Preseason fuelling in pro football: Feeding the gap between demand and delivery

Preseason is one of the most physically taxing blocks of the year. Players are encountering new managers, new systems, and new fitness staff. They are training more, lifting heavier, and running further, all with fewer recovery windows and more eyes on their performance. But while the sport science staff is obsessively tracking load via GPS, heart rate monitors, and sRPE, the players’ fuel intake is often overlooked, misjudged, or simply running on autopilot.

It’s the unseen gap in performance, a disconnect between what players expend and what they take in. And it’s costing them.

To move beyond anecdote, we recently tracked senior male footballers during a demanding two week preseason block in the English Football League Championship, collecting gold standard data on energy expenditure, hydration, and dietary intake.

Our findings confirmed what many nutrition practitioners already suspect, but it might be a surprise to the wider performance, coaching, and management team. Players are consistently under-fuelled, under-hydrated, and, therefore, likely under-recovered, potentially leaving adaptation on the table under the guise of excessive “fatigue.”

Players are accumulating energy deficits

During this specific preseason block, players trained for approximately 560 minutes per week, covering 40 km and accumulating ~2,200 m of high speed running. Double training days entailed ~160 minutes of training time across pitch-based sessions, gym work, and tactical meetings. RPE scores were consistently high. Overall, daily training duration was 60-180 minutes; the players covered 3-12 km; and had over 400 m of high speed running per day.

It was exactly what you think of preseason: a block of hard physical training.

Across the 14-day period, no player met their individual energy requirement on a single day. Not one, not once.

Mean energy expenditure was 3,150 kcal, measured by the gold standard, doubly labelled water. Players consumed an average of about 2,600 kcal per day: a daily energy deficit of about 15%. As a result, energy availability (EA) was well below the 30 kcal/kg of fat free mass/day minimum threshold associated with optimal performance and long term health.

This has real implications for performance. Low EA affects recovery, adaptation, hormonal balance, and injury risk. In a challenging period like preseason, where cumulative fatigue is high, consistently failing to meet energy demands can derail physical development—increasing injury and illness risk, before the season even starts.

Moreover, the players’ intake did not differ significantly between rest, single training, double training, or non-competitive match days. And it wasn’t much different during preseason than other times during the year.

We observe this regularly in our practice. Players often eat in habitual patterns—fixed breakfast, fixed lunch, and fixed dinner routines—regardless of changes in daily load. How often have we seen players eat salmon and eggs every day for breakfast, because it tastes nice, regardless of the prescribed load? Or worse, they skip or miss breakfast altogether, because they “aren’t hungry” or are running late.

Without tailored support, fuelling remains static. The result is a mismatch between demand and delivery: training loads fluctuate, but food and fluid intake does not.

Truth about body composition

A common defence for lower intake during preseason is body composition. Some staff may argue that a degree of under-fuelling, particularly reduced carbohydrate intake, is strategic, helping players “lean up” after the off-season.

But our data tells a different story.

In a broader dataset of over 900 elite male footballers across UK professional leagues, players—particularly those in the top tiers—are not reporting to preseason with excessive body fat. In fact, the opposite is true. Most return lighter than their typical in-season weight,  often 1–2 kg down. This is not due to intentional fat loss, but to a reduction in muscle mass.

The reason? A drop in structured fuelling and stimulus. Many players report maintaining some degree of training while away—often with personal trainers or fitness coaches—but without structured eating to support.

The most common feedback? “I was in [hot holiday destination], training every day… but I didn’t eat much. It was hot, I wasn’t that hungry, and no one was telling me what to eat.”

Excess fat is rarely the problem we’re dealing with. These are elite players often in elite condition (outside of a small number per squad). If we presume that all players should be underfuelling during preseason in the name of leanness, not only are we not helping them, we’re compounding a legitimate issue before the season even begins.

Carbohydrate: The most maligned macronutrient

There’s an unspoken fear running through elite dressing rooms, quietly guiding choices and reshaping plates.

Somewhere along the way, carbohydrate became code for “fat,” “lazy,” “processed,” “unnecessary.” We’ve seen it again and again: players skipping meals, pushing salad leaves across a plate, loading up on salmon, eggs, avocado, and protein shakes.

In our study, players averaged just 2.8 ± 0.6 g/kg/day of CHO during preseason. Even on the most demanding days—double sessions, match days, MD±1—CHO intake rarely exceeded 4 g/kg. None of the players reached 6 g/kg/day at any point, and some days were as low as 2 g/kg.

Compare this to established best practice guidelines from UEFA:

• Single training day: 4–6 g/kg
• Double training day: 6–8 g/kg
• Match days (±1): 6–8 g/kg

That’s a shortfall of up to 400 g per day—1,600 kcal—for an 80 kg player. In real terms, it means players are likely under-fuelled, under-recovered, and carrying residual fatigue into sessions that are meant to build them.

We’ve seen it too many times: a player dragging on day four of a preseason tour, RPE scores creeping higher, cramps in the final 20 minutes. Not because the programme is wrong, but because the body was never given what it needed to adapt.

And it gets worse in the heat. Appetite drops. Salad becomes the default. Fluid goes down, but glycogen never goes up.

This isn’t about science. It’s about storytelling, reminding players that fuelling well isn’t weakness: it’s the very thing that gives them strength.

Protein is on point. Fat is high.

Most elite footballers have their protein intake covered. Whether by instinct, habit, or sheer repetition, they hit the mark. Our players averaged 2.2 g/kg/day, well within the 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day recommendation.

The standard plate contains three portions of chicken, a mountain of vegetable, and half a scoop of rice. Or the 500 g steak, proudly served with nothing but a salad and aioli.

For an 80 kg player, that’s 175 g daily. Tissue repair? Covered. Recovery support? Good to go.

Fat intake? That’s a bit more complicated.

The recommended range is 20-35% of total energy. But when players consume high fat meals—nut butters, oils, full fat yoghurts, creamy dressings, pesto, eggs—it doesn’t take much for fat to creep over 130 g/day. That’s nearly half their energy intake.

The fix isn’t restriction. It’s sequencing.

In high performance environments, an elegant solution is adjusting the order of service. Start with three standardised CHO servings. Add one protein portion. Then salad or vegetables on a side plate. Empower your performance catering staff to serve portions just like you measure out metres on the training pitch.

Where staffing is limited, small nudges can help: signage, player prompts, even restructured buffet layouts. But without direction, the defaults take over, and fat takes more than its fair share.

No periodisation, no planning

One of the most striking findings was the flatness of dietary intake across the week. There was no change in energy or macronutrient intake between rest, training, or match days. No ramp-up for double sessions. No push on match day. This lack of fuelling periodisation is a common blind spot in elite environments. No matter the level, age group, or sport, players fuel by habit, not by plan. They eat what they always eat, not what the day demands.

Nutrition periodisation gets overcomplicated. The science is sound, but the solution doesn’t need to be fancy. The principle is simple: when the load goes up, so should the energy, fuel, and fluid.

If today’s a double session, increase the pre-session CHO by adding a bowl of cereal, a 500 mL juice, or even just an extra banana. After the session, add a recovery drink, a main meal with carbs that match the effort, and a low fat and enjoyable dessert (e.g., low fat ice cream).

In our study, even on match day, CHO barely shifted. Pre-training breakfasts delivered just 0.7 g/kg. Post-training meals were nominally higher at ~0.8 g/kg. Both were well short of the 1.5–2.0 g/kg needed to replenish glycogen and support recovery.

The mismatch is clear. The fix isn’t complex.

Teach players to fuel appropriately when the load demands it. Coach the key meals. Build patterns they can repeat. The performance isn’t just in the session. It’s in the preparation for it and the recovery from it.

Fluid turnover outpaces hydration

We all say hydration matters. But when training ramps up with double sessions in soaring heat and seemingly endless pitch time, it’s often the first thing to fall through the cracks.

Our study used the most accurate field techniques available (e.g., doubly labelled water), and showed players averaging water turnover of 5.1 L/day. That’s not a target, it’s a reflection of how much their bodies used. In sessions, sweat rates typically hit 1.0–3.0 L/hour. Yet most players don’t replace the losses. Be honest: when was the last time one of your players drank over five litres in a day?

Most drink to quench thirst, not to stay ahead of it.

The easy mistakes or omissions are sporadic weigh-ins, optional electrolytes, and scattershot recovery drinks—a shake here, a bottle of water there. Typically nothing structured, measured, or consistent.

The consequences show up in cramps, fatigue, poor concentration, disrupted sleep, and slower recovery.

Teams should implement weigh-ins and weigh-outs, especially hot conditions. Use that data to rehydrate at 1.25–1.5 L per kg lost. Team staff can be creative with the drinks. Provide some flavour with CHO-electrolyte drinks, slushies, smoothies, mocktails—whatever they’ll love and look forward to consuming. Make it visible with coloured bottles and well-labeled recovery fridges. Visibility drives behaviour.

Educate through impact. Sweat tests aren’t just for data, they’re for buy-in. Let players see the gaps for themselves through personalised hydration.

Players typically lose more than they think and replace less than they need. Hydration isn’t an afterthought. It’s a performance pillar.

Translating energy expenditure into nutritional targets

One of the biggest challenges in preseason isn’t knowing that players are under-fuelling, it’s knowing how much they actually need to perform, recover, and adapt.

This study helps fill that gap.

With an average total energy expenditure of ~3,150 kcal, we now have a firm benchmark for senior male professionals in a demanding preseason training block. From this, we can reverse engineer the macronutrient targets that support optimal performance.

Protein

Guidelines suggest 1.6–2.2 g/kg/day = 128–176 g/day for an 80 kg player. Most players met or exceeded this in our data. No immediate action needed for most.

Fat

Recommended at 20–35% of energy intake = 71–124 g/day. This provides essential fatty acids and supports energy intake. We need to monitor fat intake to ensure it doesn’t displace carbohydrate, especially in players undertaking body re-composition.

Carbohydrate

Once protein and fat are accounted for, we’re left with ~1,320–1,980 kcal available for carbohydrate. That equates to:

330–500 g/day of CHO, or ~4.2–6.2 g/kg/day

These targets sit comfortably within the recommended UEFA pre-season range of 4–8 g/kg/day but demand deliberate planning, especially given habitual under-consumption in elite environments.

Six ways to close the preseason fuelling gap

Set clear dietary behaviours to coach players

Work backwards from the session plan. Rest days, single sessions, and double days need different fuelling strategies. Give players a ballpark range:

• Rest days: 3- 4 g/kg
• Single training days: 5-6 g/kg
• Double training days: 7–8 g/kg

Don’t just tell them. Coach them in real food behaviours.

What practically changes from a rest, to a single, to a double training day? It might be as simple as adding a freshly squeezed juice or fruit smoothie to all meals on training days, alongside a post-session recovery drink. Change breakfast on MD±1 from eggs to pancakes or crepes and adding a low fat, high CHO dessert after lunch and dinner meals (e.g., low fat vanilla rice pudding, crepe station with fruits and honey or maple syrup).

Make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying. Engage your performance catering team. Ensure they are up-skilled and enabled to support the daily coaching of players.

Focus on the first two meals

Breakfast and lunch are where most players fall short, especially pre- and post-session.

Pre-training target should be 1–2 g/kg of CHO (e.g. porridge with honey and banana, crepes, bagels, low fat waffles) with a minimum 500 mL fluid (smoothies made to order, freshly squeezed juices).

