An extra tip for lower insulin response is cinnamon. When I played pro soccer we usually would be given a granola bar or banana for pregame snack, 2.5 hours before the game. Eggs are not only a great source of protein, they are packed full of nutrients like protein, Vitamin D, Vitamin A, Vitamin B2 and iodine that our body loves and saturated fat, as I have talked about are actually really good for us (5). Examples of great pre-game meals for soccer players could be… Grilled chicken (4-5 oz. The cacao powder, almond butter and banana are the driving flavors in it. A banana before warm up can help as well. Now while this smoothie appears to be a hodgepodge of random foods, I’ve picked all of them to fill a specific need for a soccer players needs. 7-8 hours, in complete darkness is the best way to keep our serotonin levels high (10). Find a way to add it into your morning, and it will help your blood sugar response and your energy level throughout the game (2). A penalty kick takes about 50 milliseconds to reach the goal line. Besides what to eat before a soccer game, for best performance your body needs adequate hydration. If we are only aggressive and are not balancing it out with a sense of composure, then we’re not going to play our best. Being fully hydrated is almost too necessary to explain, but there are points to hydration that we need to be aware of. I explain it more in depth in here, but just know that this energy is used for explosive movements, so we want it completely full going into a game. Neither one is better than the other is, but I feel lighter after smoothie then eating a solid breakfast, but other players may like the feeling of filling up a few hours before the game or eating something warm that the above example would give. Without adequate, balanced nutrition, you won’t have enough energy to play your best. We don’t want to be going into a game with extra weight slowing us down. Adding in berries and raisins in are a good add as well for some more carbs. Maintain this through to game time. The night before a soccer game is your opportunity to take advantage of eating a large meal. This begins with getting amino acids in our body with our last meal. Starchy carbs include potatoes, breads, cereal, pasta, fruits and vegetables. The following is a whole-day menu for what to eat before a soccer game. You will want to eat complex carbohydrates like breads, grains, and pastas. Try to drink about a gallon of water a day. Taking your game day nutrition seriously will give you the solid foundation to display all the hard work you’ve been putting in at practice. Eat carbohydrates 2-4 hours before the game and drink water. When it comes to food, avocado, almonds, kiwis and bananas all have the amino acid tryptophan, which is the key ingredient to making serotonin in your body (11). I played soccer for 15 years and usually it was whole grain pasta and raw fruit before games. What should I eat before my event? To come into a game like this, we need to turn to nutrition. To keep on top of your game, you will need to replenish this energy with the proper foods. Rather, if your pre-game meal is There is nothing more embarrassing than cramping up while playing soccer. The figures indicate the amount of calories you need to eat if you eat at 3-5 hours, 2-3 hours, 1-2 hours or 0.5 to 1 hour before the game. To get the mentality of having lots of energy and alertness, yet being able to focus all this energy towards the game comes from balancing out the minor caffeine that comes from tea with the relaxing and focusing chemicals within it. Doing this successfully is easy if you have a nutritionist guiding you. Once you do begin to eat this way, you will be surprised at the difference this will make in your game. If solids don’t sit well before a game, or players are very nervous, a liquid source of protein and carbohydrate such as a fruit smoothie can be a good option. They are full of fiber, are slow digesting carbohydrates and are extremely nutrient dense, especially kale (1). For example, “Food Guide for Soccer” recommends eating trail mix, an apple and cheese sticks or a chicken dinner with rice and vegetables. You might have your own routine established and if so, you shouldn’t suddenly change it. High in fiber and potassium, it will help give your body the glucose it needs to function so your body is running on all cylinders. We want to come in confident and ready to fight to the death, but with an overall sense of composure, not too amped up and not too relaxed. We can boost our testosterone through healthy fats. Your meal should contain about 50 percent carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and cereals. We need our blood to be going to our muscles and to our brain so we are able to optimally perform athletically and mentally. Now lets look at each part individually and see how exactly we can attain it through food. Also, eating fruit or carbohydrates in general, with protein and fat slows down the digestion of the carbohydrates, which in turn helps suppress and insulin spike. Carbohydrates are key with a moderate amount of protein, adding in some antioxidants if possible. Excellent ball-handling skills and an enjoyment of running help players perform at their best, and so does proper nutrition. Have your first snack within the first half-hour after the game and then continue every two hours for the next four to six hours. Warm-Ups or during the game stomachs when we go to play your best begin... Complete darkness is the way our body with our last meal 3-4 hours before a soccer game water. 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