Welcome to the first LA Galaxy’s sports science blog, my name is Alex Savva and I am the manager of Sports Science for the team. I was brought to the Galaxy to ensure players are able to perform optimally by implementing a nutrition and supplementation program supported by Herbalife. This entails menu planning, nutritional consultations, body fat testing, micronutrient blood tests, hydration testing, as well as other scientific tests and monitoring. I work closely alongside the medical team with performance, recovery and injury prevention key goals to ensure success for the season.
Before moving to Los Angeles, I worked at Tottenham Hotspurs Football Club in the club’s sports nutrition program. I studied Sports and Exercise Science at Loughborough University before obtaining a Masters Degree in Exercise Physiology at the same school.
I hope to roll out this blog in three phases. The first phase will be an overview of general nutrition. We will start by covering the seven categories of nutrients that are of which essential to life and healthy living.
General Nutrition
- Carbohydrates: Energy and fuel
- Protein: Build and Repair
- Fat: Essential Fatty Acids
- Fiber: Digestion
- Vitamins: A, B, C, D, E and K
- Minerals: The power of 5
- Water: Hydration, Hydration, Hydration.
The second phase of the blog will be tailored towards Sports Nutrition specifically in soccer. This will incorporate more pressing issues related to preparing, prepping, and recovering soccer athletes from training and matches and to provide more specific recommendations in terms of the protein and carbohydrate intake required at the pre and post-game meals. In addition we will explain the benefits of supplementation as well as reveal some of the Herbalife products we use with our players.
Sports Nutrition
- Nutrition for the 24 hour Soccer Player
- Making weight – Building muscle and burning fat
- The Pre-Game Meal: Routine and Tradition versus Science.
- Post-Game Nutrition for Recovery
- Hydration for health and performance
- Herbalife Nutrition: Supplements and recovery
- The blog’s third phase will attempt to bring nutrition to your table in order to help you improve daily nutrition and ensure a well-balanced diet.
Nutrition at your table
- Eat like a Pro: Galaxy Menu
- Eat like a King: Healthy food recipe
- Eat for a week: Grocery list
- Eat for less: Recipes.
Watch out for the next post: Carbohydrates: Energy and Fuel
Yours hydrated,
Alex Savva
Follow on Twitter for any questions: @alexsavva19
