{"id":118,"date":"2014-07-08T19:28:13","date_gmt":"2014-07-08T19:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stadiasportsmedicine.com\/info\/?p=118"},"modified":"2018-05-09T14:54:39","modified_gmt":"2018-05-09T14:54:39","slug":"pre-event-meal-nutrition-optimizing-your-nutrition-prior-to-competitions-that-require-endurance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stadiasportsmedicine.com\/info\/2014\/pre-event-meal-nutrition-optimizing-your-nutrition-prior-to-competitions-that-require-endurance\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre-Event Meal Nutrition – Optimizing your nutrition prior to competitions that require endurance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why are pre-event meals important?<\/h3>\n
Pre-event meals are an important part of the overall nutrition of athletes when considering how to optimize performance.<\/div>\n
However, the pre-event meal will have little relevance if you don\u2019t practice proper nutrition in the time leading up to the event. \u00a0It is extremely important that you eat enough to maintain energy balance in the days prior to competition. With this in mind, there are some key components to the pre-event meal. \u00a0The purpose of the pre-event meal is to provide adequate energy and to maintain proper hydration before and during the competition. This is particularly important in the morning when a longer period of time has passed since the last meal. \u00a0Some of the consequences of inadequate pre-event nutrition\/hydration are:<\/div>\n
\u2022 Early fatigue<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Limited recovery<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Higher risk of injury<\/span><\/div>\n

What are the Keys to a good pre-event Meal?<\/h3>\n
\u2022 The meal should be eaten two to four hours prior to competition. \u00a0Allow more time prior to competition for meals with a higher fat or protein content.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Eat meals that are high in carbohydrates, which are ready sources of energy (glycogen) for working muscles.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Stay away from foods that are high in fat and fiber, which take longer to digest and are not as easily converted to fuel.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Limit your meal to one that is 2\/3 \u201cnormal\u201d size.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Eat foods that you are used to and which you enjoy<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Drink lots of clear fluids.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Fluids should be consumed throughout the competition. Preferably some of this fluid will come in the form of sports drinks, which contain both carbohydrates and electrolytes, and which help promote muscular endurance, fuel muscle recovery, and prevent hyponatremia (low sodium).<\/span><\/div>\n

What are some examples of pre-event meals?<\/h3>\n
\u2022 Cereal with low-fat milk, banana, toast (with butter and honey), orange juice<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Pasta with tomato sauce, mixed green salad, dinner roll, fresh fruit, sports drink.<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Grilled chicken breast sandwich, pretzels, fresh fruit, low-fat milk<\/span><\/div>\n

What are some examples of high energy foods that are easy to grab on the go?<\/h3>\n
\u2022 Granola bars<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Energy bars<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Bananas<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Grapes<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Applesauce<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 100% juices<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Cereal<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Bagels<\/span><\/div>\n
\u2022 Yogurt<\/span><\/div>\n

Does the meal I eat the night before a competition have the ability to impact my performance?<\/h3>\n
Absolutely. \u00a0The last meal of the day prior to a competition should also be higher in carbohydrate content, for the reasons stated above, and fluid intake should be optimized so that morning dehydration effects are minimized.<\/div>\n

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