With a return to sports on the horizon, nothing goes more supportive than some safe snacking options for an athlete or a young soccer player in this post-COVID time. Classic halftime snacks such as orange slices and other veggies are healthy options for before, during and after the training or the game. These are also affordable and easy to prepare for parents to give to their young sportsmen. Here are a few suggestions for athletes to follow while on the ground or having group training at Technofunc Fitness or some other training and fitness centers.
Stay hydrated as much as possible
Water intake is almost as necessary as oxygen intake, as the human body is more than 90% water. Keep taking water continually while enjoying your sports feverishly. Drinking water time and again will keep you hydrated and energetically fresh. However, there is no need to rely on team water bottles or coolers. These present a virus spreading risk as the same surfaces are touched by many hands and mouths. Make sure you have your own water source during training, exercise, practice, game, etc. Instead of bottled water, better bring your own water in a cooler and label it with your name or jersey number to avoid mixing it with others’.
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables
These make a healthy and nutritious post-game snack which is also very easy to prepare. Take along a fair amount of them such as apples, bananas, orange slices, salad, cucumber, etc. and enjoy their relish during halftime and after you are over. Keep rotating different options available to you to escape monotony. However, once again, it is safer to pack individual snacks because dozens of dirty hands reaching a bowl of fruit pose a severe health risk.
Maintain your protein in-take
As per the recommendation of well qualified professional dieticians and experts of sports medicine, young athletes should take 1.2 to 2.0 kg of protein per kilogram of their body weight per day. However, it also largely depends on the nature of your physical training or exertion. Remember to space protein intake throughout the day and especially after workouts. Fish, eggs, chicken, beef tallow, milk, almonds, yogurt, pulses, etc. are the rich sources of protein for growing athletes.
Baked goods are okay but avoid packaged food
If you have a sweet tooth, you may enjoy yourself with a number of baked items as well. There is no evidence that corona virus is transmitted through baked goods. So, carry a few of them along and relish them during breaks or after you are finished with your training or practice. There are many cookies and other such items that you may eat post-game. However, it will be much better if you keep them a secret, for you are not the only one to love them.
At the same time, it is highly advisory to avoid packaged food to your maximum. This is because corona virus can survive on a cardboard for a complete day while for three days if it is a plastic surface. Besides being a potential risk for spreading pandemic, packaged foods are usually not that beneficial to a growing athlete as well.
Your favorite Ice-cream is most welcome anyway
Be sure ice-creams and beverages never spread the pandemic as far as you maintain social distancing. Post-game or post-training ice-cream of your favorite flavor will be a strong source of motivational energy for the upcoming challenges in your sports. You may also take it as a reward after having performed well on the court or in the ground and become more determined to do even better next time.