low salt foods.
ease, obesity and high blood pressure.
* Use a range of herbs and spices to flavour
Energy Drnks: Do they really give you wings? foods instead of salt.
Most energy drinks contain around the same amount of cafeine
as a strong cup of coffee, and nearly twice as much as in a
cola drink. Some energy drinks, such as Red Bull, contain high
amounts of sugar (equal to around 5 teaspoons per 250 ml can).
Higher doses of caffeine and sugar in energy drinks may be
cause for concern. Source: Dietary Guidelines for Children and
High amounts of sugar: High level of Energy? Adolescents in Australia, 2003
Excesive sugar intake can play an important role in health is-
sues and obesity.
1 The importance of nutrition in sports. Bernard Beverly. Positive Health Publications Ltd 1994-2002.
http://www.positivehealth.com/permit/Articles/Nutrition/bever50.htm
2 Sports Dietitians Australia Med J Aust 2000; 173 Suppl 7 August: S13-S14.
http://www.mja.com.au/public/nutrition/summary.html
3 Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents in Australia, 2003
The information provided here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advise. For a
thorough analysis of your diet and specific nutrient needs, visit a registered dietitian Please note that
age, body size (composition), training levels and intensitity should all be considered when planing a
nutritional programme.