Getting your game day nutrition for rugby fine tuned is crucial to performing at your best on the rugby field. When it comes to game day, timing is everything. If you eat the right thing at the wrong time you will be in trouble.
Here are some of our top tips for getting it right on game day:
Are you over-eating??
A strong theme throughout the presentation was that a common mistake many rugby players make is over eating on game day, or even the night before a game. The approach of “Carb loading” by smashing a big spaghetti bolognese, with garlic bread and a cheesecake dessert is not advisable for a sport such as rugby union.
How do you know if you’ve got your game day nutrition for rugby right? Use this simple rule:
If your legs feel good on game day, you know that you’ve got your nutrition right, and there is no need to over-eat the night before, at breakfast time on game day, or during your pre-match meal.
Plan your week…
Carbohydrate intake should not be game focussed, but planned and consumed steadily over the week. Planning your carb intake this way results in a more efficient muscle and liver glycogen recovery for the training week, leading to sufficient glycogen storage on game day without having to over eat.
Muscle biopsy studies have shown that athletes require between 3-6g of carbohydrates per Kg of body weight. Therefore for a 100kg player, approximately 600g of carbohydrates is considered sufficient for game day preparation. Of note, the body can only store up to 600g of glycogen at any time. Therefore consumption above this level may result in glycogen being converted and stored as fat, which can effect body fat composition… ultimately negatively affecting performance.
Game Day nerves??
Many rugby players can relate to struggling to eat on game day and visiting the toilet frequently due to nerves!!! This is common.
You may not be aware that some foods can contribute to game day Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Because of this you may need to modifiy your game day nutrition for rugby appropriately to avoid this.
Some carbohydrates described as High FODMAP foods, do not digest as easily in the bowel… Here is a list of foods to avoid on game day:
High FODMAP foods
Vegetables Asparagus, artichokes, onions, leek bulb, garlic, legumes/pulses, sugar snap peas, onion and garlic salts, beetroot, Savoy cabbage, celery, sweet corn
Fruits Apples, pears, mango, nashi pears, watermelon, nectarines, peaches, plums
Example Game day Nutrition for Rugby Diet Plan
Please note… Option 2 is provided for those players who suffer with game day IBS…
3pm Kick Off time
Breakfast @8am – 100g Carbohydrates
Option 1: Wholemeal toast x3 slices / 4 eggs / 1/2 tin baked beans
Option 2: 100g Porridge Oats, 1 Scoop Protein, Coconut Mild, Banana & Seeds
Pre Match Meal @12pm – 200g Carbohydrates
Option 1: Pasta (3 hand fulls) with bolognese, Banana & Yoghurt
Option 2: Rice (3 hand fulls) with Fish, Banana & Lactose free Yoghurt
Dressing Room Snack – 50g
Handful of grapes and 1/2 bottle pro-iso
7pm Evening Kick Off time
Breakfast @8am – 100g Carbohydrates
Option 1: Wholemeal toast x3 slices / 4 eggs / 1/2 tin baked beans
Option 2: 100g Porridge Oats, 1 Scoop Protein, Coconut Mild, Banana & Seeds
Lunch @1pm – 100g Carbohydrates
Option 1: Large Sweet Potato with chicken breast, wholemeal wrap & fruit
Option 2: Large Sweet Potato with chicken breast, small bowl of rice pudding made with coconut milk
Pre Match Meal @4pm – 200g Carbohydrates
Option 1: Pasta (3 hand fulls) with bologese, Banana & Yoghurt
Option 2: Rice (3 hand fulls) with Fish, Banana & Lactose free Yoghurt
Dressing Room Snack – 50g Carbohydrates
Handful of grapes and 1/2 bottle pro-iso
Game Day Supplementation for Performance
PRE GAME
CAFFEINE
When: 30 MINS PRIOR TO KICK OFF, APPROX 10 MINS BEFOE WARM UP
ISOTONIC HYDRATION SALTS
When: Post Warm Up
Quantity: 250-500 ML ISOTONIC TO REPLACE ENERGY AND FLUID LOST
DURING GAME
ISOTONICS – A good tip for those who feel sick by drinking sugary drinks during games is to swill the Pro-Iso drink around your mouth. This triggers the receptors in the brain to release energy in the same way that taking a big stomachful does…
At Half Time – 500ML OF ELECTROLYTES FOR FLUID AND ENERGY TO DELAY FATIGUE
ENERGY GELS FOR EXTRA TOP UPS IF NEEDED
RECOVERY POST GAME
BCAA AND ELECTROLYTES WITH ISOTONIC FIRST
THEN PROTEIN RGF-1 , CHERRY ACTIVE TO REFUEL & REPAIR AND REDUCE INFLAMMATION
BEFORE BED
NIGHT TIME RECHARGE TO HELP SLEEP, RECOVERY AND REDUCE SORENESS
Ultimately it is very individual how players like to manage their game day nutrition for rugby, but for most players the above approach will maximise performance by having the correct fuel intake. Jon also warns against players “under-eating” so that they feel light and fast on game day. This can lead to starting a game dehydrated and low on glycogen, which may increase injury risk and reduce performance.
Aim to start each game at the same weight that you’ve trained at all week, plan your carb intake over the week and maintain adequate hydration through a healthy diet and supplementation plan.
#BuildingMachines
