JUNE/JULY 2015 // NZ RUGBY WORLD //

Don't be obsessive about diet – be careful. Work

roughly towards setting up your plate so at least

half is comprised of vegetables; roughly a quarter

from carbohydrate and the other quarter from protein.

Plan your meal around a 'palm' of protein, a 'ﬁst' of

carbohydrate and lots of vegetables. This is also a good

measure for knowing what quantities to cook and serve.

But remember – a man's hands are usually bigger than

a woman's so portion sizes should reﬂect this. Also, the

perfect plate would mean you serve the perfect amount

ﬁrst up so there is no need to go back for more.

Understand food labels and food groups so as you

can make better, more informed decisions about

what you are eating. Don't be sucked in by silly

marketing labels that make big claims.

Don't stress too much about exactly when you eat. By

trial and error you will work out what works best for

you in terms of when to eat before training and playing.

All that is important is that you have good fuel in the

system when the time comes for you to be active. It's

also important to try to eat something – preferably carbs

– aer you have been active as this can aid recovery.

Everyone will tell you breakfast is the most

important meal of the day. It's not strictly true as

eating well all day is important. However, there is

consensus that rugby players – with a big training day

ahead of them – should breakfast well. Plenty of protein

and carbs.

Build a go-to repertoire of appropriate snacks and

make sure they are always handy. Many players

fall into the trap of training hard and then not having

immediate access to good food. That paves the way to

convenience and high fat, salty snacks. Unsalted nuts,

rice crackers and fruit are the better options.

Pay extra for good, quality lean meat. It does matter.

If you have a fattier cut, eat a small portion.

If you are 18 or older, moderate your alcohol intake.

There are plenty of reasons why you should do this,

but from a nutritional perspective, it's because a lot of

alcoholic drinks are sugary and high in calories. A glass

of red wine every other night won't be a problem but be

careful with beer.

Be prepared to adapt and moderate your diet

dependent on your level of physical activity. If its

preseason and you are being run to your limits and

working hard in the gym as well – eat as much as you

can. If you are injured or its the o-season, cut down on

the total volume consumed but particularly the carbs.

As much as you can, eat unprocessed foods and

preferably also foods in season. The more natural

the product the easier it is for the body to absorb and use

it eectively. As part of this, try to eat many dierent

coloured foods – reds, greens, purples.

Allow yourself a bit of fun. Life is for living and

as long as consumption of sometimes foods is just

that, there will be no harm done. In fact, there will be

plenty of good done as, mentally, we all need a treat

every now and again.

THE BASICS

There are three main food groups and it is important

to understand what each one does and where it

is sourced.

NZ Rugby WoRld’s

10 nuTrITIon TIpS

PROTEIN

This is arguably the critical food group for rugby players as

protein effectively helps to build the body as it is the main

component of muscles, organs and also blood.

Protein consumption is vital for our existence and is an

essential source of life. For those who care about the science –

the body breaks down proteins into Amino Acids which are

then recycled into different forms of proteins.

As a basic rule, your protein portion at each meal should be

about the size and thickness of your palm or take up about one

quarter of your plate.

Best sources of protein are: red meat, ﬁsh, pork, chicken, eggs,

dairy products and legumes [beans, lentils and chickpeas].

CARBOHYDRATES

Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for the body. Think of

carbs as the petrol in your engine and just as you would be

reluctant to put the wrong type of fuel into your car, so too should

you be careful about the nature of the carbohydrates you

consume. There are two types: simple and complex.

The former refers to simple sugars – reﬁned products such as

white sugar or lollies. The complex is where players should be

focused – on slow release energy foods that are not reﬁned. The

body takes longer to break down complex sugars and thus the

energy is released more slowly and lasts longer. In general, at

each meal ﬁll about one quarter of your plate with complex

carbohydrates. The remainder of your carbs should come from

fruits and vegetables.

Best sources of complex carbohydrates are: brown rice, rice,

wholegrains, oatmeal, potatoes and other vegetables.

FATS

Fat is the most confusing part of the food spectrum as there are

most deﬁnitely fats which are health-promoting and non-

essential fats. The body needs the former – such as Omega-3.

These are unsaturated and promote good heart health.

Saturated fats have to be consumed in moderation as they are

ﬁlling the body with excess calories it often can't easily break

down and use effectively.

Best sources of unsaturated fats: Avocado, oily ﬁsh such as

salmon or mackerel, olive oil, nuts.

Sources of saturated fats: cheap meat, fried foods, chips, pies,

sausage rolls.

[ food of champions ]