FOOTBALL
Nutrition Packet
USE NUTRITION TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
WHAT & WHEN YOU EAT AFFECTS YOUR BODY & PERFORMANCE
CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES
NUTRITION, HYDRATION, & SLEEP ARE WITHIN YOUR CONTROL!
YOUR DIET IS A HUGE INDICATOR IN BODY COMPOSITION
BALANCE
CONSISTENCY
CARBS (ENERGY)
PROTEIN (BUILD)
FAT (SATIETY)
FUEL & HYDRATE
EVERY 2-3 HOURS
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Don’t rely on thirst as a good indicator of
your fluid needs; consume fluids
throughout the day with meals/snacks to
ensure adequate hydration
General rule: try to consume half your
body weight in fluid ounces of water. For
example, if you weigh 225 pounds, drink at
least 113 ounces of water
Performance will start to decline once
you’ve lost as little as 2% of your body
weight due to fluid loss
Electrolytes are important for muscle
function—it is important to consume foods
& fluids that contain electrolytes before &
after intense exercise
Foods high in sodium that are good for
electrolyte replacement: beef jerky,
cheese, peanut butter, pickles, pretzels
Foods high in potassium that are good for
electrolyte replacement: banana,
cantaloupe, milk, baked potato, yogurt
FOCUS ON
WHAT TO EAT
AND WHEN
General Eating Tips
Hydration Tips
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TIMING
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Base your plate off your weight goals
EXAMPLES:
o Weight loss = ½ plate color + ¼ carbs (1 fist) + 1/4 protein
o Maintain weight= 1/3 color + 1/3 carbs (1.5 fists) + 1/3 protein
o Weight gain = ¼ plate color + ½ carbs (2 fists) + 1/2 protein
Be sure to have pre-fuel before your workout to get the most out of your
workout
o Example: applesauce, fruit snacks, banana, belvita bar
Fuel consistently
o Eating something every 2-3 hours to help maintain muscle mass and
fueling throughout your day
What is included:
Lean protein
Essential for repairing tissue damage and building new muscle fibers
Eating 20 to 30 grams at meals/snacks will help with recovery and muscle growth
Grilled/baked chicken, fish, turkey, pork loin, lean ground beef, eggs, low-fat cheese, tofu
Carbohydates
Provide essential energy that muscles need to perform
Important to eat throughout the day to provide energy to perform
100% whole wheat bread/bagels/tortillas/crackers, brown rice, whole grain pasta,
oatmeal, beans, potatoes
Fruit and Veggies
Provide essential vitamins and minerals
Deficiency in nutrients can negatively impact training, recovery, & overall performance
Deficiencies may cause fatigue, muscle damage, and impaired immune function
Healthy Fats (immunity/flavor-boosting foods)
Salmon, tuna, nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, canola oil, olives, nut butters, oil based
salad dressing
Dairy
Fluids
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Dairy products provide calcium and vitamin D which are essential to the body and bone
health
Look for foods that are fortified like cereal and orange juice
Dehydration can have a negative impact on performance
Drink water and other liquids throughout the day and during practice
Pay attention to the serving size/servings per
container. In this example there are 2 servings for this
package, meaning if you ate the whole thing, it would
be double what is currently on the label. Example 485
calories per serving, if you ate the whole thing it would
be 970 calories
Sodium is important for athletes to maintain
proper hydration and electrolyte balance. Be
mindful of where you are getting your sodium
from, avoid high processed foods, choose options
like cheese, pickles, and peanut butter
Adequate protein is key for muscle maintenance
and building. It is important that you are getting
carbs at every meal so that protein can be used to
build muscle and carbs can be used for energy
Daily eating schedule
WEIGHT LOSS
FREQUENCY OF EATING
MAINTAIN WEIGHT
WEIGHT GAIN
WHAT TO EAT BASED ON YOUR GOALS
PREWORKOUT SNACK
Banana + peanut butter
Applesauce + fruit snacks
Banana + Fruit snacks
BREAKFAST
2 slices of toast
2-3 3 scrambled eggs
Fruit
Greek yogurt
Beef jerky + fruit
2 slices of toast
3 scrambled eggs
Fruit
Glass of 1% milk
Chocolate milk + granola
bar
Deli meat sandwich
Baked chips/pretzels
Greek yogurt
Fruit
Beef jerky + fruit
2-3 cups of cereal
2% milk
2-3 scrambled eggs
Fruit/Juice
Gatorade shake + peanut
butter & jelly
Deli meat sandwich
Baked chips/pretzels
Yogurt parfait with fruit
Gatorade
Trail mix + Chocolate milk
1/3 plate carbs + 1/3 plate
protein + 1/3 plate
veggies/fruit
Peanut butter & jelly +
chocolate milk
½ plate of carbs + ½ plate
protein + ¼ plate
veggies/fruit
1 Gatorade shakes +
chicken sandwich
MORNING SNACK
LUNCH
AFTERNOON SNACK
DINNER
LATE NIGHT SNACK
Deli meat sandwich
Baked chips/pretzels
Greek yogurt
Fruit
Fruit + pistachios/peanuts
¼ plate carbs + ¼ plate
protein + ½ plate
veggies/fruit
Chocolate milk + trail mix
General Tips for Dining Out
Razorback
Sports Nutrition
Think about
your plate
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Be mindful of the portions of your meal
Aim for your meals to look like a balanced performance plate
Think about your drink
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Choose water, unsweetened tea, or other low-calorie options to compliment your meal
Sugary drinks (such as soda, lemonade, and sweet tea) provide calories without providing other essential nutrients
Adding fruits and veggies
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Customize your meal
Load up the veggies on sandwiches, pasta, wraps, egg scrambles, etc.
Add side salads for easy color addition
How is it prepared?
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Choose foods that are described as steamed, baked, poached, lightly sautéed, and roasted as these cooking
methods use less fat
Eat less foods that are described as pan-fried, fried, crispy, crunchy, and sautéed as these cooking methods typically
use more fat to prepare the food