BACK TO BASICS
DAVE SHAW IS THE NUTRITIONIST FOR THE BLUES SUPER RUGBY TEAM AND A BIG BELIEVER THAT FOOD IS MORE THAN FUEL AND, WHILE IT SERVES A PHYSIOLOGICAL PURPOSE FOR ELITE ATHLETES, IT ALSO HOLDS CULTURAL AND EMOTIONAL IMPORTANCE.
NZRW: As a general rule, the young players – aged 16 to 19 say – that you see coming through the various stages of the Blues system, do they have a good grasp on appropriate nutrition and the importance of it in a high performance environment?
DS: I would say generally it is poor to moderate. For most guys coming in at 16 to 18 years of age, the initial sessions I do with them are, in most cases, the first time they encounter advice and education around nutrition. Usually we are starting from scratch with most players because schools don’t really offer much in the way of nutrition education and most players are relying on what they learn through their parents.
NZRW: After you have had a detailed initial session with young players, how many do you think are able to make significant dietary changes quickly and consistently?
DS: Probably about 10 to 20 per cent are able to make a significant change quickly. Others make changes but for various reasons – it might be a lack of access to healthy food, financial constraints, poor cooking skills – aren’t able to make the changes permanently.
NZRW: Those players who are able to make significant dietary changes quickly and consistently, is it obvious from a physical and performance perspective that they are ahead of those who don’t?
DS: Yes – they stand out. It’s not just because they make those changes to their nutrition intake. It’s probably more reflective of their overall attitude. If they make changes in their diet then it is probable that they are also motivated to improve all aspects of their approach to rugby – so they will listen to the advice from the trainer, the sports psychologist and the coaches, and then their entire game benefits on multiple levels.
NZRW: That reiterates the view that while players can be educated about the right things to eat and be given all the good advice they possibly need, if they want to actually capitalise on that, they have to take responsibility for themselves and understand that they are the only ones who can put food in their mouths.
DS: That’s absolutely right. I was talking to a group of under-17 rugby players at the Blues the other day – guys in their first year of exposure to the system, if you like – and the first slide I put up in my presentation was about them taking ownership. It is vital that players take responsibility for what they eat and, at 16, players should be making their own breakfast and lunch, as well as know what foods are good sources of protein and carbohydrate. I would say they should also be cooking for their family at least once a fortnight. It’s a good habit to get into – because players will be expected to be responsible for their nutritional intake for the rest of their adult lives.
NZRW: Okay, so can you get down to basics for us and say whether there is any really basic things players of any age should be thinking about in regard to their nutritional plan?
DS: I think regardless of age, experience or position, there are certain basics that all players can think about. These would be reducing consumption of added sugar, processed foods and alcohol. That specifically relates to things such as fizzy drinks, juice, fast foods, biscuits, chips, lollies and also energy and sports drinks. At the same time, increasing the intake of high quality protein, vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, seeds and wholegrains is important for all rugby players.
With the Blues I am trying to get all players to minimise their consumption of these sorts of highly processed foods. I’m not suggesting that players should never eat them but they need to find the balance so they can achieve all their performance, body composition and health goals and yet not feel like they have no leeway in their diet.
NZRW: You mention sports drinks. A lot of young players may feel these are a recommended part of a high performance programme. Are they?
DS: No. I think what players need to understand is that water is, in most cases, the best drink for them to properly hydrate. If you are doing a skills session say for an hour and a half, maybe even two hours, water is all you need. When you’re training hard or playing for longer than one to one and a half hours, then sports drinks can offer some performance benefits.
NZRW: Going back to those basics that you talk about, if players reduce the amount of added sugar they eat and also cut down on junk food and alcohol, how quickly can they see the benefits?
DS: It can be surprisingly quick. You can see considerable changes in a relatively short space just by cutting down on those areas and increasing the amount of nutrient dense foods I mentioned earlier.
NZRW: What about sugar specifically? It is seen as the enemy if you like by most nutritionists and many lobby groups. Is it realistic to expect players to have zero sugar in their diets?
DS: Probably not. The big thing is to cut down on added sugar. Some foods that naturally contain sugar, like fruit, are incredibly nutritious and these are what we can prioritise to use for fuelling and recovery. However, food is more than nutrition and fuel and can contribute to how a player feels, and may add to the social and cultural aspects of the team. For instance, I’ll make chocolate available between some sessions at the Blues to give the boys not only an energy boost, but something that can lift their spirits so they get more from their training. We also add in desserts from time to time, particularly when their training load is high. The mood of the players is important and nutrition can’t be seen as a battleground.
NZRW: So you are more about moderation than zero tolerance?
DS: Players have to enjoy their food. So there might be times when I have to explain that the consumption of certain foods is all about functionality to ensure they fuel or recover optimally. It’s therefore my role to get players to understand that there might have to be some give and take – that if they can put up with certain functional foods at one stage of the day, then things can be more lenient at other times if you like. This is how I can maintain the ‘feel good’ factor about nutrition!
NZRW: Is it realistic to change attitudes around diet so healthy foods are seen as treat foods? That is to say that players can work hard and then crave all the right foods as a reward?
DS: We are pretty lucky at the Blues because we have a fantastic chef who cooks for the players maybe twice or three times a week. He makes delicious, healthy food and I think the players really enjoy it and they enjoy the environment, too, which is important. So, yes, we do have a set up where players can eat well, enjoy each other’s company and know that they are getting the right nutrition on board.