Get in shape to excel on the soccer field.
Soccer players tend to be lean, and if you're going to get involved with the sport, you'll want to make sure you're in good physical condition to compete. Getting yourself into shape will increase your performance and lower your chance of injuring yourself during practice or a game. Playing sports is a great way to stay in shape, especially if you find running and lifting weights to be boring. Either way, it's important to include some sort of exercise into your regular routine, whether you're a hardcore competitor or simply playing on a soccer team for fun.
Instructions
1. Jog for long periods of time. The game of soccer involves a lot of running, so you need to be comfortable exerting this kind of energy before you begin your first game. Simply walking, even fast walking, won't prepare you for the energy you'll be expending on running during a soccer game. Work towards jogging for a while without getting winded and completely out of breath. Alternate jogging with sprints to better prepare yourself for field time.
2. Incorporate exercise into every area of your life that you can. Every time you use your muscles, you're burning calories. Choose the stairs over the elevator. Park your car in a far-off parking spot so that you have a longer walk. Take your bike when going somewhere nearby instead of driving.
3. Practice and participate in soccer games. While you may not meet every single one of your health and fitness goals before you take the field, playing sports is an effective way to not only stay in shape, but also to get in shape first.
4. Eat nutritious foods. While it may be tempting to not eat in order to quickly drop weight, your body actually needs food to use as fuel and to burn off body fat. If you don't get this energy in the form of food, your body will turn your muscle into energy to aid your body. If you don't eat enough, you may think you're losing fat when you're actually losing muscle. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, lean protein and whole grain carbohydrates into your diet, as well as healthy fats, like olive oil, and all-natural peanut butter. Weed out packaged foods, fast food and sugar-packed items. Also, drink plenty of water throughout the day.
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