The Optimized Training Diet for Soccer Players

You burn a lot of energy when you’re training. To remain strong, alert and healthy, it's important to eat a well-rounded diet that’s rich in nutrients. While no diet works for everyone the exact same way, it's important to familiarize yourself with a few basic guidelines that will help you set healthy habits.

So what should you keep in mind as you’re organizing a training diet? You can start by laying a basic foundation, discerning what works for your body and the changes that’ll be most beneficial.

Go for the Whole Food

One of the best ways to ensure you're getting all the nutrients of the food you eat is to make sure you're eating the whole food rather than stripped down or extracted parts and ingredients. Isolated sugars, fats and oils don't provide the nutrients of an entire food.

For example, whole fruits provide the fiber and healthy carbohydrate boost that juices can lack. Even natural sugars can bog the body down when isolated and consumed in excess. 

Carbs

While many people are afraid to touch carbohydrates because they picture white bread and sugary treats, those depictions of carbs are far from the truth. Carbohydrates are the source your body runs on for energy. While there are fad diets that promote "tricking" your body to burn other macronutrients for energy, those are designed for weight loss, not performance. 

You should ideally get 60-70% of your daily calories from carbs. This does not mean you should go chow down on white bread and potato chips. Instead, go for lots of fruits and rich, whole grains.

Plan and Prep

Meal prepping is the practice of cooking in larger quantities to plan your meals out days, or even weeks in advance. Prepping and planning is key to eating a healthy, well designed diet and avoiding the pressure or temptation to stray from the foods that make you feel the best. Often, making multiple dishes and foods at once can bring some variety to your prepared meals, so you're not eating the same exact foods every day.

There are so many ways to meal prep, too. You can grill your vegetables and proteins, sauté or make creative soups and stews that work for a cozy meal in. Meal prep is so much more than plain chicken and brown rice, both for your health and your taste buds.

Proteins

Eating lean, healthy proteins is important for maintaining muscle and growing strength and performance. Protein is important for any athlete to pay attention to. However, not all proteins are created equal. When it comes to your proteins, it's best to stick to lean meats such as chicken, fish and tofu, even exploring plant based proteins like nuts and legumes so you can maintain your protein intake throughout the day and access the fiber and vitamins that accompany more natural proteins.

Red meats and other fatty proteins tend to have higher fat and cholesterol which can cause health problems and slow your performance. When you plan your pregame meals, fish and chicken are sure to do the trick.

Fats

Just like your other macronutrients, fat is necessary for a healthy diet and peak performance. And just like anything else, there are healthy fats and unhealthy fats. Fats are best in moderation, and they're especially important for brain function and muscle recovery. The best healthy fats are found in whole foods such as avocado, coconut meat, nuts and fish.

It's important to avoid processed fats such as fried foods, hydrogenated oils and saturated fats, as they can bog down your body and mind, which can keep you from performing at your best.

Get Kicking

With a bit of extra planning and care in your diet, you can play and perform your best throughout your training season. Every athlete and every diet is different, but studying, prepping and listening to your body can help you expand beyond the basics and find what makes you play at your very best.

Author Bio:

Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded. He writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Follow @TModded on Twitter for more articles from the Modded team.