Guide to Hockey Nutrition and Sports Supplements

The sport of hockey places huge physical demands on the body, the muscles and the joints. As such, the ability to recover from injury quickly and your diet need to be carefully considered if you want to reach your full potential.

With a good diet and sports supplement programme in place, you will be able to improve your physical performance and stay healthy during the season and throughout your training sessions.

Getting the right energy levels

Focusing on good hockey nutrition can be very beneficial to both your general health but can also have a significant impact on performance improvement. Many hockey players do not take enough time to consider the foods that they are putting in their body. For athletes and competitive sports people this type of unstructured approach can leave them with insufficient energy levels and the wrong nutrients for their sport. However, getting the most out of your food is not as difficult as many think, especially if you follow these simple tips.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are important for all athletes who perform strenuous and taxing activities such as playing hockey. As a general nutrition rule, you should always consume some sort of carbohydrate before exercise to give your body a boost of energy. Carbohydrates are easy to break down so your body can quickly convert the food in to energy.

Fruit and vegetables

Fruit and vegetables make excellent healthy snacks, but maintaining optimum blood sugar levels throughout the day also requires protein. Add nuts or cheese to your snacks to get maximum value from your snacking, with more energy and improved mental focus.

Sports supplements for hockey players

You can also find sports supplements that are designed for pre-workout situations. Such supplements are usually loaded with the right type of time-release carbohydrates and proteins. Such sources of protein ensure that you have enough energy for training sessions or a hockey match, and will give you the strength you need. Just take a drink 30 minutes prior to your training or match (very convenient).

Hockey nutrition and dietary suggestions

In order to get the energy for a long hockey match, you need to maintain a good, healthy diet. Hockey is mainly aerobic in its demands on your system, but there are also sprints involved, so you need to prepare each energy system with the right nutrients.

Eat carbohydrates when you’re low on energy during the day. Carbohydrates are mainly composed of polysaccharides, which the body can break down and convert into glucose and eventually, energy. These act as the main source of chemical fuel for the body. This is the reason that it’s generally a poor idea to eat carbohydrates right before bed-time. Carbohydrates are packed-full of sugars and will immediately convert into energy when your body digests them.

Always eat breakfast every day. Breakfast is necessary to maintain balance in your body and to produce the energy it needs to get you through the day. It also provides support for your brain and helps your body to function more effectively. Consider taking vitamins with your breakfast. Take a good multivitamin to ensure you are not deficient in any of the major vitamins or minerals.

As you can see, good nutrition is very easy to incorporate into your diet, ensuring that you have the vitamins and minerals your body needs for good hockey performance.

Pay attention to your diet and make good food choices a regular part of your routine. You should also use a well-planned schedule when deciding what to eat and when.

Wikipedia: Hockey

Others who have found this information about hockey nutrition and sports supplements useful include: