Stay match fit

Take the lead from your World Cup heroes and stay in shape for the weeks ahead.

According to recent research by Loughborough University, one in ten fans will drink 20 cans and 20 pints of beer throughout the World Cup, while one in seven fans will eat ten pizzas during the tournament.

So, make sure you get the most from your World Cup experience and don’t get stretchered off before half time.

Watch what you drink

In the last year (2009/10) 3,500 accident and emergency patients went there because of alcohol and up to 5,000 ambulance call outs were due to alcohol. Massive sporting events like the World Cup inevitably lead to even greater quantities being drunk and heightened tension which can lead to injury. There is a chance fans under the influence could fall over as they are trying to recreate that sublime free kick which led to the winning goal. Head, hand and facial damage are common alcohol-related injuries.

To avoid that trip to casualty:

Take more water with it - like a footballer your body needs constant hydration and alcohol can dehydrate you. For every alcoholic drink you have, have one soft drink or a glass of water, this should help slow down your drinking and dilute some of the worst effects. This is even more important in hot weather.
Never drink on an empty stomach - like the best football teams, make sure you have a nourishing pre-match meal to shore your body up for the challenge ahead.
Stick to a budget - every football manager only has a limited budget to spend. Take the same approach. Take out a limited amount of cash with you and leave the cash cards at home, that way you can’t drink more than you intend to and won’t end up buying the whole pub a pint when England win.

Recommended drinking guidelines

In the UK, it is recommended that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units per day, and woman should not regularly drink more than two to three units per day. In terms of weekly limits,

Men are advised to drink no more than 21 units per week
Woman no more than 14 units per week.

For instance:

For men, an average per day of 1.5 pints of beer, three shorts or two small glasses of wine
For women, an average per day of just over one small glass of wine, two shorts or one pint of beer.

For more information about alcohol, including an iphone app that lets you track your drinking go to: www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/Alcohol/Pages/Alcoholhome.aspx

For more information about staying safe when you are out on the town go to: www.nightsafe-oxford.org.uk/

Get off the couch and do a Crouch - get active

Even when they are on the bench, footballers are keeping themselves fit pitch-side. To make sure you are match-fit and ready for anything follow the players’ lead and stay active.

Have a kick around with your mates at half time
Set up a five-a-side tournament to play between matches
Jog to your mate’s house before the game
Do a few circuits around your local football pitch

The NHS has launched a new online tool that allows fans to test their match fitness and see how they compare to fans from around the world, such as Germany and Argentina.

The tool aims to encourage adults to get more active. As an added bonus, players will be able to find out how much they would be worth in today’s transfer market and score points for their favourite World Cup team by answering a series of simple health questions.

Backed by the English Football Association and developed with the charity Men’s Health Forum, the tool is available via Facebook, iTunes and NHS Choices, just search for “Football Fan Fitness Challenge”. www.nhs.uk/tools/pages/worldcup.aspx

For more ideas about how to get active go to: