Rugby Diet: Red Meat & Beer, Anyone?

This week, I will be blogging about diet, the “right” diet for someone known or would like to be known as a rugby player. Now, one may ask, what qualifies me to talk about a subject more FOREIGN to me than the outer space, and what do I know about keeping a body in its physical best, when I don’t even spend a fair value of my time, doing something called “exercising”? Well, I don’t, and I am not proud of it :)

So, why am I talking about something, that I hardly know? Well, they say sharing is caring, so I thought, lets talk about something rather educational that would benefit the public in general. After all, I did go from 84kg once to 58kg now, and all it took me was just 2 months! Mine is unfortunately not called exercise, I call it DISCIPLINE, and how in the world of every sportsmen, is a crucial word, not only when training is concerned, but when it comes to the big word itself “DIETING”.

So one may ask, what differentiate these “rugby athletes” and other general sportsmen, calories & nutrition, wise? The answer may depend on how one sees it. But before I go down further on that lane, I would like to share an unfair misunderstanding that seemed to have grown into a public perception back here, on what a rugby diet is? Someone I know, call it a combination between lots of red meat, protein pills and the magic water called, BEER!

I almost choked to the answer; because it came direct “without prejudice” (I hope) from someone I’ve been friends with for the longest time! And although it makes some sense, considering how this public connotation was given birth to, I mean, ruggers do commonly chill out by having a few drinks in the end of a game, but so would, men in general. But I seriously feel that, “the” drinking culture should not be assign exclusively to rugby solely. All sports are equal, but it’s those who practice them, that spell’s the difference. So, for the benefit of these doubts, here comes the lesson on what should be in a RUGBY PLAYERS DIET! And most importantly, learn how to eat correctly to improve your GAMES!

1. A fair amount of Carbohydrates

 Main energy provider that is governed by the glycaemic index of the food. Example, High GI snacks are usually provided before exercise (fruits, confectionary, glucose drinks), where as low GI are ingested as part of a meal (brown rice, pasta, whole meal breads), and this is supposed to provide sustained energy release.

2. A healthy amount of Fat

Yes, you heard it right, from yours truly. Having said that, carrying too much would again, hinder one’s performance. And whilst having too little, will cause prolonged muscle soreness and increase the possibilities of injuries, having the right amount would however, build some sort of natural shock absorber that cushions the body from hard hits & tackles.

 3. A good amount of Protein

Fairly high is usually required to maintain mass and to aid recovery.

4. Fruits & Vegetables

Yes, not just for the sissy, these are a great source of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and complex carbs. Rugby players required a vast amount of these to aid injuries and maintain the body’s natural functions.

So, what do we recommend?

Pre-Match Preparation

 Go for a large breakfast, omelettes, cereals, fruits and high quality meals and try to avoid salty food at least 24 hours prior to any games, as it would cause dehydration. Try to avoid dense foods like heavy meats as it would get stuck in your tummy and usually takes hours to digest! And for those who have a little bit of butterflies in the tummy issue, or when the nerves got into you, do remember that not eating would only make one feel worse during the game. A high fiber breakfast is useful for an upset tummy caused by those irritating nerves. And do remember to drink lots of water. Hydration levels need to be at their peak. And contrary to the beliefs or rather practice of many, alcohol should be avoided at least 24 hours before a match. Eat a small lunch, about three hours before kick off; low GI meal should be consumed as they provide sustained energy levels & 30 minutes before the game, its best to ingest a small amount of high GI food to provide quick release of energy.

After-Match Meal

Should always be high in both protein and carbo in order to replenish the energy stores and commence recovery. A small amount of salt would be useful to prevent cramping of the muscles. Lots of H2O, please, as dehydration can set in very quickly.

Supplements

This is a very foreign subject to me, but after a little bit of reading, I came to know that the most common supplement is creatine. It helps to provide a few extra kgs in weight, add endurance during games/trainings. Similarly, glucosamine is also another supplement taken by rugby players to aid with joint repairs & maintenance. One word of advise, always and I do mean, ALWAYS consult your health care advisor, before taking any sorts of supplements!

Rugby is a physical sport that requires more than what meets the eye. And although, having a drink or two won’t necessarily hurt one's performance, however, like any other sports, there are some compulsory do’s and don’ts rituals that should serve as a guideline to stay and be at the top of the game. And this applies to all kinds of sports, folks!

So, be kind to yourself. Spend an equal amount of time, choosing the right nutrition for your body, as that would come a long way to sustain the right energy and putting you on the right track for injuries recovery!

 Have a good week everyone!

Our top pick of the week, includes Dallaglio's Rugby Tales on Legendary Stories of Blood, Sweat and Beers, a cool yet funny shirt that says, " it takes leather balls to play rugby" and a book that literally captures some of the greatest moments of rugby, just for your eyes only!"