sports nutrition

mayo51

hey
I play gaelic football and now our championship is under way and i want to be the very best i can be on the pitch during training and during matches. I want to be able to finish stronger in the last 10-15 minutes as this is the time when games are won and lost....im kinda gone off talkin ****e now haha but my question is: To be the best athlete, u need to have a good diet and all good diets start with a healthy breakfast. I am already eatin weetabix every mornin and now im pure sick of it..can anyone suggest any other cereals (OR ANY OTHER BREAKFAST MEALS) that provide the same nutrients and vitamins as weetabix? All other cereals today are made out to be healthy and when it comes down to it, these cereals are pure crap and have no vitamins or nutrients. IM OPEN TO ANY IDEAS HERE GUYS SO HELP ME OUT

Henno30

Breakfast cereals are indeed crap, avoid to the extent that you can. A better breakfast would involve porridge, apples or bananas, yoghurt or milk (or both), nuts (like almonds), and maybe some eggs.

Porridge provides you complex carbs which break down into energy over a longer period. Fruit gives you simple carbs through fructose (sugar) which will kick start your system in the morning. Milk and yoghurt are a good source of quality protein and healthy fats, as are eggs. Almonds are a good source of fat as well.

Nutrition is hugely important. All the advice you need is available to you through google. Just look for pre-game nutrition for field athletes, general diets for field athletes, and just as important - post-training/game recovery nutrition.

In general what you're looking for is healthy sources of carbohydrates (wholegrain pastas, rice, bread), protein (lean meat, milk, yoghurt, peanut butter cheese), and fats (nuts, fatty fish, some people would say eggs).

If you're eating properly on a daily basis, lack of energy becomes less of an issue. In general though, look to stock up on carbs a couple of hours before a game. Carbs are what stock your muscles up with the glycogen that gives you energy, especially the healthier ones that give you energy over a longer period. Even more important than that, it drinking enough water. Not being hydrated properly will cause you to fatigue quicker than anything else. To be properly hydrated, you've got to be in the habit of drinking plenty of water every day. Downing gallons of water the day of the match doesn't cut it.