HEALTH BASICS

Stopping Your Body from Going Bone Dry

The loss of water in your body is called dehydration. Dehydration is a bad thing if you're a soccer player.

How does this happen?

You lose water through sweating. We definitely know soccer players sweat, and stink (but that is beside the point). When you lose water from your body, you will not play as well as you would with it. Only losing 1% to 2% of your body's water can stop you from playing well.

Here are some warning signs to look out for:

• Thirst
• Irritability
• Headache
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Cramps
• Nausea
• Decreased Performance

How can you avoid Dehydration (loss of body water)?

• Don't play Soccer (that will never happen).
• Drink more water or other sports drinks. Sodas, teas, or any other drink with caffeine in it is not recommended.
• Drink 16-24 oz. of fluid (2 cups) 1-2 hours before workout or competition.
• Drink 4-8 oz. of fluid (1 cup) every 20 min. during workout or competition.
• Drink before you feel thirsty. You can be dehydrated before you feel thirsty.

After playing how much should I drink to replace what I've lost?

This chart is to help you figure it out.

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What Fuel Are You Putting in Your Tank?

Here is the truth

Everyone is different, so what you need to eat to have the most energy will be different for all. There are some common rules to keep you kicking well into the 90th minute though. One common rule would be to eat whole foods. These are foods that haven't been turned into something else, which are called processed foods or Fast Food.

Here is the problem, most people don't eat to be healthy, they eat to satisfy hunger. Just because it tastes good doesn't mean it is good for you or will give you the boost you'll need to score the winning goal. (I know some things are to hard to pass up, but what is more important the night before a game, your sweet tooth or making a tackle on the other team's best player. That is a choice for you.)

So the morning of your game, grab a bowl of oatmeal, bread that is very grainy/nutty, fruits or eggs. Here is some old school understanding. It takes 100,000 years for the human body to adapt to a new food or substance. So here is the rule. If the thing that you are about to eat hasn't been around for at least 35,000 years do not eat it for breakfast the day of your game.

Remember after you eat a meal ask this question 45 minutes later. How do I feel? The answer should be full of energy, not hungry, not sleepy, not jittery and not mentally foggy. Your car only runs as good as the fuel in it. Are you putting 93 octane or that cruddy 87. What if your opponent is putting in 93? Help yourself go the extra mile smoothly, not clunking. It's up to you players.