Football (American and flag) nutrition

Football is a series of very short, all-out plays, usually five to ten seconds, with a huddle or sideline break between. Flag leagues often play two 20 to 25 minute halves on a short field, sometimes as doubleheaders. Tackle football adds pads, contact and heat trapped under a helmet. Receivers and defensive backs sprint the most, while linemen do repeated hard pushes.

Before the game

Short sprints run mainly on carbohydrate, so a carb-based meal 3 to 4 hours before kickoff is the base, within the 1 to 4 g per kg guidance. Linemen with bigger bodies need bigger portions by weight, not a different plan. Keep fat and fibre moderate before games, since a heavy stomach and sprinting do not mix.

During

Use time on the sideline between drives to drink. For a single flag game under an hour, water is fine. Tackle games and doubleheaders are longer and hotter: a sports drink adds carbs and sodium, and a small snack between games helps. On long days, aim for about 30 to 60 g of carbohydrate per hour.

After

Aim for 20 to 40 g of protein with carbs within a couple of hours after. Contact football is hard on the body, so a full meal with protein, carbs and vegetables that evening is worth it.

• Chocolate milk and a banana
• Steak with potatoes and green beans
• Chicken burrito bowl
• Cottage cheese and pineapple

Hydration

Early-season football often means August heat, and pads and a helmet hold that heat in. Start hydrated, drink at every sideline break and try to keep weight loss under 2% of body weight. Larger players and heavy sweaters can lose a lot: weigh before and after a practice to learn your number. Replace about 1.25 to 1.5 L per kg lost, and add salty food or a sports drink if you are a salty sweater. Sweat rate calculator.

Tips

• For flag doubleheaders, pack a snack and a second bottle.
• Linemen need the same timing as skill players, just bigger portions.
• In heat, take your helmet off on the sideline when you can.
• Eat a proper meal after contact games, not just a beer and wings.

Questions

Sources

1. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement: nutrition and athletic performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568.
2. Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33.
3. American College of Sports Medicine, Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377-390.
4. Herrmann SD, Willis EA, Ainsworth BE, et al. 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities: a third update of the energy costs of human activities. J Sport Health Sci. 2024;13(1):6-12. Activity lists at pacompendium.com.