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Nutrition is an essential component in achieving optimum performance in your game of rugby.
Diet plays a vital role in fuelling and refueling your body correctly so as to ensure optimum training and match performance, improved concentration, a reduction in recovery time, reduced fatigue and injury prevention.
It is important as a rugby player to understand the basic principles of nutrition and the part it plays to improve your game. Understanding the fundamentals of diet, will help you make informed choices, benefiting your performance and recovery as well as your overall health. This knowledge can be used in your everyday life, implemented both during training, matches and at home.
There are three main food groups that should make up your diet
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates should make up a large part of every meal you consume. They are essential for fueling your muscles for training and helping with recovery after a training session.
Good sources of carbohydrates are whole meal bread, brown rice, brown pasta, sweet potato, yam etc. These should be eaten at every meal. They are released slowly, often referred to as low GI and therefore supply a slow, constant release of energy.
Other types of carbohydrates are fruits and vegetables. These should also be eaten on a regular basis and at every meal. Fruit and vegetables contain lots of vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamins A, C and E, needed to maintain healthy cells within the body. Go for variety and color when eating fruit and vegetables and try to include new types into your diet.
Protein
Protein is essential in your diet to help repair damaged tissue and rebuild new ones. However an excessive amount is not required. Protein should be consumed at each meal but should not make up the majority of the meal, this should be carbohydrate.
Aim to eat good quality protein sources such as lean cuts of meat, chicken, turkey, fish and reduce red meat products such as bacon, sausages- as these are high in fat.
Other good sources are eggs, pulses, lentils, nuts (unsalted and unroasted) and dairy products.
However, be careful when opting for dairy produce as individuals from the South Pacific region tend to have a high incidence of being lactose intolerant, which means they cannot break down and digest dairy produce. If you find after eating any dairy produce you feel un-well, try removing it from your diet and use other protein sources instead.
Fat
Fat is needed in your diet to provide energy, for cell communication and to help reduce injury. You need to be aware there are two main types of fat.
Saturated fat also known as “bad” fat and unsaturated fat known as “good” fat.
You need both in your diet, fat should make up 25% of your daily diet but the “good” fat needs to make up a larger proportion around 15% and the “bad” fat 10%.
Saturated fat is found in many processed foods such as cakes, biscuits, chocolate, fast food etc. A high intake of this type of fat in the diet can lead to weight gain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and affect your performance. These foods should be eaten sparingly.
Unsaturated fats are found in oily fish such as mackerel, wild salmon, unsalted nuts and seeds, walnuts, almonds, avocado and olive oil. Aim to eat 2-3 portions of oily fish a week and eat unsalted nuts as a snack to increase your “good” fat intake.
These fats contain the essential fatty acids Omega 3 and 6, which are anti-inflammatory and can help prevent injury and improve concentration.
It is important your body is fuelled correctly throughout the day to provide the correct amount of energy required for training and recovery. Even on non training and match days it is still important to fuel the body effectively.
Eating three meals a day plus two snacks will sufficiently fuel your body.
Breakfast is a key component to any diet and should never be missed. If you find it difficult to eat first thing in the morning opt for a shake. It is crucial you are fuelling your body at this time.
Base your two snacks around pre and post workout/training. They should be a mixture of carbohydrates and protein.
You should aim to eat a pre workout snack about 1-2 hours before you start.
Examples of a pre workout snack are
It is essential to include a post workout/training snack which is high in carbohydrate and moderate in protein. This is to be taken after a workout within 45 minutes of the session finishing. If you find eating this soon after a session is difficult, a shake is another good option.
Examples of a post workout snack are
It is important to be well hydrated as dehydration can lead to fatigue and poor concentration. Studies have shown just 2% loss in body weight through dehydration can lead to a 20% loss in concentration.
To ensure you are well hydrated always bring a bottle of water to training and carry one in your sports bag and in your car. Take every opportunity to have a drink.
Don’t leave all your hydration until training. Regularly drink throughout the day, at meal times and in between sessions. Aim to consume 250-500mls with every meal.
Water, sports drinks and watered down fruit juice are all good choices of fluids. Try to stay clear of caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee, fizzy drinks, energy drinks and alcohol as these are diuretics and can lead to dehydration.
Nutrition is a vital part of obtaining optimum performance in your game of rugby.
There are 3 main groups you should be aware of carbohydrate, fat and protein.
All of these groups should make up your diet.
You should aim to eat three meals a day with two snacks. These snacks should be pre and post workout.
Hydration is key to avoid poor performance.
Ensure you are always well hydrated throughout the day by carrying water with you. Sip fluids throughout sessions and ensure you drink enough after the session to replenish what you have lost.
Greenway, B. Pelly, F (2004) “Fuelling fitness for your sport-rugby league”, Sports dietician Australia
Ivy. J, Portman. R (2004) “The future of sports nutrition”, Nutrient Timing
Kleiner, M. S, Greenwood-Robinson, M (2001) “Power eating”, Build muscle, boost energy, cut fat, 2nd edition, Human Kinetics
Diet and Nutrition article from the Players Zone at www.pacificnationsrugby.com.