Eat the Right Food at the Right Time to Help Reduce FATIGUE during Tournaments

Carbohydrates fuel your muscles. There are 2 types of carbs: simple and complex. Simple carbs (sugars) are found in table sugar, corn syrup and honey. Complex carbs (starches) are found in whole grain foods (WG), fruits and vegetables. Sugars and starches have similar ability to fuel muscles but different abilities to nourish them.

What to eat the day before a tournament:

Carbohydrate rich dinner (choose WG vs Enriched). Enriched means nutrients that were lost during food processing have been added back. An example is adding back certain vitamins lost in processing wheat to make white flour. Fortified means vitamins or minerals have been added to a food that weren’t originally in the food. An example is adding vitamin D to milk. What is in enriched flour? Enriched flour is flour in which most of the natural vitamins and minerals have been extracted. This is done in order to give bread a finer texture and increase shelf life. When the bran and the germ (the parts of the wheat that contain fiber and nutrients) are removed, your body absorbs wheat differently.

Drink extra water—over the recommended 64 ounces/day.

What to eat the morning of a tournament/match:

• 2 hours before your match eat a light meal (choose from following; apple and cheese stick, yogurt and banana, 1 or 2 energy bars, PB&J sandwich, small fruit and yogurt smoothie, cereal and milk, turkey or chicken sandwich, French toast, WG pancakes, eggs & toast). This will prevent fatigue from low blood sugar.
• If you think you need more food/calories, eat more like 2-4 hours before.

What to eat for an afternoon match:

• About 2 hours before, eat either
  • High carbohydrate breakfast.
  • Light lunch (see examples above). Allow 3-4 hours for digestion.
• Always a high carb dinner the night before and extra fluids (water).

What to eat about 2-3 hours before an evening match:

• High carbohydrate breakfast and lunch.
• Dinner (WG pasta with tomato sauce or chicken with rice or potato).
• Extra fluids all day to stay hydrated to prevent cramping and fatigue.

Fast Snacks (fueling or refueling)

Chocolate Milk is a great post-match recovery, however it can build up phlegm. I recommend any protein recovery. Examples include

• WG bagel and PB
• Hummus and WG crackers
• Smoothie (fruit, 100% juice, yogurt)
• Yogurt and fruit parfait
• Energy bar/ breakfast bar (Cliff bars )
• Banana (with honey and almonds/nuts)
• Grape nuts with yogurt and berries
• Trail mix (granola, nuts, dried fruit)
• Oatmeal made with low-fat milk and almonds
• Baked sweet potato (8 min in microwave)
• Tuna, lean roast beef, chicken, turkey on WG bread with fruit

Hydration

Pro racquetball players and even amateurs can lose be between 5 and 8 pounds of water during each match. Hydration is a key factor in a player’s performance. Muscle cramps, dizziness, mental function and fatigue all occur when you’re dehydrated.

• Drink 1 cup water when you first wake up
• 1 cup with every meal
• 2 cups before a game
• Sip water throughout game/match
• 1 cup after
• 1 cup before bed

You can never drink too much water. Your body is made up of about 72% water. You need to replenish!

Training and Fueling Guidelines – Overview/Review

• Eat high Carb meals to fuel and refuel muscles so they will be ready for action. Fueling is before the practice or game. Refueling is within 30 minutes after the practice or game. Fueling and refueling increase muscle growth and strength.
• Snacks eaten within 1 hour of exercise decrease hunger and maintain blood sugar levels but don’t replensich energy. Eat a pre-exercise snack with little protein and fat for sustained energy (egg and toast, bagel with PB, oatmeal, yogurt & banana, or smoothie).
• A match lasting longer than 60 min requires eating well the day before.
• Allow adequate digestion. 3-4 hours for a large meal, 2-3 hours for a small meal, 1-2 hours for a blended/liquid meal, and about ½ hr for a small snack.
• Limit high sources of protein. They take longer to digest and empty stomach (cheese omelets, hamburger with fires, large ice cream, fried chicken and etc..)
• Be aware of sugary foods (sports drinks like Gatorade, PowerAde, candy, candy bars, gels etc..) they may cause a quick rise in blood sugar, then a rebound in low blood sugar).
• Some athletes may not be able to eat or tolerate food before a match. If that is the case eat well the night before. Eat a late bed time snack in lieu of breakfast the next day.
• Drink plenty of fluids so you don’t become dehydrated. A good indicator that you are hydrated-urine is pale in color.

If you have any questions on eating right before and during a tournament, write to me on Cliff’s blog or send an email to nofstan@lc-pc.org