Tag: diet

Coronavirus won’t stop me

by smudge02

It’s a strange period for everybody at present and footballers are no different. Since the 14th of March football, much like everything else has come to a complete standstill. Only 8 games left of the season and we find ourselves in a situation where we are homebound, we don’t train together and are all just wondering what happens next? The answer is nobody knows but as footballers, we live by a schedule, a routine of what time to meet, what time to train, what to eat, when to go to the gym and when our next match is, this schedule has been completely torn apart so I find myself in a situation where I have to make a new routine to keep my life in some sort of order.

For me, as you may have gathered from previous blog posts that health and fitness have always been an integral part of my life. However, before COVID-19 struck I always had a focus on the next training session or the next match coming up which gives me a structure of how to prepare my week. Since the pandemic and the halt to the football season, my focus has drifted slightly as I don’t know when my next battle will commence. I have my 2 young children who ultimately keep me very busy however sitting around entertaining them every day isn’t enough to keep me mentally and physically sharp and ready for when we do eventually proceed whether it will be in August for a new season or earlier to complete the current season.

To keep myself switched on during this period I decided to set some mini-goals to keep myself in good physical condition as well as staying mentally ready. My first goal is a short term focus and that’s to earn a new contract at Chesterfield FC. I’m enjoying my time under the new manager John Pemberton and believe under his guidance success could be around the corner so I aim to be part of that. I have to come back to training and prove to him that I deserve a new contract. This way of thinking gives me the inner motivation to stay physically fit and not use it as a time to take my mind off the job. How can I use this time to help me earn that contract is what I tell myself each morning I wake up.

My other goal is a long term goal and it sort of fits into the first goal and that’s to earn promotion with Chesterfield FC.  For years the club has struggled with relegations followed by relegation battles and the fans have stuck by the team and it would be great to repay them with a promotion push. I visualise this and it no doubt pushes me to keep working hard and preparing me for the resume of football.

The other reason to exercise is the feel good factor it brings. I’m sure whoever is reading this blog will agree that when they exercise they feel better within themselves and I am no different in that after I have exercise I feel energised. When you exercise you release endorphins which are a type of neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger. They help relieve pain and stress. After 20 to 30 minutes of hard aerobic exercise, endorphins are released and will result in a mood and energy boost for two to three hours, and a mild buzz for up to 24 hours. I certainly feel the uplift so getting my daily dose of exercise is an important part of my day during this time. Food also becomes more enjoyable once I’ve exercised and I enjoy eating healthy portions of food with treats at the weekend which I enjoy with my family.

This might sound obvious stuff but I find it important to recognise what my body needs. Footballers are usually guided by a coach or a manager on how hard to exercise but the Coronavirus has put a stop to that meaning self motivation is required. I believe the players that stay disciplined during this time with reap the rewards later and come back stronger.

Since the pandemic, my exercise routine has been focused on following the government guidelines of exercising once per day but I try to make this exercise intense to make sure my heart rate goes up and my lungs and my kegs get a good amount of work. I need to feel that I’ve worked hard. I go on three road runs a week at a distance of around 5km. I feel 5km at the right pace gives me the work I need, as any further would put too much pressure on my knees and the last thing I want to do is cause unnecessary injury. On the other 3 days, I head over to my local park where I do pitch runs and ball work. This is just to keep me familiar with a football so I put my boots on and do running with the ball. When you have a prolonged period of time without using a football you become a little rusty so I want to keep myself in touch with the football so it doesn’t become alien to me when the balls come back out. During these days I also tend to do bodyweight workouts like press-ups and planks and use the equipment I have at home, again this wouldn’t be for long just short blasts of work. Sunday’s I completely rest. This may all sound a lot but actually, it’s all short sharp stuff, the 5km will take me around 20mins, the pitch work 45mins and bodyweight work 20mins. It’s a small part of the day but I feel good from doing it without risking any injury through overwork.

There is no doubt we all miss football but in this current dark reality of the country trying to tackle this virus that’s spreading through the world like wildfire; I suppose that sport doesn’t really matter. There is still a sense of sadness amongst football fans I speak with, that the game is being missed and the entertainment it provides to the millions of people each weekend would be a welcomed relief at the chance to turn on the TV and watch something other than a news update. I look forward to getting through the other side and returning to the pitch and with the preparation I have done I feel I will return strong.

