Not eating and drinking after every practice and game can have negative consequences on future athletic performance. It takes 36 hours to reload the muscles of football players who delay refueling their bodies. You cannot afford this type of delay since you have a practice every weekday. Bottom Line-Football players who do not refuel and hydrate properly on a daily basis will not have optimal energy at practice and may not be able to perform at their peak on game day.
What to Eat for Recovery-Muscle glycogen is the primary fuel for energy during exercise. Carbohydrate (glucose) is the primary source of muscle glycogen. It is the most efficient source of energy for sport and should make up 50-55% of an athlete's diet. Carb rich foods include whole grain breads, cereals, rice, pasta, fruits, vegetables and sports drinks.
When to Eat for Recovery-A carbohydrate snack consumed within minutes after a practice or game will allow the body to start the recovery process. Players should get in the habit of planning to have something in their football bag or car to consume right after practice and then have a healthy carbohydrate rich meal one hour after practice when they get home. Then, if possible have a little carb based snack every few hours until you go to bed. This ensures that the muscles continue to load with carbohydrate energy and will be ready to perform for you in less than 24 hours.
How Much Carb do I need in my Recovery Snack-Ideally you should have 75-150 grams of carb in your recovery snack right after practice or a game. Some suggestions for that snack: 16 ounce 1%lowfat chocolate milk, fruit with whole grain crackers, 100% fruit juice with a soft pretzel, sports drink with whole grain crackers, raisins with a lowfat cheese stick and fruit juice, peanut butter crackers with fruit juice or sports drink, granola or breakfast bar with shelf stable nesquick 1%lowfat milk.
What about Protein and Recovery-Protein also plays a role in recovery. Research tells us that consuming a small amount of protein with the carb right after exercise may help the body recover-but in a different way. Protein added to the recovery snack does not help store energy-but instead-is used by the muscles to build and repair. It does not take alot of protein to get this result. The small amount of protein in a 16 ounce lowfat chocolate milk will provide carbohydrate to fuel the muscles and protein to build and repair muscle tissue. In the sports nutrition research world we are learning that chocolate milk is an excellent recovery food!
