Task Two
In this task I will be identifying David Beckham as the elite performer that I am going to study. David Beckham is a 28-year-old elite footballer. This means he is one of the best players in his position. He plays right midfield for Real Madrid and England. In a match on average he runs 8 miles.
Food is the body's fuel, providing the energy to allow muscles to work. Without food and drink the body cannot function. Without the right foods there is no energy. Without petrol, the car will stop. Poor quality fuel will leave the car working inefficiently. So, lack of food or poor quality food will cause footballers to under-perform.
The Right Foods For David Beckham
In general, the body's energy supply comes from the three main types of foods - proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
Fatty foods contain the most energy but are useless as an energy source during the high-intensity activities associated with football (e.g. sprinting). They can only used during lower intensity aerobic exercises such as jogging.
Carbohydrate foods contain energy, which can be used to fuel the muscles for prolonged aerobic activities and for shorter anaerobic activities such as sprinting. Therefore, carbohydrate foods are ideal energy sources for footballers.
The body uses protein foods as energy sources usually after 45 minutes of exercise. Again, this is ideal for footballers.
The Importance of Carbohydrates In David Beckham’s Diet
Research shows professional outfield players run about 5-8 miles in a game and are in personal possession of the ball for a total of only of 3 minutes. As a result they use up huge amounts of carbohydrate energy. These carbohydrates must be replaced after the match - the sooner the better. However, in the two days prior to a match, professional footballers increase the amount of carbohydrates they eat. In this way, their muscles are fully prepared for the exercise, which lies ahead.
Drinks Used By David Beckham
Is very easy to dehydrate as a result of exercise especially during the summer months. However, replacing lost fluids is not a simple matter. Drinks, which are very fizzy, or very cold, should not be drunk during periods of exercise as they often lead to stomach pains. Also, drinking great quantities in one go should be avoided for the same reasons - `little and often' is a good rule. Well-known sports drinks like Isotar, Gatorade and Lucozade Sport are ideal to take during exercise, as is plain water. Carbohydrate drinks such as Coca-Cola and Orange Barley contain too many carbohydrates to be taken during exercise but are ideal afterwards.
Why is sport nutrition or diet important in football?
Food provides us with energy for our muscles, brain and other organs. Football requires plenty of energy, and therefore it is important to have energy available to us during the game. The energy available to us at any particular time depends on our blood sugar levels.
If we over-eat, we become over-weight. The heavier we are, the more work our muscles have to do to take us the same distance. This reduces our stamina, and our ability to accelerate quickly. If we under-eat, we can become weak and our overall health can decline, because we are not getting enough nutrients. A healthy diet improves our general level of health, and can help us recover more quickly from injuries. Along with a program of fitness training, our diet can help us develop stamina and improve athletic performance.
Diet is essential for our growth, and development.
Easy Steps to Improve His Diet
- Eat breakfast. This is the most important meal of the day, so it should not be skipped.
- Reduce the amount of coffee, tea and cola that he drinks, and replace them with water, fruit juice or other healthy drinks.
- Eat healthier snacks. Eat carrots, dry breakfast cereal, nuts, rice cakes, rye, crisp breads, bagels or toast rather than crisps, chocolate bars and sweets.
- Reduce sugary foods, for example by eliminating sugar from tea, coffee and breakfast cereal.
- Reduce his intake of fatty foods. For example, reduce the amount of butter, margarine, fatty meat, beef burgers, chips and crisps that he eats.
- Drink plenty of fluids before a match, at half time and after the match, particularly in hot, humid weather.
- Avoid sugary snacks immediately before the start of a match. Fruit, such as bananas, or other carbohydrate-rich snacks are better. Avoid over-eating before a match.
- Replace fluids, salts and carbohydrates that he has used during the match.
How David Beckham Recovers After A Match
Here are four tips that help David Beckham to recover from a hard match or training session.
- Rest, and make sure he has enough sleep.
- Replace his body salts by eating. Most foods naturally contain salts, but fruit juices are particularly good choices, and these will also replace fluids.
- Replace his body carbohydrates by eating carbohydrate-rich foods within two hours after a match or training session.
- Drink plenty of fluids to replace what was lost through sweat.