Dairy... All bad??
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During the off-season, the emphasis for most players in Europe is active recovery for the first two week block (think golf, tennis, hiking and swimming), mobility and foundational strength work intermittently for the second two week block, followed by a ramping up phase for the final two week block ready to return to their respective clubs. •••
The goal here is to recover from the previous season (physically/mentally), maintain and even build some lean mass, keep body fat levels to within close ranges of readings from the end of season.
If you’re a serious athlete, dietary intake needs to reflect the change moving from a less active phase to higher workload phase.
Less active phase = Higher protein, moderate fats, lower carb (relative to activity levels)
Higher workload phase = High carb, high protein, moderate fats
5 tips to help you smash pre season
1. Tweak the blend of your post workout... soccersupplement make a great formulation of whey isolate, carbs and electrolyte blend which is great for high workloads and hot weather.
2. Get your carb game on point... Think sweet potato’s, sprouted rice, beetroot, quinoa, beans & pulses, buckwheat. All of these sources have multiple benefits in addition to being good carb sources.
3. Increase sources of anti inflammatory foods... Think walnuts, SMASH fish (wild salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, herring), tomatoes, cold pressed olive oil, blueberry’s and cherry’s, flax seeds.
4. Load up on different coloured veg to get the most out of your protein and carb intake... B vits give you that extra bang for buck in terms of conversion from food to fuel!
5. Prioritise sleep... Make sure your final meal has a good focus of carbs, additionally @healthspan_uk make a good casein/5-HTP blend to promote quality sleep. A high quality magnesium can help 1 hour before bed as can powdered cherry supplements and Reishi tea.
Embrace the workload. Enjoy!
