With this in mind, we have put together our game day nutrition general list of some foods to consider before, during, and after a game.

Because a game usually lasts longer than an hour of strenuous activity, it is recommended that you eat some type of snack or meal before your game. Aim to have a snack or a small meal 1 to 3 hours before your game.

This will give your body enough time to digest any foods before the game. You can have tummy troubles or GI discomfort if you chow down right before. These competing demands can become a challenge for optimal performance. Carbohydrates provide the primary fuel for exercising muscles.

Athletes should focus on eating carbs, which are broken down in the small intestine. As mentioned before, having food during exercise may result in stomach cramps.

Hydration is key during this time. Although there are certain foods that provide energy-boosting hydration as well. Hydrate based on the length and intensity of the activity. Replace fluids according to thirst and weather. The most important meal on game day is what you eat after your game or workout.

During heavy exercise, your body taps into your glycogen storage for energy, which is the fuel stored in your muscles. This will ensure that your energy stores are refilled, your muscles that were broken down are given nourishment to rebuild and repair, and will keep your metabolism at a steady pace.

The sooner you refuel, the better! Electrolytes are essential minerals that your body needs to stay hydrated before, during, and after exercise. This helps with muscle recovery and replenishes energy stores after exercise.

Athletes headed into a long tournament, which can include multiple games over one or two days, need to make meal planning a priority. Pack plenty of healthy, balanced snacks to consume between games. Aim for a combination of protein, carbs and fluid to stay optimally fueled.

The dietitians at Children's Health Andrews Institute can help athletes reach peak performance through meal planning before, during and after game day — and all season long. Learn more about our wide-range of orthopedic and sports performance services available to help athletes improve their game.

Children's Health will not sell, share or rent your information to third parties. Please read our privacy policy. Receive the latest advice from our orthopedic and sports performance specialist -- right in your inbox. Sign up for Performance Playbook, the monthly newsletter from Children's Health Andrews Institute.

X Facebook Linked In Email. Learn how to develop a game day meal plan that works best for you. Game day meal plan guidelines Test your meal plan ahead of game day. Every athlete is unique and tolerates foods differently.

Experiment with pre-sport meals and snacks ahead of game day to find out what makes you feel best. The day of competition is never the time to try something new. Learn what foods to avoid. Depending on your body's preferences and the type of sport you play, it may help to avoid dairy, high-fat or high-fiber foods on game day.

There is nothing bad about those nutrients, but during exercise, blood is diverted away from the digestive tract to the working muscles, making it harder to digest high-fiber, high-fat meals.

This can lead to stomach cramps or other gastrointestinal symptoms during exercise. Hydration is key. Properly hydrating before, during and after competition is essential for success.

Most of the time, water will be sufficient to stay hydrated, but there are times when sports drinks are beneficial. See more hydration tips for athletes. Understand the role of carbs. Carbohydrates are an essential energy source for the brain, red blood cells and muscles during moderate to high-intensity exercise.

The body's stores of carbohydrates are limited, so it is necessary to consume enough carbohydrates daily, as well as just before exercise. Athletes who train multiple times per day or who participate in frequent endurance activity cross-country running, swimming, etc.

To determine weight in kilograms, divide your weight in pounds by 2. Eating well isn't just for game day.

Some individuals also feel better when they limit foods containing lactose i. milk, yogurt as well as spicy foods hot sauce, jalapenos prior to competition.

Since every athlete is unique, it is important to find the foods that work best for you. For additional plant-based options, check out my blog: How to Build an Ideal Vegan Pre-Workout Meal. When planning your pre-game nutrition strategy, remember that as you get closer to the start time of the game, the size of the pre-game meal you eat should decrease.

In addition, as you get closer to the start of the game, your focus should be on consuming carbohydrates for energy. When athletes have less time before the start of a game ~2 hours , they can enjoy a high-carb mini-meal.

The mini-meal should include a food that provides a good source of carbohydrates paired with a food providing lean protein. Then in the hour before the start of the game, I recommend athletes consume high-carb pre-game snacks that will provide them with a quick source of energy for the upcoming competition.

Therefore, starting the game in an optimally hydrated state is important. Although hydration needs vary amongst individuals, there are some general pre-event guidelines athletes can follow. Approximately 4 hours prior to the event, it is recommended that athletes drink mL of fluid per kg of body weight 2.

For a pound athlete, this calculates to be ~14 — 19 fluid ounces. Thus, in general, consuming approximately 2 cups of fluid with your pre-game meal can assist you with meeting this goal.

In the hour leading up to the event, athletes should continue hydrating, aiming to drink around 8 oz of fluid during this time period. Consuming foods that contain sodium with the pre-game meal, such as deli meat, cheese, and soup, can help your body with retaining the fluid you drink prior to competition 1.

Athletes commonly ask about consuming caffeine prior to competition in an effort to increase alertness, reduce feelings of perceived effort, or to assist with competing at a higher intensity. In the hour before exercise, typical caffeine recommendations are for athletes to consume mg of caffeine per kg of body weight 3.

