That claim might seem hard to back up, but hear us out! Professional soccer players in England and other European countries (or “footballers” as they insist on being called) are often spotted with plies of pizza boxes after a match. For many teams, ordering pizza after a match is a long-standing tradition. While this might seem like an unhealthy choice at first glance, there are actually some very good reasons to indulge in everyone’s favorite take out after engaging in vigorous exercise, like playing soccer.

Let’s take a closer look at why these elite athletes don’t shy away from take out after a game and why you shouldn’t either!

Speed Up Recovery

After playing a high-intensity sport like soccer, you need to replenish your body’s energy. During this kind of activity, your body relies on glycogen for fuel. Glycogen is a form of glucose your body stores in your liver and muscles. To replenish glycogen after intense activity, your body needs carbohydrates, which it then breaks down into glucose and stores as glycogen. For recovery after rigorous exercise, your body needs high-calorie, energy-dense foods like pizza.

Carb Up Before Exercise

Pizza is also a food that can help you prepare for periods of intense exercise. Eating carbs will help you build up glycogen to have fuel and energy throughout the game or whatever you’re doing. Prioritizing carbohydrates will help fuel your performance, but you have to pay attention to how much fat you are consuming as well. In general, you want to lower your fat intake to allow for the extra calories from carbs. You’ll also want to skip the extra cheese, as foods that are difficult to digest, like dairy products, can have a negative impact on your performance.

Treat Yourself

There is also a psychological component to ordering pizza or other take out foods after a sports game, whether your team won or lost. Many players think of it as a reward for their hard work, and if they win, it’s also a celebration. Knowing that you have something to look forward to after the game can inspire you to play better and help you take a loss with sportsmanship.

Order Post-Game Take Out from Alley Cat!

Whether you win or lose, you can always have pizza after the game. And there are plenty of good reasons why you should! We have all your favorites at Alley Cat Pizzeria, from pizza to subs to sides, so you can create your ideal post-game feast.

Give us a call at 603-669-4533 or order online!