Your pre-event meal should focus on complex carbohydrates and adequate fluids. Carbohydrates are important for two reasons. First, your body needs carbs for energy. When you eat carbohydrates they are stored in your liver and muscles as glycogen. Then during your event, your body breaks down glycogen into glucose (blood sugar) to give you the energy you need to perform at your best. Without adequate glycogen stores, you will experience fatigue and your performance will suffer. Secondly, carbs are best for pre-event meals because they are digested faster than other types of food.
When to eat Consume your carbohydrate-rich, pre-event meal 3-4 hours before your athletic competition to allow proper digestion. Meals high in fat can take as long as 6-8 hours to digest. Carbs can be digested in a few hours. You want your food to be digested by game time, otherwise, nausea, stomach upset and fatigue can occur. Some of your blood goes to your digestive tract to help digest food. You want your blood available for your muscles at game time, so make sure you allow enough digestion time before your event and pick the right foods that digest quickly. Also remember to eat foods that you enjoy and that are familiar to you. Don’t experiment with new foods before a game or athletic event.
What to eat Examples of good pre-event, high carbohydrate food choices include whole grain breads and cereals, pasta, rice, potatoes, waffles and pancakes. Small amounts of protein can be enjoyed as part of your pre-event meal, but keep in mind these take longer to digest than carbs. Avoid spicy foods, sugary foods and foods high in fat. Foods (and beverages) high in sugar content can cause a spike in blood sugar followed by a drop in blood sugar that can affect your energy level at game time.
Don’t forget to hydrate The other important part of the pre-event meal is hydration. Consume 16-20 ounces of water or a sports drink 2-3 hours before your game or event. Then consume another 8 ounces of water or a sports drink 10-20 minutes before your game or event. Avoid soda and other beverages containing caffeine as these can increase pre-game jitters.
Pre-event suggestions Based on the your game or event time, below are a few suggestions of what to eat and when. Since athletes often start to warm-up about an hour before their event, please note that you need to allow proper digestion to take place by this time, not the actual start time of your athletic event. You want your food digested by the time you will begin any vigorous physical activity, including warm-up.
Keep in mind that everyone is different, and some people can tolerate more food than others prior to an event. While some athletes may be able to enjoy a 300-500 calorie breakfast 3-4 hours before a game, others are not comfortable eating that much food due to nervousness or simply because they’re more likely to experience stomach upset once they start physical activity. A few bites of a bagel, banana, a small amount of cereal, or an energy bar and some gatorade may be all that the athlete can consume without getting gastrointestinal distress. The trick is to find what works best for you.
Game or event time-10am Eat a high-carb dinner the night before and drink extra fluids the day before. Have a relatively light, 300-500 calorie, carbohydrate meal by 7am to allow for proper digestion to take place. If you want to eat more, get up earlier so you have 3-4 hours to digest. Consume adequate fluids to establish hydration.
Game or event time-3:45pm after school Eat a high-carbohydrate dinner the night before and a high carbohydrate breakfast the morning of your event. Have a regular sized lunch, if you have 3-4 hours to digest by the 2:45pm warm-up time. If not, have a lighter lunch. Consume extra fluids the day before and maintain proper hydration levels the day of the event.
Game or event time-7pm night game Eat a high-carb breakfast and lunch, both should be fairly-sized meals since you have more digestion time. Eat a healthy snack or a light dinner by 3pm to allow for proper digestion. Consume adequate fluids to maintain hydration during the day.
Don't make these mistakes!
Don’t eat unfamiliar foods. If you want to add variety to your pregame meal, try out the new foods prior to a practice or workout instead of a game or competition, so you know how your body responds.
Carbo loading on too much white bread, white rice, pasta or other refined foods can make you constipated.
High fiber foods in your pregame meal can give you diarrhea.