Nutrition is a major factor that keeps a soccer player fit, reduces injury risk, and aids in a soccer player’s overall performance.
Moreover, there is no reasonable doubt that a player who feeds on a completely balanced diet in a week is more healthy than one who carelessly consumes food or takes a lot of junk food. As a player, if you should understand what energy means to you on the pitch, probably, you would be mean about what to consume.
On the other hand, most soccer players do not know what they should consume as food in a week, but that should be the least of your problems because this article will be working hand in hand to determine what you should consume in a week as a soccer player.
So, without wasting time, let us proceed with the 7-day meal plan for soccer players –
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Diet Plan For Soccer Players
In this section, I will be helping you determine which meal 7-day meal plan you need as a soccer player.
This meal will consist of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and also snacks that will work hand in hand to provide your body with the fuel needed to perform at a top level on the pitch.
Each day of the week has energy-giving food and also body-building food which are the main walls of macronutrients, excluding fat & oil.
Moreover, below is the diet a soccer player should take in a week –
1. First Day
As a soccer player, you should kick off your first day with a breakfast packed with protein such as fish & eggs and whole-grain toast, followed by a lunch of chicken and a vitamin diet.
For dinner, a salmon dish would do with roasted potatoes, and for snacks, some fresh fruits and Greek yogurt would do.
2. Second Day
For day 2, you should probably look for foods that should provide you with that energy, so, oatmeal and mixed berries, while avocado wraps and turkey will do for lunch.
For dinner, vegetable stew and beef are very okay. Then for snacks, I would recommend boiled eggs and almonds.
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3. Third Day
On day 3, repeat the whole-grain waffles, fresh berries, and high carbs for breakfast for an energy boost. Coming down to lunch, vegetable stew and chicken is not just the best combo but the best meal for a soccer player for lunch.
Vegetable stir-fry and dished shrimps are what I recommend, the carrots and hummus is the best option for snacks.
4. Fourth Day
Now that is day 4, break your fast with granola, Greek yogurt, and a protein-packed breakfast such as fried eggs. For lunch, mixed green salad and grilled salmon is the best option.
For dinner, since you will be looking for nutrients to refuel your energy, brown rice and delicious chicken curry, and almond butter and apple slices are better options for snacks.
5. Fifth Day
Since it is always a refreshing option to start the day with cottage cheese and fresh fruit, it would be better to break your fast with that. Thereafter, a lunch of turkey and cheese roll-ups is recommended.
For dinner, a turkey chili and vegetable soups should do, then for snacks, string cheese, and grapes are an option.
6. Sixth Day
To boost the day’s energy on the 6th day, start with a breakfast filled with scrambled eggs and whole-grain toast. Whole-grain crackers and tuna of salad should perfectly fit for lunch.
For dinner, roasted vegetables and grilled steak should match, and dried fruits and mixed nuts should be served as snacks later in the day.
7. Seventh Day
For the last day of the week, you will probably need to round up the week with a high-crab of breakfast, followed by grilled chicken Caesar salad, whole-grain pancakes, and fresh fruit for lunch.
For dinner, a yummy vegetable stir-fry, served with tofu is the best option for the last day. Sliced peaches and salad cottage of cheese will do for snacks.
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Grocery Shopping Tips For Meal Planning And Preparation For Soccer Players
Having known the diet you should be on, you might still be having issues selecting the right foods at a grocery store, hence, this section will be helping you with tips for selecting the right foods at grocery stores.
1. List Down Your Items
You will likely make easy and fortunate purchases if you list the food items that you need to purchase before going to the grocery store.
2. Aim At The Perimeter
Diary produce, meats, and other fresh foods are usually located at the perimeter of the store. In other words, the healthiest foods are found there.
3. Pick Nutritional Foods
Buy nutritional foods. I could say, make nutritional foods define your food item lists. Go for macronutrients such as whole-grain cereals, vitamins, proteins, fresh fruits, and others.
4. Read The Attached Labels
Drop the attitude of purchasing food items without reading their attached labels. Make sure to read the labels attached to the food item before you cart it.
5. Make Bulk Purchases
Make bulk purchases of the nutrients you want to avoid going back to find them. The reason why this idea is always recommended is that you might go back to get a food item you bought, only to be informed that it is finished.
Meal Planning And Preparation Tips For Soccer Players
After successfully purchasing food items from grocery stores, the next steps you should look into is meal planning and how you can make your food preparation easy for you.
However, in this section, I will be guiding you on meal planning and preparation tips for soccer players –
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1. Plan Your Meals
Before commencing preparing your meals, make proper planning and write them down to avoid cooking the day 7 diet on day 1. Other than that, planning your meals will keep you organized and set you on a better track.
2. Set Time For Each Week
Set a time for each week to avoid preparing food early or late. This will also help you preserve your food from spoilage.
3. Use the Right Containers For Food Storage
Use suitable containers which would help you save your food from spoilage and also from food poisoning.
4. Batch Cook
Make sure to always cook in a batch to avoid cooking after a few moments of cooking. Prepare the meals as much as you can, it will also help to save your time for other occasions.
5. Get Healthy Snacks Handy
Make sure you have your healthy snacks handy just in case you are out of your proper diet, so, you could manage the snacks before going back to grocery stores.
Hydration
Food consumption for a soccer player will not be complete without proper hydration. Moreover, here are the tips you should take into hand to always stay hydrated –
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1. Frequently Drink Water
For a soccer player, 8 glasses of water or more is what you should be drinking in a day. You could as well divide the 8 glasses of water into before breakfast, after breakfast, before lunch, after lunch, before dinner, after dinner, and so on.
2. Drink More Electrolyte Drinks
Drinking more electrolyte drinks will keep you hydrated for some hours.
3. Hydrate Your Body After And During Workouts
During workouts, you should always make sure to stay hydrated. Drink water before, during, and after every sporting activity.
4. Monitor Your Urine Colour
Lastly, the more water you consume, the more whitish your urine will be, which is very good, hence, you need to continue drinking more water to regulate your body activities.