Post-training, hit 1.5–2 g/kg CHO. Players should have a recovery drink waiting for them straight when they come off the pitch, followed by a carb heavy live station for lunch. Everyone loves breads, noodles, rice, and pastas as a tour of cuisines of the world, especially when the next stage is a low fat dessert (e.g., homemade rice pudding, low fat apple crumble or ice cream served with fresh berries).

Take hydration seriously

Sweat losses are large in preseason, especially on double days or in the heat and humidity. But most players only drink when they’re thirsty.

Weigh the players before and after sessions, especially during physically demanding sessions or particularly hot days. Replace 1.2–1.5 L per kg lost with cold, flavoured, CHO-electrolyte drinks during training. After training, get creative and delicious with recovery drinks: not many players turn down ice cold Oreo milkshakes, or roasted pineapple daiquiri (non-alcoholic, obviously) slushies after a hot training session in the sun.

After incorporating these recommendations, test their hydration. You’ll be surprised how many players are hydrating appropriately.

Make the food desirable

They won’t eat what they don’t enjoy, more so when they’re tired, hot, or stressed.

Fuel needs to look, smell, and taste great, especially when you’re eating in the same restaurant each day. This is where your performance chef and catering team can show off what they can do. Involve them—help them solve the performance problem.

Make the whole nutrition / refuelling aspect fun and engaging. Ask the players to help pick the menu, especially for players from different cultures and backgrounds, and always run a live station. If they love it, they’ll eat it. If they eat it, they’ll recover.

Recovery doesn’t equal a protein shake

Carbs are king for the elite performance athlete. Have delicious, carb-rich recovery drinks available post-session. Have meals and snacks available to take home that are appropriately portioned for performance.

Remind players to keep sipping fluids. Encourage a second snack or feeding 2–3 hours later. Let them take performance meals home or support them with appropriately portioned meal prep or private chefs. Monitor morning body mass to prevent large untargeted losses. Create structures and systems that help you catch any mistakes, e.g. the player who’s working hard, and by the end of week two is unintentionally 2 kg lighter than he was on day 1.

Empower your performance nutrition and catering team

Nutrition is everyone’s business, and everyone has an opinion: the coaching staff, senior management, and ownership team, not to mention the players. 

Most people reading this article are not nutritionists, so remember that the performance nutrition and catering team are key parts of the performance staff. We need your help and support to really drive the narrative and deliver performance food that fuels and nourishes our players.

Future of fuelling

Right now, fuelling isn’t personalised. But as with all other areas of performance, the future is precision.

Imagine this: a player walks off the pitch and, within minutes, their data has spoken. GPS, heart rate, sweat loss, internal load are all processed. Not into charts and unreadable spreadsheets, but into real food and drink recommendations.

“Today you hit 46% of match load. You burned 1,250 kcal, depleted 180 g of carbohydrate, and lost 1.7 litres of fluid, including 800 mg of sodium.”

Then they walk into the performance restaurant, scan their band, and up pops a personalised plate, shake, or rehydration drink. We’re not quite there yet. But we’re close.

At first, this will be a behavioural play, tool to build buy-in and show players: “We see you. We’re dialling in your needs.” It may lack full accuracy to start. But as AI models improve, as sensors sharpen, and as data systems integrate, so will the precision.

Preseason is an opportunity to develop the physical qualities that underpin a successful campaign. But that development depends on the adaptation that comes from a consistent, high quality training stimulus. That adaptation, in turn, depends on sufficient recovery.

Our findings and our practical experiences clearly indicate that elite players are not fuelling to preseason demands. They’re under-eating, under-hydrating, and missing the chance to maximise their hard work and dedication. This doesn’t mean that all elite male players are always under-fuelled or under-hydrated. But it does raise a flag.

Performance nutrition deserves to be treated with the same planning, precision, and priority as physical preparation, coaching, and medical care. Yet in too many elite environments, it’s still an afterthought: part-time roles, underqualified support, and generic advice.

For practitioners, the challenge is closing that gap. Get the fuelling right, and the foundations are stronger. Get it wrong, and everything else sits on shaky ground.