Image from http://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk

ADDED SUGAR, NO THANKS

by smudge02
Picture from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1558189

Throughout my early career, I loved a full packet of jaffa cakes, a chocolate Yazoo milkshake and spraying ketchup on virtually every meal I ate. However, after lots of research into sports nutrition and at the ripe old age of 28 I decided to cut added sugar completely from my diet.

It took a lot of will power and discipline but almost immediately I felt healthier. I quickly became obsessed with checking food labels and it came to a point where food planning became an important part of my life. I swapped tasty fruity yogurts for natural Greek yogurt and jaffa cakes and milkshakes were replaced by fruit and nuts. Pasta sauces had to be replaced by freshly made ingredients and I purchased a Nutri bullet to help me make fresh smoothies. Having a high metabolism means I need lots of calories so I searched the market for flavourless protein powders to boost my calorie intake.

You’re probably thinking it seems like a lot of effort but I will never forget my first game after I’d cut sugar it was Crawley away for Luton Town and I felt amazing both mentally and physically. The performance I put in that day had me hooked and I’d no doubt in my mind I was going to continue with it.

Away trips became a challenge. Teammates would get on the bus with their bags of sweets and fizzy Lucozade drinks and offer them around the coach. I stayed strong and came prepared with my no added sugar porridge and my pre made pasta dish. In the evenings at the hotel apple crumble and custard would come out for dessert but I’d resist the temptation and snack on fruit and nuts in the room later. In the back of my mind, I felt I was getting the edge and even if having some apple crumble and custard wouldn’t have done any harm, mentally it felt satisfying to have a healthier alternative.

Added sugar provides calories but with little to no nutritional value. Let me make an important point that athletes do need sugar. The best way to get these sugars is through naturally occurring sugars which are found in fruit and vegetables. I began to start eating foods I had never even heard of such as Chia seeds, flaxseed, kale and goji berries. My morning porridge was being stacked with blueberries and seeds instead of jam or syrup. I also enjoyed making classic dishes like chilli con carne and spaghetti bolognese from scratch with fresh herbs and spices. Within weeks I had become a top chef! Well in my eyes anyway.

The no added sugar diet has certainly helped me think more clearly. I feel more focussed, less stressed and sleep better. According to a recent UCLA study “sugar forms five radicals in the brains membrane compromising our nerve cells ability to communicate this causes a ‘foggy’ feeling” (www.lifehack.org).

Playing football with a potentially ‘foggy’ brain as mentioned above can no doubt affect performance so cutting added sugar from your diet can help you think more clearly and produce better performances on the pitch.

Over my career i have always been susceptible to the odd yellow card (13 in one season) due to my combative, competitve style. However following the start of this diet I managed to go 14 games without a yellow card! Maybe it was concidence or more likely I was thinking more clearly and not rushing into silly challenges. I put this down to my improved diet.

Football and life, in general, has lots of ups and downs. I have experienced many of these throughout my career however since I improved my diet I have been able to recover from the lows much quicker. The best way to combat these low moods is to have steady, regular meals with a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables. I eat plenty of complex carbs such as whole grain rice and pasta as well as oily fish at least twice a week. The fruits and vegetables I eat supply me with the vitamins and minerals I need and ease digestion.

Research has shown stress and food are closely linked. From a footballer’s point of view, the body is constantly getting put under physical strain. To keep the mind sharp and fresh it’s important to keep our diets right off the pitch. I always felt the challenge of travelling distances on the road meant it would be easier to stop off at a service station for some fast food however I learned preparation was vital in getting ahead of the game. Making extra from last night’s dinner to take the next day became a habit for me meaning I knew I would be getting in the right nutrients especially after a hard session.

I encourage you to give the ‘no added sugar’ diet a try. Maybe start gradually in trying to cut out certain things and replace them with healthier alternatives. You will see a difference both physically and mentally and once you get going it will become a normal part of your daily life. You will feel great!