Nutritional Advice from John Brewer
Recovery is an essential but often overlooked part of football. Every week and all over the country, thousands of amateur footballers fail to implement a good nutritional plan to help their bodies recover properly and effectively after training and games.
The top Barclays Premier League footballers are seen drinking an isotonic drink as soon as they finish a match. This is because an isotonic drink will quickly help to replenish fluid and energy lost during exercise, and it also acts as a good substitute for food as players generally don’t feel hungry straight after the final whistle.
There is a 2-3 hour period after exercise where the body is able to rapidly take on board nutrients such as Carbohydrate, which will form the basis of a good recovery. After a football match, your legs may feel tired and lifeless for a number of days afterwards; this is mainly due to a low-level of muscle glycogen. Consuming carbohydrates as soon as possible after exercise will help recharge the muscles, and will also help in reducing the overall amount of time that your body needs to recover.
A well balanced diet containing vitamins, minerals and a sensible amount of protein forms the basis of a sound recovery regime. Having these nutrients as supplements is not always essential, but products like Lucozade Sport Vitamin Tablets will enable the body to repair itself more effectively and may also improve the strength of your immune system. And using protein supplements (a serving of around 20g is appropriate for most footballers) within a strength & conditioning programme is also widely known to help to build muscle size and strength, which in turn increases your chances of fending off injuries you might otherwise have succumbed to.