NUTRITION and ATHLETES

PRECOMPETITION EATING GUIDELINES

Make sure your pregame meal plans follow these guidelines

• Allow enough time for digestion. Eat the meal at least three hours before an event.
• Choose a meal that's high in starch. Starch is easy to digest and helps steady the levels of blood sugar.
• Consume only moderate amounts of protein. Protein foods take longer to digest than starch. And high-protein meals may lead to increased urine production, which can add to dehydration.
• Limit fats and oils. They take too long to digest.
• Restrict sugary foods. Sweets can cause rapid energy swings in blood sugar levels and result in low blood sugar and less energy.
• Avoid foods and drinks that contain caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the body to increase urine output, which can contribute to dehydration problems, and a full bladder can be very uncomfortable.
• Watch out for foods that produce gas. Certain raw vegetables, fruits, or beans may cause problems for some young athletes. Be aware of the foods that cause you problems, and avoid them just before an event.
• Within these guidelines, chose foods you like to eat.
• Remember to drink plenty of fluids with your pregame meal.

Pasta Macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, ravioli (plain or with sauce)	Meats, cheese, and oil add fat to the sauce. Use them sparingly.
Rice	Use a sauce low in fat and only as spicy as you can tolerate easily. Or try rice with a little soy sauce flavoring.
Potatoes Baked, boiled, mashed, but not french fries	Limit butter, gravy, or sour cream.
Starchy vegetables Peas, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatos	Cooked vegetables are more easily digested.
Breads Rolls, muffins, crackers, quick breads, bagels	Use nutritious, low-fat bread products and spreads.
Cereals Oatmeal, other hot cereals, cold cereals	Avoid cereals with high sugar content.
Soups Noodle, rice, vegetable, clear broth, bouillon, or consomme	Choose low-fat soups. Eating large portions of chilli, split pea, or bean soups may lead to digestive problems for some athletes.
Pancakes	Limit butter and syrup.
Fruits, fruit juices	Use any juice or cooked fruit except prune. Oranges, bananas, and peeled apples are easily digested raw fruits. You may wish to dilute juices, especially in hot weather. Try hot cider or juice during cold weather.
Milk products Low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat cheeses, puddings, "shakes" made with low-fat milk or yogurt and fruit and/or juice	Avoid high-fat milk products before games.
Liquid meals in a can	Though not a substitute for solid foods in the daily diet, liquid meals are convenient for occasional pregame use. You can make liquid meals at home using the following recipe, which makes about one quart: 1/2 cup of water 1/2 cup of nonfat dry milk 1/4 cup of sugar 3 cups of skim milk Flavor with a teaspoon of vanilla or cherry extract

Candy, sugar, honey	After an initial rise, your blood-sugar level can actually drop below normal, resulting in a sudden feeling of tiredness or fatigue.
Tea, coffee, chocolate, cola	Caffeine consumption leads to dehydration.
Fried foods, high-fat meats, fats, oils, gravies, sour cream, etc.	Fat digests slowly and therefore stays in the stomach longer.
Some raw fruits, vegetables, popcorn, nuts, dry beans and peas	Some of these foods may cause gas and/or an uncomfortable feeling of fullness during the game. An athlete needs to avoid the foods that give him or her problems.
Any new food	Don't experiment with new foods right before an event. If you experience any adverse reactions, your body has little time to recover.
Fruit-flavored drinks	Many drinks contain little fruit juice and a lot of sugar. Read the label.