WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A PRECOMPETITION MEAL??
The precompetition meal serves two purposes:
- to keep you from feeling hungry before and during the event
- to maintain the levels of sugar in your blood that your muscles will use during training and competition
Many athletes often skip meals before they train or workout, especially if the workout is in the early morning. Skipping meals, or not eating before an early morning workout will lower the stored energy in your body, and can impair your performance. This is particularly true if your workout involves endurance training that last 30 minutes or longer.
WHEN SHOULD I EAT MY PRECOMPETITION MEAL?
Your stomach should not be full during your event. In general, it takes from 1 to 4 hours for your stomach to digest a meal and empty it into your intestines. If you are nervous, that process may take even longer. Food that remains in your stomach during an event may cause stomach upset, nausea, and/or vomiting. If you eat your meal 1 to 3 hours before the start of your competition, you stomach will be almost empty during the event.
WHAT IS A GOOD PRECOMPETITION MEAL?
Your pre-event meal should include foods that are high in carbohydrates, such as breads, pasta, fruits, and vegetables. Your stomach and intestines digest these food quickly. Carbohydrates also help build up stored energy in your body for use later during your event.
To avoid stomach upset or nausea, the closer you are to the start of your event - the less you should eat. You can have a liquid meal closer to your event, because a liquid meal digests faster than a solid meal. This especially useful if you are nervous and tense.
If you compete at all-day events such as track meets, swimming meets, or tournaments, you may be tempted by whatever foods are available at the concession stands. Consider the amount of time that you have between your events, bring healthy foods, and plan accordingly. Suggested pre-event menus include the following:
1 hour or less before competition:
- fruit or vegetable juice (orange, tomato, V-8) and/or
- fresh fruit (apples, watermelons, peaches, grapes, or oranges) and/or
- up to 1.5 cups of a sports drink (Gatorade)
2 to 3 hours before competition:
- fresh fruit, fruit or vegetable juices, and/or
- bread, bagels, english muffins with limited amounts of butter, margarine, cream cheese, or low-fat yogurt and/or
- up to 4 cups of a sports drink (Gatorade)
3 to 4 hours before competition:
- fresh fruit, fruit or vegetable juices, and
- bread, bagels, baked potatoes, cereal with low fat milk
- low-fat yogurt, sandwiches with a small amount of peanut butter
- butter, lean meat, low fat cheese, and/or
up to 7.5 cups of a sports drink (Gatorade)
DOES EATING SUGARY FOODS BEFORE EXERCISE IMPROVE PERFORMANCE?
Athletes sometimes consume simple carbohydrates such as honey, candy, or soft drinks right before exercise in hopes of getting quick energy. Unfortunately, eating sugary foods will not provide it. Most of the energy for exercise comes from foods eaten several hours or even days before the start of a race or event.
If you are an endurance athlete, recent evidence suggests that eating some sugary foods (like energy bars, some types of candy bars, or sports drinks) 35 to 40 minutes before an event may benefit you by providing energy (glucose) to your exercising muscles when your other energy stores have dropped to low levels. However, athletes are sensitive to having their blood sugar levels go up and down quickly. Eating sugary foods right before an event can possibly harm performance. Try different approaches to find out what works best for you.
DOES CAFFEINE IMPROVE PERFORMANCE?
Caffeine works by stimulating your central nervous system. In the past, researchers thought that caffeine improved endurance performance by stimulating a greater use of fat for energy, so that less of the stored energy in your muscles (glycogen) was burned. However, more recent studies do not support this theory. When caffeine improves endurance, it does so by acting as a stimulant.
Caffeine does not help everyone. Some people are very sensitive, and experience side effects that include nausea, muscle tremors, and headaches. Too much caffeine can cause you to produce more urine and lose more water, especially in hot weather. You can become dehydrated and hurt your performance.
The International Olympic Committee has placed limits on the amount of caffeine an athlete in international competition may use. Tablets containing caffeine taken before or during exercise should be used with caution due to their high levels of caffeine, and the possibility of overdosing.
WHAT SHOULD I AVOID FOR MY PRECOMPETITION MEAL?
The hot dogs, donuts, nachos, potato chips, and candy bars found at most concession stands are very high in fat and are not digested quickly. If you eat these foods as pre-event meals, they will likely be in your stomach much of the morning or afternoon. Avoid or limit eating these foods for your pre-event meal.
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