Download Timing Of Your Preseason Meals

ASON SPORTS MEDICINE OFFICE
Vicki Galliher, ACSM
GMHS Sports Medicine Director
Most athletes are concerned about the timing, type and volume of food
and drink to consume before practices or games. It is important to note that
inadequate physical training or an improper daily diet cannot be overcome by
your pre-practice or pre-game meal. Your performance day in and day out
will depend on the foods and beverages you have consumed in the previous
days and weeks before your practice session or game.
Never show up for a practice or game following an overnight fast or after
long periods of not eating. If you properly time your meals and snacks prior
to a vigorous training session or game, you will replenish your liver glycogen
(your body’s source of fuel) which will ensure that adequate energy is
available to your body. The liver relies on frequent meals to ensure that it
stays “tanked up” with glycogen.
If you were to go without fueling your
body 6-10 hours prior to your event,
you’ll most likely experience a
premature lowering of blood glucose (sugar) during your practice or game. A
low blood glucose level can leave you feeling dizzy, fatigued and mentally
unable to focus on the task in front of you.
The timing of your last meal before competition will depend on the
intensity and duration of the competition. Begin by experimenting with the
timing of your meals. Plan on having your last meal 2 to 4 hours before
training, and try to move it as close as possible to the start of your practice
session or game. You want to enter most events with an empty stomach at
the time of competition, whether it be a practice session or game. Yet you
don’t want to feel hungry or weak on the line or starting block.
Factors that affect eating and exercise timing are fitness level, intensity of
the exercise, and stress. A highly fit individual can perform more intense
exercise after eating without placing a great burden on the digestive system.
Being nervous or excited about performing will also affect how much and how
far before competition you can or should eat.
A major rule to follow before competing is to select foods that your
stomach can tolerate well.
The foods you consume should be foods that
you are accustomed to eating.
Your chances of experiencing gastrointestinal distress increase when you experiment with foods you’re not used
to eating prior to a practice or game. Here are some simple rules to
follow:
1. High-carbohydrate meals are best – about 70% of your meal.
Pancakes, waffles, cereals, pasta, bagels, fruit, and liquid carbohydrate
beverages are all good food choices.
The key is to maintain your
blood glucose levels and allow for a steady release of food from your
stomach.
2. Avoid meals that are too high in protein. Keep the protein content
to no more than 10-15%. Protein foods take longer to digest and
absorb. In addition, protein foods tend to increase urine output,
which can lead to increased dehydration.
3. Avoid eating foods high in fat – only 15-20% of your pre-training
meal should be fat. Fried foods, doughnuts, cheeses, foods high in
butter and cream cheese, and meats that are high in fat should be
avoided. Fat tends to leave the stomach slowly, and some athletes
complain of feeling bloated after consuming a high-fat meal.
4. You do want some protein and fat in your diet; not only do you
need these fuels for long-term energy supply, they will help moderate
the release of carbohydrates from your stomach.
This will help
maintain blood glucose (sugar) levels and ward off hunger pangs in
training sessions or events lasting several hours.
5. Go easy on the sugar & fiber. Some athletes experience gastrointestinal distress and diarrhea when they consume high portions of
fructose from juices or fruit, and fiber just prior to competition or
practices. Whole wheat, bran cereals, fresh fruit with skins such as
apples, pears and most raw vegetables are high-fiber foods.
6. Be sure to take in adequate amounts of fluid! You don’t want to
start a practice session or game in a state of dehydration.
The chart that follows provides a suggested timeline for what to
eat and drink, and when to do it, based on this year’s scheduled
preseason football practice sessions (4:00 – 9:30 pm).
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George Mason Pre-Season Football – Fall 2005
4:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Recommended Fueling/Hydration Strategy
Sample Menu For Food/Fluid Intake
8:00-9:00 am
Breakfast
Pancakes or waffles (4) with syrup
3-4 scrambled egg whites or egg substitutes
Banana
8-12 oz skim milk (white or chocolate)
12 oz orange juice
10:30 am
Snack (Choose one of the following)
- 6 oz low-fat yogurt w/ fruit plus 12 oz water
- Cereal or granola bar plus 12 oz water
- English muffin plus 12 oz water
12:00-12:30 pm Lunch
2 cups spaghetti/pasta with tomato sauce
Small to medium chicken breast or lean
ground hamburger for tomato sauce
1 serving of whole-grain bread
2 servings of fruit
8 oz fruit juice
500-725 mg Magnesium (See note at end of chart)
2:00 pm
Pre-Practice Hydration & Fueling
12 oz sports drink
Energy bar (Avoid high-protein bars at this time)
3:00-3:30 pm
Pre-Practice Hydration
5 oz sports drink
10 oz water
4:00 pm
Practice Begins
6:30-7:15 pm
Break Session – Refuel & Re-hydrate
(Tentative time)
Sandwich (Recommend peanut butter & jelly, or
lean deli meats such as roast beef,
ham or turkey – limit amount of
mayo)
Cereal bar or small sandwich bag of trail mix
32 oz Gatorade (provided by GMHS Athletic Dept)
9:30 pm
Practice Concludes
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9:30-9:45 pm
Recovery Hydration
32 oz Gatorade (provided by GMHS Athletic Dept)
* Before leaving practice
10:00-10:30 pm Recovery Fueling
8-10 oz lean protein (can include red meat as well)
1-2 cups of pasta or rice
Salad or veggies
Serving of whole-grain bread
16-24 oz water
Light dessert if desired
(Good choices: fruit or yogurt smoothie,
snack pudding, chocolate milk)
SPECIAL NOTE:
Magnesium is a mineral that provides energy transport to the muscle tissues.
Athletes with low levels of magnesium are more likely to develop muscle
spasms or cramps during extended periods of heavy exertion, especially in
conditions of moderate to extreme heat.
Magnesium supplementation is STRICTLY VOLUNTARY,
recommended on a daily basis by the GMHS Athletic Training Office.
but
is
Though Magnesium can be found as a component of a daily multi-vitamin, it
is best to use it as a stand-alone mineral. Magnesium can be purchased in
grocery stores, typically in 250 mg tablets.
While participating in August 2-a-day preseason practices,
it is
recommended that our athletes consume 750 mg of Magnesium daily. Once
the regular season & practice sessions begin in September, 500 mg of
Magnesium is adequate during the week, with 750 mg of Magnesium
recommended on game days.
Food
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sources of Magnesium include:
Apples
Avocados
Bananas
Brown rice
Dairy products
Garlic
Green leafy vegetables
Nuts
Soybeans
Whole grains
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