The right nutrition is always important for athletes and it becomes crucial when preparing for a competition. What you eat and drink before and during an event can affect your performance and so eating a well-balanced meal beforehand is an important part of your prep. A proper pre-event meal will make sure you have enough fuel to get through the entire athletic event. The pre-event meal should give you the proper hydration and energy to perform and can also help prevent fatigue, decrease hunger pain.
You must eat your pre-game meal three to four hours before the event. For example ,if you have an 8 a.m. event, cut your calories in half and eat at around 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m., then have a sports drink 30 minutes before the start.
It can matter what you eat as far ahead as a week before a competition. Generally, athletes should follow their regular diet as they train and they must have a balanced meal the night before and the morning of the competition, and a proper snack before the competition.
Weeks Before the Competition
While training for the competition, generally should eat a balanced diet consisting of about 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein and 20% fat but this can vary by sport and position. Incorporating foods, such as whole-grain bread and cereals, green, leafy vegetables, fruits, lean meats and low-fat dairy can prove beneficial for athletes . Drink plenty of liquids to stay properly hydrated.
24 to 48 Hours Before the Competition
For most athletes, having a balanced meal the night before the competition or a meal which is similar to the training diet will be the best choice. A balanced meal could consist of a 6-ounce grilled chicken breast, a bowl of pasta with a light amount of tomato sauce and a side of peas or corn or a sandwich with roasted chicken or lean turkey on whole-wheat bread, with lettuce or any other vegetable to round out the meal.
Hours before the competition
You must eat a large meal at least 3 to 4 hours before a competition to give your body time to digest the food but if you cannot eat a meal 3 to 4 hours before the competition, eat a light meal or snack which can be easily digestible. If your competition is later in the day, the meal you must have after pre-competition breakfast and before 3 to 4 hours ahead the competition, should consist of half carbohydrates and the other half a combination of lean protein and colourful fruits and vegetables.
Additional tips:
Here are some Breakfast Options for Morning Competition
- Egg white with two slices of whole-wheat toast or a small bagel and fresh fruit
- A bagel topped with turkey and scrambled egg whites and low-fat cheese, served with fresh fruit or a low-calorie juice such cranberry juice and water
- A smoothie made from one cup of fruit, 20 grams protein such as non-fat Greek yogurt or one scoop protein powder or powdered peanut butter, one cup spinach and one tablespoon ground flax or chia seed.
List of foods that you must avoid before a competition
Let’s now discuss about the most important thing i.e. foods you must avoid before a competition are as follows:
- high fat foods– Fat takes a long time to digest so one must avoid nuts, fried foods, whole-milk dairy products and red meats are considered high in fat.
- Lactose– lactose may cause nausea or upset stomach so avoid milk, yogurt and cheese.
- high fiber. Fiber requires a lot of energy to pass through the digestive system, which could cause gas, bloating, abdominal cramping or diarrhea and thus avoid foods high in fiber include beans, berries and broccoli.
- Caffeine. Sometimes caffeine causes dehydration, so avoid caffeine intake unless you are a regular caffeine drinker, because cutting out caffeine the day of competition could lead to a withdrawal headache.
Tips: Keep it simple by focusing on your go-to foods while keeping in mind the dietary recommendations and avoid any foods you know that do not sit well with you.
Discussion about this post