You are what you eat:
Nutrition is the fuel of performance. In all areas of life, we are becoming more and more aware of the power of correct nutrition. But in the world of sport, nutrition can often be the difference between success and failure.
And not just over 90 minutes. Nutritional choices can mean recovering from injury versus a sustained period on the side-lines, or being fresh for each game day instead of sluggish at kick-off. Footballers - and Goalkeepers - of all levels are realising that the correct nutrition can be the marginal gain needed to achieve a season of success.
What is modern nutrition for goalkeepers?:
Unfortunately for some, long gone are the days of full English breakfasts on game day. Professional goalkeepers now follow carefully constructed nutrition plans, with club chefs ensuring that they consume the right amount of healthy, energy-filled food. But it’s not just the professionals - footballers of all levels are deciding to improve their game though their decisions in the kitchen.
There are some exceptions - many have heard the stories about Jamie Vardy’s pre-game drink choices - and each player has different preferences, but in general, there are some key food groups that all footballers and goalkeepers should ensure are part of their diet:
Carbohydrates: these foods provide the main energy sources for high-intensity activity such as Goalkeeping. Foods such as pasta, rice and whole grain cereals are great sources of carbohydrates, and it’s key that goalkeepers have enough in their diets to fuel both training & matches.
Proteins: simply put, proteins are molecules needed in the body. Your body uses protein to build and repair muscles and bones, and to make hormones and enzymes. Protein is therefore important for a Goalkeeper’s recovery from matches and training, and is found in food sources such as meat, fish, pulses & dairy. Protein supplements such as protein shakes are a good way of getting additional protein into your diet.
Vitamins & Nutrients: organic foods such as fruits & vegetables are dense in vitamins and nutrients, which are key for a wide variety of bodily functions, such as fighting off illness or maintaining bone health. Again, vitamin supplements can help to ensure that Goalkeepers have enough, but a healthy well balanced diet should cover the required amounts.
Fats: often portrayed negatively, fats are actually a key part of a healthy diet. Monounsaturated fats (avocados/olive oil) and polyunsaturated fats (fatty fish / flaxseeds) provide a range of health and performance benefits such as reducing inflammation, aiding vitamin absorption and even providing an energy source at lower intensity levels.
It is also important to understand that Goalkeepers should adapt their diet to fit their training and playing schedule. On harder training days and match days you should be looking to increase your calories. A good option is to increase the amount of carbohydrates in your pre-training and post-training meals. This will allow you to both fuel and recover effectively.
On off days or light days, you should consume fewer calories throughout the day in the form of carbohydrates, instead prioritising protein, fats and nutrient dense foods such as fruit and vegetables. By periodising your carbohydrate intake you will match the energy requirements for each day accordingly.
Again, each player is different in what suits them, and it is important to stress that taking the time to try different nutritional choices is key.
Don’t experiment on game day! It is common for players to try something completely new during their pre-match meal, without any idea of how this will impact their body or their performance. It is best to stick to what you know on game day. If you’re looking to experiment with something new, try it on your intense training day first. Then, assess how your body and mind reacted to the food, and whether you want to introduce it to your game day routine.
How I improved my nutrition in my own career:
Growing up as a goalkeeper, it took me a long time to gain a good understanding of nutrition, and how I should structure my diet in order to maximise my performance. As a young player, I didn’t have the proper knowledge, and whilst I ate well at home, I often made questionable decisions due to that lack of insight.
For example, I remember being in the school canteen, knowing that I should eat ‘well’ because of my academy session later that evening. I decided that I should have a pot of plain pasta, without sauce, as I believed that the sauce was bad for me. I would sometimes choose to eat plain salads, as I believed this was the ‘healthier’ option, that would help me to grow taller and stronger.
With the knowledge that I now have, it’s clear that these choices were not giving me the proper carbohydrate fuel that I needed before my training sessions, nor the protein allowance to enable my muscles to recover properly throughout the week.
Given that I was a young player within a football league club at the time, it is clear that even at higher levels, young players are not always given the proper education as to what they should be eating.
It was only when I started my degree at Loughborough University that I began to learn the basics around performance nutrition. Many people find their diet goes out the window at University, but I was one of the exceptions!
I was able to use apps such as MyFitnessPal to gain an understanding of what macronutrients (Carbs/Proteins/Fats) were included in the food that I was eating, and therefore I could begin to make the necessary changes needed to balance my diet and aid my performance.
What are some nutrition decisions that you can take now?:
Given that nutrition is such a well researched topic, players can often confuse themselves by falling into the rabbit hole of diets, fads and experimentation. My main advice to Goalkeepers wishing to improve their nutrition is this; keep it simple.
As mentioned earlier, try to make sure that your diet throughout the day has a good combination of carbohydrates, proteins, fruit & vegetables, and good fats. You can use apps such as MyFitnessPal to gain an understanding of the amounts of each of these macronutrients within your food choices, but once you do, try not to obsess over the numbers.
Everything in moderation - including the measuring & tracking of food.
If you need a boost in a particular macronutrient, there are supplements which are available. For example, if you find that your diet does not include enough protein, supplements such as Whey Protein Shakes or Protein Powder are often a popular choice amongst footballers. Similarly, vitamin tablets can be a great aid.
However, with supplements, it is extremely important that you are taking safe, tested products, in order not to potentially fail an in-competition drugs test. One way to guarantee you are taking safe supplements is to make sure that the brand you are using are Informed Sport Tested. You can find their website here, make sure to look for their logo on any supplements that you might want to take.
One such brand which provide Informed Sport tested products is Soccer Supplement. As the world’s number 1 football supplement brand, they have worked with players such as Harry Kane and Lucy Bronze, providing trusted supplements such as protein shakes and vitamins. I have used their products for a long time, and find that they are perfect in helping my own performance. If you are looking for extra nutritional support, make sure to have a look at their website here, and use the discount code OKEEFE10.
Finally, it is not illegal to have unhealthy food. Many athletes enjoy foods or drinks which are not the ‘perfect’ fuel. One bad meal will not ruin your performance, in the same way that one bad training session will not make you a bad player. However, athletes know that they are the products of their habits; the decisions you consistently make will show on the pitch, be that how you train, sleep or eat, so make sure your nutrition is a solid consistent base, which allows for the occasional treat!
The Goalkeeper Nutrition Guide:
When I was a young Goalkeeper, I wish I'd had the knowledge about nutrition that I now benefit from as a senior player. I believe it would have helped me both in terms of my physical development, and also my performance on the pitch.
Therefore, I wanted to create a guide which helps other Goalkeepers to learn about nutrition and benefit from the increase in performance that it can lead to.
For that reason, I teamed up with ex-professional footballer and qualified sports nutritionist James Sinclair to create The Goalkeeper Nutrition Guide.
The Goalkeeper Nutrition Guide is the complete guide for improving a Goalkeeper’s game on the pitch, through their decisions in the kitchen. Packed full of recipes, best practices, and game day schedules, the Guide allows you to properly fuel your training sessions, matches, and recovery.
The Goalkeeper Nutrition Guide is designed for the specific needs of Goalkeepers of all ages and abilities, and includes:
Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks & Desserts
A Nutritional Best Practices guide
Game Day Meals & Timings for different kick-off times
A full Supplements Guide
And much more…
If you would like to get your own copy, they are available here:
I hope you found this blog post valuable. Do you have a goalkeeping topic that you would like us to cover next? Let us know at info@conorokeefe.co.uk !
Thanks, Con, this has educated me very much about the nutritional values
of being a goalkeeper. I can't wait to get my nutrition plan.