by Susan M. Kleiner, PhD, RD, FACN, CNS, FISSN
“What and when you eat, day in and day out, will determine your body’s ability to recover, repair and grow. To really put your food to work for you, timing and combining of foods, meals and supplements will maximize mental and physical training and recovery.” …Dr. Susan M. Kleiner
I’m opening this article on Game-Day Nutrition because it is absolutely essential to understand that performance on game day is not based on what you eat on the day of the game or competition, it’s what you eat day in and day out, for weeks and months before competition, that will ultimately determine overall performance. Once you get your nutrition foundation built, what you eat on the day of the game certainly helps.
These are the key goals for your meals and snacks on competition day.
- Hydrate and fuel during exercise
- Boost mental focus and energy
- Recover, build and refuel after exercise
- Minimize muscle damage and soreness
Before your game, fluids are essential:
- Drink throughout the day
- 2 cups immediately prior to exercise
Among your fluids include water, nonfat/lowfat milk, and 100% juice (4-8 ounce servings).
Your pre-game meal should be 3-4 hours before competition, but this is somewhat flexible based on individual adaptability. In other words, test it out and see what you’re comfortable with. Everyone is different.
- Pre-game Meal
- Protein, carbohydrate, healthy fats, fluids
- Example foods:
- Grilled fish/chicken, wild rice/potato, whole grain roll, sautéed green beans, salad, olives, fruit, milk, water
If there is time, you should have a pre-game snack within 60-90 minutes prior to your event. The amount of food and timing is very individualized. Test this out before a game. Don’t ever experiment or do anything new on game day!
- Pre-game Snack:
- Carbohydrate + protein + fluid (minimal fat)
- Example foods:
- Yogurt+Fruit+Honey (or pre-sweetened yogurt)
- Cereal+Fruit +Milk
- Turkey Sandwich
- Crackers/pretzels + Apple + Low fat mozzarella cheese
- PB&J + milk
- Sports drink + whey protein
- Protein-energy bar/shake
During your game or event, the goal is to stay well-hydrated:
- Fluids!
- 4-8 oz. every 15-20 minutes
- Sports drinks are a good choice on game-day
When the game is over, these are your immediate goals:
- Rehydrate
- Repair
- Refuel
- Grow
BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, DRINK YOUR RECOVERY SHAKE!!
No shake? Drink chocolate milk. It is a great convenient way to rehydrate and recover.
Then shower and eat a meal.
This recipe is adapted from my book, Power Eating, Third Edition. You can use it as one serving if you can use all the calories. Cut it in half of make it two servings for a smaller portion. Many more smoothie recipes are available in the book, available at www.powereating.com.
**Kleiner’s Muscle Building Formula PLUS**
24 g isolated whey protein
1 cup frozen unsweetened strawberries
1 medium banana
1 cup nonfat vanilla soy milk fortified with calcium, vitamins A & D
1 cup orange juice fortified with calcium and vitamin C
Blend for 60 seconds until smooth.
One serving contains:
Nutrients Food Group Servings
436 calories 4 fruit servings
86 grams carbohydrate
27 grams protein 1 nonfat milk serving
0 grams fat 3 very lean protein serving
8 grams dietary fiber 3 tsp added sugar
