Every athlete needs to understand the importance of a pre game meal! It provides the fuel your body needs to perform and compete at the highest level during a game or match.
Similar to filling up your car with fuel before you take off on a long trip, your body needs sufficient fuel in order to perform from the start of the game to the finish. For our breakfast pre game we want to eat within 30 minutes of waking up. This will kick start our metabolism, energy, and gets our body and mind working. A sample breakfast meal would be scrambled eggs, berries, and red potatoes.
Now, I mentioned breakfast, but let's not forget about lunch! So many athletes compete in their sport after school, yet most refuse to eat.
If we decide to skip lunch, then we are missing out on one of our biggest meals in the day, and of course all the nutrients and fuel your body will be missing and craving during the game will likely hinder your performance. During lunch try to consume as many food groups as possible for fuel- whole grains, lean protein, fruit, and vegetables- make sure your body will be prepared when you hit the field!
Now let's talk about snacks, because everyone- both athletes and gym goers alike- has trouble sticking to their diet and whole foods 100%. So we must branch out and find healthy snacks that are tasty, but still good for your body. Finding that balance of healthy snacks and quality, whole food meals will have you reaching your fitness goals in no time!
Here are some on-the-go snack suggestions:
1. PB&J- A peanut butter, or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich always does the job. All you have to do is watch out for bread. Preferably, pick a whole wheat or whole grain bread, make sure it is under 80 calories per slice.
2. Hard Boiled Eggs- So easy to transport, and eggs are great for the diet.
3. Yogurt- can mix in granola, almonds, berries, banana
**REMEMBER** Eat every 2.5-3 hours to keep your metabolism going strong and keep your energy levels peaked. This will also help decrease the amount of time it takes your muscles to recover. Furthermore, the whole point of a nutrition plan is to stick to healthy choices. We are not measuring every little serving because we're not robots, that routine usually doesn't last very long. Instead, work on consistently making healthy choices with snacks and meals that will fuel your system and give your body the ability to burn off all that excess fat.
