What to eat before and on the day of a game | Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (2024)

FAQs

What should I eat and drink the day before a game? ›

Night Before the Game: Carb-load and Avoid New Foods

Starchy foods like whole-wheat pasta, rice, potatoes, beans, broccoli, and grilled chicken offer a carbohydrate-rich meal that will provide the right fuel for the next day's event and protein to fuel recovery. Broccoli adds calcium, vitamins A and C.

What to eat on the day of a game. On the day of the game, you should ideally finish eating 3-4 hours before it begins. To keep your energy up during the game, it is also a good idea to have an easily digestible light snack (such as a jelly drink) about 1-2 hours beforehand.

Athletes should eat a balanced meal containing carbohydrates, protein, and fruit or vegetables 2-3 hours before game time. Make sure to drink 12-24 ounces of water with a pre-game meal to stay hydrated.

An hour before: The best food to eat an hour before a big game is snacks that are quick to digest. Try fruits like watermelon and oranges. Or, reach for low-fat Greek yogurt with cereal, peanut butter, nuts, low-fiber cereal bars, sports drinks, a buttered bagel, or oats made with water or low-fat milk.

Eat a healthy breakfast

Pairing carbs with protein, such as eggs, yogurt, milk, and peanut butter/nuts will help hold you over throughout your first game. Eating this heathy pre game meal 2-3 hours prior to your game is vital to topping off energy stores as you get game ready.

Consuming a protein bar before a workout can help provide energy and prevent muscle breakdown during intense exercise. Eating a protein bar after a workout, on the other hand, can help promote muscle recovery and growth.

1 Hour before a game:

This is when you want to focus on easily digestible, carbohydrate focused foods. My favourites are: Fresh fruit (Bananas are my fave!) Dried fruit.

Salad had more votes than any other food on this list. It is an easy and light dish to eat before a game. It is full of nutritious ingredients and is a great way to get your essential vitamins.

“You should try to consume 4 to 8 ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise,” Dr. Eby says. “If you are participating in moderate activity in a climate that isn't very warm, you may be able to consume the lower end of that spectrum — 4 ounces every 20 minutes.

How do you hydrate the night before a game? ›

Hydration tips before play:

The night before playing, fill and chill squeeze bottles or sports jugs and bring them to each practice and match. Have a minimum of two liters available courtside. Consume enough fluids throughout the day so urine is a light or pale yellow color before starting a match.

Good pre-game nutrition maximizes your ability to compete

Working muscles need carbohydrate for fuel. Good pre-event meals contain high carbohydrates, moderate amounts of protein, small amounts of fat, and plenty of fluids. They also digest quickly and easily.

Drinking alcohol the night before or after a game can affect your performance. Hangovers can result in symptoms of headaches, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, dehydration and body aches that can diminish athletic performance. There is no benefit from alcohol use for sport performance.