Here are 7 great tips regarding what you should avoid and what you should have for pre-competition meals
This article provided by My Sports Dietitian
By Tavis Piattoly MS, RD, LDN
Which Athlete are You?
The bell just rang and school is out! The meet is 3 hours away and the coach dismissed the team to go get something to eat and be back in an hour.
Athlete #1
Goes to McDonalds, 2 double cheeseburgers, large fries and large coke.
Athlete #2
Two turkey sandwiches, fruit, and a low calorie drink from home.
Athlete #1 or Athlete #2 will experience the following?
- Significantly have more energy in the second half of the game?
- Still have large amounts of fat in their digestive system during the game?
- Be dehydrated and sluggish?
- Most likely to get abdominal cramps before, during or after the game?
- Recovers quicker the next day from muscle fatigue?
- Spent more money?
- Planned poorly and has no real sports nutrition goals?
7 Tips for a Great Pre-Game Meal
- Don’t Experiment
Don’t try new foods on a game day, it might cause unexpected problems. - Avoid Soft Drinks and Candy
Sugar is your enemy, empty calories that don’t provide long term fuel source. - High Carbohydrates
Never can go wrong with breads, pasta, rice…pure long lasting energy source. - Timing
Takes about 3 hours to empty the stomach of quality food. - Fluids
Plenty of water and sports drinks…stay away from carbonated sugary soft drinks. - Avoid High Fat Intake
Fat takes longer to digest and lots of water to process. - Limit Protein Intake
Protein is a weak energy source, great for building tissue but limit the amount prior to game.