Fueling up for an afternoon game can be a little more challenging than fueling for an evening game because you only have half a day to get your fuel in. However, with a little thought and planning, you can tank up your liver and muscle glycogen stores to make sure your muscle fibers get all the fuel they need - throughout the entire game! This is important, because when muscles aren't fueled they become fatigued. Remember, though, when sorting through these nutritional strategies and recommendations, that you factor in your own individual tolerances, choices, portions and what foods you feel give you a psychological edge.
Make sure you eat well Thursday, Friday, Saturday:
3 meals, 3 snacks - lots of good carbs forming the foundation of each meal - fruits, veggies, yogurt, milk, whole grain breads, cereals and crackers, etc. and follow the advice previously posted on the blog for recovery and hydration. Get your sleep - nutrients really go to work for you best when you are sleeping, so don't skimp on sleep!
Saturday night:
High Carb meal, low in fat, with plenty of fluid - pasta dishes, rice dishes, lean protein, cooked veggies, fruit. (A good dinner the night before a day game is essential).
Sunday-Game Day:
6:45-7AM-
Waffles with syrup, Skim or 1% Milk, Juice and 1-2 scrambled eggs or eggwhites
Pancakes, Skim or 1%Milk, Juice and 1-2 scrambled eggs or eggwhites
Cereal and Skim or 1% Milk with 2 slices Toast with small amount soft margarine and jelly and Fruit Juice.
*Try to keep the meal low fat, low fiber, with low fat proteins. If you are not a morning eater get in a fruit smoothie made with Skim or 1% Milk, Yogurt, and Fresh Fruit (you can even add a little honey and wheat germ), or have some Carnation Instant Breakfast made with Skim or 1% Milk and have some fruit with it. These are just suggestions - you can customize. If you have a particular routine on game day and have a breakfast that you know works for you physiologically and psychologically-by all means-you want to go with that breakfast! The important thing is to eat breakfast to "Break-the-Fast"and get something in shortly after waking.
9-9:30 AM(Busride)-
bagel and fruit or fruit juice, OR cereal bar and fruit or fruit juice, OR 1% chocolate milk with cereal bar
10:30 AM Mass
11:15 AM Pancakes and Gatorade, or PB&J with 20 oz. Gatorade, or Bagel with Gatorade, or Lean Turkey on Roll with Gatorade
1:30PM Warm-Up
During Game-Water and Gatorade
3:30PM Halftime-
Sip Gatorade and if possible eat 1/2 piece fruit and 2 saltines. Don't worry if you feel you can't eat-that's normal for some people-but sip that gatorade to get some carbohydrates to the muscles.
4:30PM Recover!!! - --Right After the Game- to help your muscles get right back in shape for for the following weeks practices and game...
Sandwich, 1%chocolate milk, few salted pretzels, fruit
Remember to adjust these guidelines according to your personal preferences and tolerances.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
The Performance Power of the Halftime Snack
The ideal halftime snack is easily and quickly digested, replenishes glycogen stores, and provides water and electrolytes.
Remember that glycogen is stored carbohydrate that provides energy to the working muscles. Glycogen stores in your liver and muscle tissue will most likely be used up during the first half of a football game.
During halftime try to get in at least a few gulps of a sport drink (up to 12-20ounces), 2 or 3 saltine crackers or a few small pretzel sticks, and an orange quarter or half or banana half.
The sports drink will provide water, sodium and potassium and "fast" carbohydrates that are specifically formulated to get in and out of your stomach quickly - and right to the bloodstream and working muscles within minutes - without causing digestive issues. That energy will be available to your muscles and brain when you start the 3rd quarter.The 2 or 3 crackers or pretzels will provide salt to help your body hold on to the fluid from your sports drink and more carbohydrate that will be broken down and available for muscle energy by mid 3rd quarter.
The small piece of fruit provides fructose which is a carbohydrate found in fruit. Fructose takes a little longer to break down and won't be able to provide energy to the working muscles until fourth quarter. Eating just fruit at halftime or too much fruit sometimes leaves athletes feeling a little sluggish heading into the second half.
Remember that glycogen is stored carbohydrate that provides energy to the working muscles. Glycogen stores in your liver and muscle tissue will most likely be used up during the first half of a football game.
During halftime try to get in at least a few gulps of a sport drink (up to 12-20ounces), 2 or 3 saltine crackers or a few small pretzel sticks, and an orange quarter or half or banana half.
The sports drink will provide water, sodium and potassium and "fast" carbohydrates that are specifically formulated to get in and out of your stomach quickly - and right to the bloodstream and working muscles within minutes - without causing digestive issues. That energy will be available to your muscles and brain when you start the 3rd quarter.The 2 or 3 crackers or pretzels will provide salt to help your body hold on to the fluid from your sports drink and more carbohydrate that will be broken down and available for muscle energy by mid 3rd quarter.
The small piece of fruit provides fructose which is a carbohydrate found in fruit. Fructose takes a little longer to break down and won't be able to provide energy to the working muscles until fourth quarter. Eating just fruit at halftime or too much fruit sometimes leaves athletes feeling a little sluggish heading into the second half.
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