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Junior Netball‎ > ‎

Hydration & Nutrition

Hydration

Liquid Assets

Lack of energy and carbohydrates are not eh only factors that can cause fatigue and have a detrimental effect on your netball performance. Dehydration can also contribute to fatigue and impair performance.

When training, playing netball or performing any type of physical activity the body temperature rises and in an attempt to prevent overheating the body attempts to dispel this excess heat. It does this by producing sweat. When this sweat evaporates from the skin, heat is lost along with body fluids and electrolytes. So it’s cool to sweat! Losses of more than 2 litres of fluid during a typical 2 hour netball training session are common.

 

To avoid dehydration and to maintain peak performance these fluids and electrolytes must be replaced.

Relatively small losses of body fluid will cause substantial detriments to physical performance and also negatively affect the mental skills such as reaction times, skill and decision making.

 

Top Tips to Avoid Dehydration

  • Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, not only when exercising.
  • Cary a drinks bottle with water with you at all times. Take drinks frequently throughout the day.
  • Aim never to be thirsty. If you are thirsty you are already dehydrated to an extent that will affect your performance
  • Take an isotonic sports drink and/or water with you to all training and matches.  Isotonic drinks do have an advantage over plain water as they are rapidly taken up by the body and provide some extra carbohydrates.
  • Remember a 1 litre bottle is unlikely to be adequate for a match or a two hour training session.
  • Begin taking fluids on board in the changing rooms, during warm-up and in the early stages of exercise; do not wait until you are thirsty
  • Always use your own bottles, this ensures that you can keep track of your intake and prevents the spread of coughs and colds throughout the squad.
  • Find a drink that you like the taste of and chill, as this will encourage you to drink plenty
  • Disinfect your drinks bottles regularly
  • Check your wee!! Urine colour is a good indicator of your hydration status. If you are well hydrated your urine will be a pale colour, be odourless and there will be plenty of it!!

Nutrition

Your training diet needs to:

  • Provide your body with ALL the nutrients it requires. A deficiency of any of the 40 or so nutrients that the body needs could limit your ability to perform.
  • Promote rapid recovery between training sessions and ensure that you always have adequate energy reserves to support your training and match demands.
  • Keep you healthy and free from illness and injury.
  • Support your normal growth and development.

Variety is the spice of Life!

 

There is no such thing as a ‘bad food’ It is how foods are combined into your overall diet that determines whether you will achieve your nutritional goals. Because these nutrients are found in a wide range of foods it is important that the diet is drawn from a wide variety of foods and not just limited to a few. It is essential that foods from all the major food groups are included in the diet.

 

Starchy Food

Breads, potatoes, cereals, pasta, rice, noodles etc.

 

These foods contain starch, a type of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are important as they provide fuel for exercise. This food group also provides calcium, fibre, iron and B vitamins. Many breakfast cereals and breads are also fortified with vitamins and minerals. Wholegrain varieties will provide more fibre.

These foods should make up a substantial part of your meals and snacks.

 

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are important sources of vitamins, fibre and also contain some carbohydrates.

Aim for at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day.

Fresh, frozen, tinned, dried, fruit juices, beans and pulses all count towards this goal of 5 a day.
 

 

Meat, Fish & Alternatives

Meat, meat products, offal, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses, meat substitutes e.g. Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), Soya protein.

These foods provide protein B vitamins and minerals such as zinc, iron and magnesium.

 

Choose lower fat versions of meat and meat products.

Remove all visible fat from meat

Remove skin from poultry

Meat alternatives such as pulses, beans and Soya are low in fat.

Dairy Produce

These foods contain calcium, protein, vitamins inc A, D, B12 and riboflavin

 

Choose low fat varieties of these foods, skimmed or semi skimmed milk, low fat yoghurts and spreads & a cheese such as Edam

 

Fats, Oils & Sugary Foods

Butter, margarine, oils, mayonnaise, salad dressings, biscuits, cakes, puddings, crisps, chocolate, pastries etc

 

These foods should be included sparingly in the diet

As an active athlete you may need to call on the sugary foods as a carbohydrate source at certain times to support training and match play

 

Carbohydrates

As a netball athlete it is extremely important that you provide your body with sufficient carbohydrate as the body only has a limited supply of this nutrient and yet carbohydrate is a major source of fuel during netball.

 

Successive bouts of training and exercise will deplete the muscles and liver of their stores of carbohydrate, known as glycogen, this will lead to fatigue and decreased performance

 

If the diet is low in carbohydrate this does not allow adequate replenishment of these stores between exercise sessions leading to early fatigue and loss of performance.

 

If carbohydrate intake is increased then the muscle glycogen stores can be more effectively replaced, ready to provide energy for your next training session or match.

     

Top Tips to increase your carbohydrate intake
 
Eat more pasta, rice, potatoes, rice and breakfast cereals.

Serve bread at every meal. (Try - wholemeal, granary, ciabatta, pita, naan, bagels, crumpets, muffins, fruit breads etc.

Toast and sandwiches should be made with ’doorstep’ slices of bread.

Oatcakes, rice cakes, crisp breads and Swedish baked rolls make a tasty alternative to bread.

Portions of potatoes and other starchy vegetables should be increased.

Likewise portions of pasta and rice should be substantial. Your starchy carbohydrate foods should cover two-thirds of your plate.

Eat a least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Pulses and beans are particularly high in carbohydrates they can be served as an accompaniment or added to sauces, stews and casseroles.

 

Summary

Remember you need to eat to train well and you need to train yourself to eat well.

 

A high carbohydrate diet with plenty of variety is likely to ensure you meet your needs for all the essential nutrients that your body needs to train and play netball

Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and take every opportunity to take fluids on board during training and matches.