A healthy body with football
As a foot player, what do you bring to a football match? Talent, the right attitude, and a well-trained body. But, what does that trained body really mean? That’s not just the physical labour we put into it. No, an important part of that trained body is also the food we put into it. Both have an inseparable relationship with each other.
Good food combined with training produces strong muscles. Strong muscles give the player maximum speed and protect the body from injuries. Conclusion; eating well makes you faster and protects you.
Energy comes from your food
Think of it as the fuel in a Formula 1 engine. Max Verstappen may have a beast of an engine in his RB, but without the right fuel in it, the engine simply won’t perform. With us as football players we are no different. The energy that we demand from our muscles during a competition comes from somewhere. That energy comes from your food.
This energy build-up actually starts days before the match is on the agenda. Carbohydrates and sugars are converted by the body into energy. You should not consume too much, but certainly not too little. From the club, almost every player receives good information about the right food and its degree. The Internet is also full of good advice.
After a match, the energy supply is exhausted.
After a match, the energy supply is exhausted and must be replenished. If you don’t replenish the body, you won’t get anything back. Your recovery has actually become preparation for your next game. Sometimes you don’t want to think about food after a match, but at least make sure you get carbohydrates and proteins. Don’t make it too fat!
Ultimately, however, it is the individual player who can feel what works best for him/her. Is this difficult? Hell yes! When you are young your mind is not so focused on food, as long as it is tasty. You have chosen a football career, you already have to do so much for that, and then you have to say no all those nice tasty things!
Sometimes it already helps with the way in which the food was served for that moment. Just pay a little more attention to it! They do this in a restaurant too. If it looks nicely laid out, you feel more like eating. Kind of a treat. If this works in a restaurant, then it works at home too.
A top body can handle more and for a longer duration.
As a football player, you have chosen this career. The most important thing you bring to the table is your body. That’s all you’ve got, your body. Taking good care of your body makes you strong in every way. You will feel better when your body does what you ask of it. That will make you confident.
But if you want to succeed, and this starts at a very young age, you will have to learn to resist all those temptations. The result of that is; this in addition to your talent, you also bring a top body onto the field. A top body can handle more and for a longer duration. You owe this not only to yourself but also to your team and the club.
Nick Kaaijmolen
