Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Carbohydrates for soccer


Carbohydrates are an essential part of your sports diet.  As a soccer athlete, you need carbohydrates to fuel your muscles (to delay fatigue) and feed your brain (to help you concentrate). You can find them in a vast array of foods, from grains, fruits and vegetables to soft drinks and candy.
Although exercise scientists understand the role of different types of carbohydrates in sports, some athletes are confused or misinformed about the metabolic effects and real needs of carbs to perform at their best in the soccer field.
That’s why I found the information contained in Chapter 5 of Food Guide for Soccer: Tips and Recipes From the Pros (by sports nutritionist Nancy Clark and co-author Gloria Averbuch) so helpful. There, Nancy Clark clarifies some questions that eventually arise in every athlete’s mind. Here’s a taste of her lesson:

1)     How much carbohydrate should I eat?

The average soccer player with moderate calorie needs should target about 2 to 3 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight (5 to 7g carb/kg), that is, 350 to 490 grams in a 140lbs (70kg) player. The serious soccer player with higher calorie needs due to the numerous workouts and intense practices and games should target about 4 to 5 grams of carbohydrate per pound of body weight (8 to 10g carb/kg), which translates to 560 to 700 grams in a 140lbs (70kg) player.
To consume that much carbohydrate, you really need to eat carbs as the foundation of every meal and snack.

2)    Aren’t carbs fattening? Shouldn’t I eat less of them to be a lean soccer player?

No! First of all, excess calories are fattening, not carbohydrates per se. As long as you don’t exceed your calorie budget, you don’t have to worry with carbohydrate intake. Secondly, excess calories of carbohydrates are actually less fattening than are excess calories of fat, because the body spends calories to convert excess carbohydrates into body fat. In comparison, the body easily converts excess dietary fat into body fat. 

3)    Is there a difference between the carbs in starchy foods (like breads) vs. the carbs in fruits and vegetables or in candy?

As far as your muscles are concerned, there is no difference. Your muscles don’t care if you eat sugars or starches for fuel because they both digest into the same simple sugar: glucose.
The difference between sugars and starches comes in their nutritional value and impact on your health. Some sugars and starches are healthier than others. For example, the sugar in a natural orange juice is accompanied by vitamin C, folate and potassium. The sugar in orange soda pop is void of vitamins and minerals; that’s why it’s described as “empty calories”. The starch in whole wheat bread is accompanied by fiber and phytochemicals, while white bread’s starch has lost many health protective nutrients during the refining process.
The nature of carbohydrates may also be of interest in terms of nutrient timing (for further info, you can also check my “Match day Nutrition for Soccer” blog post).
Ingesting enough carbohydrates from a variety of sources will help you recover quickly, feel good, and enjoy your practices and games.


Do you have any other question you would like to ask about carbohydrates? I’ll be glad to help you!


To learn more on this topic and others of interest please read:

Food Guide for Soccer – tips and recipes from the pros (www.nancyclarkrd.com)
Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook (www.nancyclarkrd.com)


Wishing you the best performance ever,

Diogo Ferreira, RD
Sports Nutritionist, Lisbon, Portugal
“Promoting best health and performance through nutrition”

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Gaining weight healthfully


Are you one of those players who’d love to build muscle and gain strength?
Do you think expensive weight gain supplements are the best way to do so? Think again…

While reading the “Bulking Up Healthfully” chapter of Food Guide for Soccer: Tips and Recipes From the Pros by sports nutritionist Nancy Clark and co-author Gloria Averbuch, I really liked the point Clark made on that issue, as well as her healthy “formula” to gain muscular mass and strength. Here are Clark’s six tips for gaining weight healthfully:
1.     Eat more consistently
·      You must have at least three hearty meals plus two or three additional snacks/meals daily.
2.    Eat larger portions of common foods
·      By eating larger portions of your standard fare, you can meet the goal of 500 to 1000 extra daily calories, needed to support weight gain.
3.    Select higher calorie foods, but not greasy, fatty foods
·      Excess calories from fat will easily convert into body fat, and you don’t want that to happen. Choose healthy, carbohydrate-dense foods that have more calories than an equally desirable counterpart (e.g. a banana has more carbs and calories than an apple; split pea soup is more calorie-dense than vegetable soup). Read food labels so you can make the best choices. 
4.   Drink lots of juice and low-fat milk
·      Beverages are a simple way to increase your caloric intake, so it is a good strategy to replace part of the water you drink with calorie-containing fluids. Fruit juices and fruit smoothies are great options.
5.    Do strength training (push-ups, weightlifting) to stimulate muscular development
·      A well planned and supervised resistance training program is essential for you to build muscle instead of increasing your fat deposits.
6.   Be patient
·      Due to genetic predisposition each individual has its own pace of muscular development, and there’s nothing you can do about it. However, you can optimize your gains by applying the best nutritional practices and training to your daily life. Be patient and persistent, with time you’ll achieve your goals.

These principles are the basic ones to promote weight gain. Supplements are generally simply an expensive way to boost your calorie intake; however, they can be useful in some exceptional situations. I strongly advise you to consult with a professional before initiating a serious weight gain program.

Learn more on this topic and others of interest by reading:
Food Guide for Soccer – tips and recipes from the pros (www.nancyclarkrd.com)
Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook (www.nancyclarkrd.com)


Wishing you the best performance ever,

Diogo Ferreira, RD
Sports Nutritionist, Lisbon, Portugal
“Promoting best health and performance through nutrition”