Keep in mind that when it comes to caffeine, more is not better. Consuming too much caffeine before activity can lead to undesirable outcomes. While these are general guidelines, be aware that there are individual variations in how athletes metabolize and respond to caffeine intake 4.

Some athletes may find a benefit from a lower dose of caffeine or have undesired side effects from consuming even small amounts of caffeine before activity. If you are traveling and need to eat your pre-game meal at a restaurant, you can follow the same guidelines shared above to create a great pre-event meal.

Since athletes vary on foods they tolerate prior to activity, it is important to take time to figure out what foods work best. An absence of balance in a diet not only leads to poor performance, but also can lead to injuries that are otherwise avoidable.

Studies find that a lack of vitamin D in a diet contributes to repeat injuries, and many stress fractures are attributed to low calcium intake. While game day prep is an important aspect for success in competition , waiting until the pregame meal to consume vital nutrients or fulfill dietary needs does not work.

Including these meals within a balanced diet will have the most effective results. Athletes need to choose wisely when filling up their plates. Taking a load off: Weight cutting growing issue in mixed martial arts. Ramadan puts elite athlete training regimen to the test. Sports drink or water?

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Carbo-loading is a traditional practice for athletes, but there is much more to eating for success than just pasta. Tags: adult , athlete , carbohydrates , diet , eat , Game , meal , pasta , pregame , youth. Email Address.

The best snacks close to game time are easily digestible carbohydrates with a small amount of protein. The most important nutritional factor during exercise is to stay hydrated. If exercising for more than minutes, or if exercise is intense or in extreme heat, water alone may not be enough to replace electrolytes, and a sports drink would be appropriate.

When choosing a sports drink, look for products that contain at least mg of sodium per 8oz serving. When extra fuel is needed, especially when exercising more than two hours, products containing g of carbohydrate per 8oz serving will provide an optimal amount of carbohydrates to sustain you during long or very intense training sessions.

Nutrition after competition is just as important as fueling up before and during games. Athletes should eat a healthy snack containing both protein and carbohydrate within minutes after finishing exercise. One to three hours after a game, athletes should eat a balanced meal that contains carbohydrates, protein, vegetables or a fruit.

This helps with muscle recovery and replenishes energy stores after exercise. Athletes headed into a long tournament, which can include multiple games over one or two days, need to make meal planning a priority.

Pack plenty of healthy, balanced snacks to consume between games. Aim for a combination of protein, carbs and fluid to stay optimally fueled. The dietitians at Children's Health Andrews Institute can help athletes reach peak performance through meal planning before, during and after game day — and all season long.

Learn more about our wide-range of orthopedic and sports performance services available to help athletes improve their game. Children's Health will not sell, share or rent your information to third parties. Please read our privacy policy.

Receive the latest advice from our orthopedic and sports performance specialist -- right in your inbox. Sign up for Performance Playbook, the monthly newsletter from Children's Health Andrews Institute. X Facebook Linked In Email.

Learn how to develop a game day meal plan that works best for you. Game day meal plan guidelines Test your meal plan ahead of game day. Every athlete is unique and tolerates foods differently. Experiment with pre-sport meals and snacks ahead of game day to find out what makes you feel best.

The day of competition is never the time to try something new. Learn what foods to avoid. Depending on your body's preferences and the type of sport you play, it may help to avoid dairy, high-fat or high-fiber foods on game day.

There is nothing bad about those nutrients, but during exercise, blood is diverted away from the digestive tract to the working muscles, making it harder to digest high-fiber, high-fat meals.

This can lead to stomach cramps or other gastrointestinal symptoms during exercise. Hydration is key. Properly hydrating before, during and after competition is essential for success. The tradition of carbo-loading through pasta — increasing the amount of carbs in order to store more fuel in the muscles — is followed by athletes, yet many do not understand the benefits or the risks associated with it.

An excess of carbohydrates can lead to a drop in blood sugar levels, contributing to shakiness, decreased energy and foggy thinking.

Research shows an athlete, when planning game day meals, should consider certain factors such as age, activity levels and daily diet. Breaking a meal plan down into an hourly or a meal-based schedule based on the speed at which the food digests will avoid an upset stomach and maximize the absorption of nutrients.

It is important to focus on all five food groups proteins, grains, vegetables, fruit and dairy , while keeping a proper balance.

Carbohydrates remain in this diet, but it is important to get them from a variety of foods beyond pastas. Even for youth athletes, monitoring meals on game day is important. Among the professional ranks, NBA players have found different foods that lead to success.

An absence of balance in a diet not only leads to poor performance, but also can lead to injuries that are otherwise avoidable. Studies find that a lack of vitamin D in a diet contributes to repeat injuries, and many stress fractures are attributed to low calcium intake.

While game day prep is an important aspect for success in competition , waiting until the pregame meal to consume vital nutrients or fulfill dietary needs does not work. Including these meals within a balanced diet will have the most effective results.

Athletes need to choose wisely when filling up their plates. Taking a load off: Weight cutting growing issue in mixed martial arts.