You may be wondering what to eat before a soccer practice or game. This is a question that many athletes face. Especially as different sports require different amounts of energy, body types react differently. After all, not everyone can offer up the same dietary advice. However, there are tips and tricks to successfully fueling your body before a sporting event. Below are several options that can be considered regarding what to eat before soccer practice or the game itself.
Should I Eat Something Just Before Soccer Practice?
A small snack before soccer practice is a good idea, but what you eat is important.
If you’re going to be playing for more than an hour, your body will need some fuel.
A good snack before soccer practice should have some protein and carbohydrates.
Good snacks for soccer include energy bars, trail mix, or crackers with peanut butter.
You should make sure you start a game or practice well hydrated and continue to drink water throughout the game.
Many coaches say that you should avoid eating too close to a game.
If you’re not well hydrated, your performance may be affected. So drink some water before and during the game or practice. Remember, don’t drink much. This will badly affect your game.
What to Eat Before Soccer Practice?
If you’re going to soccer practice, you must eat the right things before hitting the field. Eating too much or eating the wrong kinds of food will significantly affect how you feel and how well you do.
To figure out the best foods to eat before soccer practice, you must first know what type of practice you will be doing.
If it’s an intense game-like practice, you’ll want something that’ll give you energy and keep you going for a long time.
So, for example, if you have a game-like practice at 7:00 PM, try to eat around 6:00 PM. That’ll give your body enough time to digest and prepare for the upcoming workout.
If it’s a light practice where you’re just kicking around a ball or running laps with friends, don’t worry about eating anything special. Just stick to whatever works best for you!
But if it’s an intense practice with lots of sprinting and other hard work, you need to think more about your food.
Carbohydrates Food
Carbohydrates are the body’s main source of fuel. They are especially important when you’re working hard at soccer practice. You can get this fuel from pasta, rice, bread, and cereal. If you eat foods high in fat before practice or games, your body must work harder to digest them. This can cause stomach aches and make it more difficult for you to concentrate on the game.
The food you need depends on how much energy you’ll expend during practices and games. For example, if you’re going to long soccer practice, you’ll need more food than having a short one. Before games, it’s especially important to eat a good meal so that your body has plenty of energy for the game. Eating lots of carbohydrate-rich foods will give your body the power it needs for soccer practices and games.
Protein
We recommend choosing high-quality protein foods: chicken, fish, eggs, etc., and eating them in moderation.
What’s high-quality protein? Most people think of red meat first, but that’s not necessarily the best choice for pre-game nutrition. Beef can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, linked to heart disease and stroke if eaten in excess. On the other hand, chicken and fish contain less saturated fat and cholesterol and more healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids than beef. So they’re better choices for pre-game nutrition. And eggs are an excellent source of quality protein as well. They contain all nine essential amino acids your body needs but can’t make on its own!
Vegetables
Vegetables are an excellent choice to fuel your body before stepping onto the field. The fiber in vegetables can help slow digestion, meaning you’ll have energy for longer. You won’t suddenly feel sluggish in the middle of a practice session or game. Vegetables also tend to be lower in calories than other food options. It means your body will be able to focus more on burning off calories through physical activity than on digesting a large meal.
Salad
Every soccer player’s favorite food! Who doesn’t love a salad? It’s got so much fiber, and it’s nice and light. So you won’t be weighed down. It’s also got a lot of vitamins and other good stuff. Whether you get one with lettuce or spinach, with chicken or without, with croutons or without, with tomatoes or without… Anyway, you think of it, making a salad will give you excellent energy for the game ahead.
Steamed vegetables
This is another great option if you want something light. Some steamed veggies (e.g., broccoli or cauliflower) are just as good as a salad giving you energy without weighing you down. But they have the bonus of filling your body with good-for-you carbohydrates if your game is particularly strenuous and long.
Hydration
Whether water or sports drinks are better for a soccer player to consume before practice depends on the individual, let’s take a look at the two options to decide which is better for you.
Water
The role of water in your body goes far beyond just quenching your thirst. It is essential for maintaining your body’s functions at their best. The main role of water in the body is to regulate and maintain body temperature. But it also helps with digestion, waste removal, lubrication, and more.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks contain more than just water. They also include electrolytes (sodium and potassium), carbohydrates, and sometimes flavoring. Sports drinks help replace fluid and electrolytes lost through sweat, something plain old water cannot do. Just be careful when using sports drinks. If you don’t need the additional carbohydrate boost or electrolyte replacement, then you don’t need to use it.
When to Eat?
Eat at least one hour before soccer practice to allow time for digestion.
You’ve been training hard all season and are finally ready for game day. You’re about to take the field in your signature purple cleats, and your team has been practicing every night this week. You know that your team is going to crush it today. But are you going to be able to keep up? Are you going to have enough energy?
The key to a successful day of training or playing soccer is fueling your body with the right nutrients at the right times. You wouldn’t put diesel fuel in a gasoline engine, so why would you put the wrong foods in your body when it’s ready for practice?
You should never eat within an hour of soccer practice or a game. If you do, you’re setting yourself up for heartburn and indigestion, making it much harder for you to focus on the game. Pack healthy snacks like fruit or protein bars if you get hungry during a game. They are quick to eat and won’t slow down your digestion process.
What to Avoid Before Soccer Practice?
You should avoid many things to have the best possible practice on the field. So, what should you not eat before soccer practice? To get the most out of your practice, it’s important to know what foods to avoid.
What Should You Not Eat Before Soccer Practice?
Don’t eat foods high in fat, sugar, or salt. These foods can slow you down and make you tired. Don’t eat too much or too little food either. Too much food can make you bloated, while too little food will make you weak. You want just enough energy to keep going without getting sick from overeating. Getting enough sleep is also important because your body needs rest after exerting the day.
If possible, avoid fried foods and anything else with lots of fat content (such as fast-food burgers). These items can make your body feel sluggish, which might cause fatigue during practice or games later in the day. It is best to avoid alcohol before heading out onto the field! This will help ensure that all players have a good time without any problems arising due to overindulgence at night’s end.
Conclusion
Eating the right foods before soccer practice can help you perform at your best. Try to include a balance of protein and carbohydrates in your pre-practice meal. Some good options include fish, rice, pasta, vegetables, or oatmeal. Drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine and sugary drinks. And finally, make sure to give yourself enough time to eat and digest your food before practice.
- Related: What is an Assist in Soccer?
