Athletic performance largely depends on nutrition so it’s important to make sure you are fueling your body with food before your big game. It’s best to not eat right before you perform because you may experience gastrointestinal upset. Nutrition will be very individualized, but in general:
- 3-4 hours before exercise: eat a meal with carbohydrate, protein & fat
- 1-2 hours before exercise: focus on a snack with carbohydrate & protein
Each of these include carbohydrates which act as fuel for the body while protein helps build and repair muscles. If you are able to eat a full meal 3-4 hours before a workout, this will help give your body enough time to digest most of this food. If you don’t have that much time, try a smaller snack within 1-2 hours of exercise with carbohydrates and protein (fat takes longer to digest!).
Examples of meals to eat 3-4 hours before exercise:
- Chicken or fish, rice + vegetables
- Egg omelet, whole grain toast with avocado + fruit
- Meat Sandwich on whole grain bread + vegetables
Examples of snacks to eat 1-2 hours before exercise:
- Whole-grain cereal + milk
- Oatmeal with banana + nuts
- Greek yogurt with berries + granola
- Peanut butter + jelly sandwich