No matter whether it’s the day of a game, or the off-season, it’s important to watch what you eat, to make sure you’re getting the nutrients you need in the right proportions. Macro-nutrients are the big three, the ones that you need in the greatest amounts: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. For football players, the number one macro-nutrient is carbohydrate; it’s what gives you the long-lasting energy you need to play at peak performance over the length of an entire game.

Complex Carbs for Long-Lasting Energy

While many people don’t necessarily think of football as an endurance sport like marathon-running or the Tour de France, it does fit the description; endurance sports are those that require you to perform for an extended period of time at low to moderate exercise intensity. Complex carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of fuel, and are also the best source of energy for an endurance athlete. Whether or not you consider football an endurance sport, carbs are number one for football players too.

There’s a very simple reason for this: the body can use all three macro-nutrients as fuel sources, but the process by which the body converts stored energy into a usable form is fastest and most efficient when the stored energy is carbohydrates. In addition, carbs are stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles, and high dietary intake of carbohydrate ensures these stores are there when needed. When you start exercising, your muscle stores of glycogen are depleted first, since they are already present in the muscles. As those stores are exhausted, the liver begins to release more of its stored supply of glycogen to refuel the muscles. If you don’t have those stores in the first place, you end up fatigued in the middle of your training session, or worse, in the middle of a game. 

In most situations, complex carbohydrates—vegetables, fruits, and whole grains—are the best carb sources to choose, as they contain fiber that slows down digestion, which makes that energy last longer and prevents blood sugar spiking. Simple carbohydrates like sugar, on the other hand, might be good for a quick energy fix, but within an hour your blood sugar has spiked and crashed, typically resulting in fatigue.

Protein and Fat are Important Too

Carbohydrates should be the bulk of what you eat in training season, but there’s more to a balanced diet than keeping your carb intake high. Don’t forget, in the midst of carb-loading, you must still ensure that you’re getting plenty of lean protein and healthy fats. Protein and fat, while they don’t give you the long-lasting energy that carbohydrates do, are a back-up energy source when carbohydrate stores run low. They’re necessary for good general health, as well as a strong immune system, healing injuries, organ function, and healthy bones, skin, hair and scalp. Protein is also essential for muscle development, and fatty acids are important in the chemical reactions that control basic functions such as metabolism, immune function, and muscle growth. In short, while carbohydrates are the fuel your muscles need to operate, protein and fat are the building blocks you need to make those muscles in the first place. To be an effective player, you need all three in your diet—it does you no good to skimp on protein or fat, just as it does you no good to restrict carbs.

What is the Right Balance?

With the emphasis on low-carb lifestyles in some areas of the diet and fitness industry, it can get a bit confusing when you’re trying to figure out what your ideal diet is. The important thing to remember is that low-carb diets are typically touted by people who are actively trying to lose weight, and who aren’t involved in competitive sports. As a football player, a low-carb diet is only going to hinder your performance.

According to the USDA Dietary Reference Intake, between 45% and 65% of daily calories should come from carbohydrates, with 10% to 35% coming from protein, and 20% to 35% from fat. The amount of each macro-nutrient you need will vary according to the specific needs of your body. For football players, carbohydrate needs are on the high side of the range, and can be as high as 70% during a heavy training period, or in the days leading up to a competitive event. In general, you need between 2,400 and 3,000 carb calories every day while training.

Should you count calories? It’s not strictly necessary, but it can be a useful way to make sure your carb intake is adequate, and it’s important on game days to make sure your pre-game meal will provide you with enough calories to get you through.

This article was written for World Football Daily by a guest author Lisa Holden, who holds a degree in Food and Nutritional Sciences.