Basic guidelines are as follows:
Where does our energy come from?
Carbohydrate foods are the most important source of energy for all athletes.
Sufficient Carbohydrate (CHO) must be consumed on a daily basis and on match days to provide your muscles with energy. To start eating more CHO you generally need to eat less fat.
Which foods are Carbohydrate foods?
There are two types of CHO foods:
Starchy CHOs include bread, pasta, rice, potato and cereals.
Sugary CHOs include jam, marmalade, sugar, sweets, fizzy drinks, ice pops and marshmallows.
How do I eat less fat?
No frying / no fried foods.
Switch from full fat milk to low fat / super milk.
Use low fat cheese, yogurt and low fat spread.
Where possible choose lean red meat, chicken or fish. Opt for smaller portions of meat.
Use vinegar based dressings on your salads instead of oil based dressings.
Suitable CHO snacks for match days
Sandwiches (white bread is acceptable) or rolls.
Fruit bars e.g. Figroll, Nutrigrain or Muesli bars.
Bananas, apples or raisins.
Water, diluted squash or isotonic drink (not fizzy drinks).
Sweets e.g. Jelly Beans, Pastilles, Fruit Gums or Marshmallows.
Ideal High CHO Breakfast
Orange Juice
Cereal
Toast (low fat spread) along with Jam or Marmalade
Fresh Fruit
(Do not eat a cooked breakfast on match days it is not necessary)
Suitable High Carbohydrate Staple Foods
Potatoes: Baked, boiled or mashed (without butter)
Pasta or Rice: Use a tomato based sauce rather than a white or creamy based one.
Bread: White or Wholemeal (try using brands which have thicker slices)
Cereals: All types (use low fat or super milk)
Immediately Post Training (Refueling)
Within 30 minutes of completing a heavy training session or after a match you need to eat a high CHO snack and isotonic drink. The guideline is 1Gram CHO per Kilo Gram of weight. Thus if you weigh 45kg you need to take 45g of CHO. This would be the equivalent of 1 X 500 ml bottle of Lucozade sport plus 5 fruit pastilles or 10 fruit gums.
What to drink and when
Drink before, during and after training and matches.
Never consume alcohol until after re-hydration has taken place.
Water can be consumed but an isotonic drinks (lucozade sport, Gatorade, powerade or energizer) are much more efficient. Isotonic drinks will both re-hydrate and and refuel your body.
For every kg of weight lost during training 1.5 litres of fluid needs to be consumed. Generally the first 500mls of should be an isotonic fluid and the remainder can be from water or a further isotonic drink depending on refueling requirements.
Get used to weighing yourself before and after training sessions and note your weight loss. Aim as the season goes on to loose no more than 0.5kg - any more than this and you are dehydrated!
How do I know if I am dehydrated?
- Weigh yourself before you put on your training gear and again immediately after you finish. This will tell you how much weight you have lost.
- Urine colour: Pale colour/ clear = hydrated. Dark colour = dehydrated.
- Ability to give a urine sample.
Why is Hydration so important?
If a player feels thirsty he or she is already dehydrated. Scientific research has shown that sports people who are dehydrated have poorer concentration. This is of vital importance for player especially in the last quarter of the match when you may already be feeling tired.
Are Vitamin and Mineral supplements necessary?
No, not for the majority of people. However if a player is known to have a poor diet, or does not eat any fruit or vegetables or is undergoing a particularly strenuous training programme then yes a course of multi-vitamins can be helpful.
Anti Doping Regulations for top level competitors
Any GAA competitor can be asked to provide a urine sample. To be absolutely certain that you will not contravene the doping regulations do not take any food or nutritional supplement without checking with the medical officer or dietitian. Notify the medical officer of any medicines / cough bottles / inhalers etc. which you are taking. Contaminated food / nutrition supplements have been the cause of the majority of doping offences committed unwittingly.
Alcohol
Avoid alcohol completely in the 24 hours before competition.
Dilute alcoholic drinks by adding soda water to wine or 7-Up to lager to make spritzers and shandys.
Drink water after every 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks.
Do not drink on an empty stomach.
After drinking alcohol drink plenty of water before going to bed (minimum of 1 litre).
Hangovers are caused by dehydration.
Particularly avoid port, brandy, whiskey, liquers, rum , dark beers, home made wines and mixtures of drinks.
Follow your team manager’s rules on alcohol consumption.