Meal Plan for Hockey – Training Day
Hockey, like any sport requires high physical fitness, so players will practice with team mates once or twice per week and train at the gym three or four times, incorporating weights and cardiovascular exercise. Field hockey is popular with both men and women, so portion sizes will need to be adjusted accordingly.
For optimal performance you will need a lot of energy for long lengths of time, so it's essential that you have a well structured nutrition programme not only to provide energy for a training session, but also to provide fuel for recuperation for the next day's exercise.
The meal plan below is an example for a typical training day:
Breakfast
Large bowl of porridge + skimmed milk + dried fruit or bowl unsweetened muesli + 250ml skimmed milk
250ml fresh fruit juice
Tea/coffee
Mid-morning snack
2-3
oatcakes with low fat soft cheese
100g mixed nuts & seeds
Item of fruit
Drink
Lunch
Sandwiches made with
granary bread + olive oil based spread with lean ham/chicken
or large mackerel fillet
Mixed salad
Low fat, low sugar yoghurt
Drink
Mid-afternoon
2-3 rye crispbread with low fat soft cheese
100g mixed nuts & seeds
Item of fruit
Drink
Pre-exercise
2-3 oatcakes
Banana
Drink
Immediately post training
Evening meal (45 mins later)
Lean fillet steak
or chicken breast
or fish + herbs to taste
Boiled new potatoes
or basmati rice or dry roasted
sweet potatoesLoads of vegetables
Low fat, no added sugar yoghurt
Drink
1 hour pre-bed
Bowl unsweetened muesli + 250ml skimmed milk
Drink
The above plan provides sufficient levels of all nutrients and sustained slow released low glycaemic carbohydrates to help provide energy for long and intense training sessions. Porridge or muesli for breakfast will provide slow released energy, and oatcakes and granary bread will top up this up through the daytime. See our Glycaemic Index Tables for GI values of foods.
The plan is merely a general guide, and portion sizes will need to be adapted to suit your daily routine. Eat a range of different meats/fish, complex carbohydrates, fruit and vegetables every day, and drink plenty of water.
See also Hockey (Field) – Match Day
Plans for people with illness or medical conditions in no way should override advice provided specifically for you by your doctor, clinical dietitian or other clinician. We advise that you seek the advice of a suitably qualified physician before commencing any exercise regime, following any dietary or nutritional regimen or beginning the use of any dietary supplements, legal or otherwise. The information provided on the Website is intended as information only and does not constitute advice. Therefore, it must not be relied on to assist in making or refraining from making a decision, or to assist in deciding on a course of action.