Any of the meats we … She started eating a bigger bedtime snack. This will just limit your body from achieving its full potential, and could cause your stomach to hurt with all the running you will be doing. A nut that often flies under the radar, pistachios definitely won't be disrupting your sleep, … An insulin release can last 3 to 6 hours, depending on the source and load, so if you have a football game at 7:00 p.m. and eat pancakes for breakfast, it's not the worst thing in the world. Game-Day. Overall, you should not eat large portions of food very soon before a match. “The night before games I’ll have chicken, pasta, fish: all the normal stuff you would expect us to eat. Don't eat a lot of food before the game. While a football game will last that a few hours, athletes are active in short, five to seven second bursts during plays, followed by rest between snaps. She has experience in clinical nutrition, endurance coaching and nutrition coaching for athletes and teams in the NFL, NHL, NBA and IRL as well as elite level endurance athletes. Light meals and snacks for between games. Your breakfast could consist of bagels, cereal with low-fat milk, whole fruit, pancakes, waffles, and/or oatmeal. What to Eat the Night Before a Game. What are you going to eat tonight? A large factor in athletic performance is diet and hydration, so it is important to know what to eat before, during, and after a match in order to succeed. A solid Pre-Game meal: Eat several hours before game time On the day of a match, be sure to eat breakfast, lunch and a couple of snacks during the day. Everyone’s body is different, which means that each person metabolizes food differently. (2020), Best Foods to Eat the Night Before, and the Morning of, the Big Game. Being a dairy product, it provides you with a good source of calcium, a significant mineral to both bone and muscle strength. AAron Ontiveroz/Getty Images. Remember to eat a moderate amount in line with a daily caloric intake because there’s no need to double portions for a carbo ... Meat and veggies. Consume carbohydrates like bread, pasta, fruit, cereal and vegetables so you have quick energy during exercise. Perfect meals to eat before a soccer game Breakfasts before a soccer game. But with all that in mind, let’s look at some general eating guidelines that you can apply to sports like soccer. If you cannot eat a meal 3 to 4 hours before the competition, eat a light meal or snack. Your email address will not be published. Also be sure to stay hydrated, and remember that you need to start drinking extra water at least the day before your game, not just a couple hours in advance. Your meal should contain about 50 percent carbohydrates such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes and cereals. Athlete Nutrition: Best Foods to Eat and When to Eat Them. For a game closer to 6:00 or right after a work shift, prepare your "dinner" the night before and bring it with you to work. Extra Tip: Eat a tablespoon of honey before bed to drastically improve the quality of your sleep (12). On the night before games, the CU football team used to stay 10 miles north of campus at a plush Omni Hotel. Carbohydrate loading – or carbo loading – isn’t necessary the night before a game, whether it’s the championship or a scrimmage. Pre-game meals need to be balanced and include good sources of carbohydrates, protein and fats. On the day of a match, be sure to eat breakfast, lunch, and a couple of snacks during the day. If an athletic event is taking place in the morning, have a big meal for dinner the night before, and a light breakfast the morning of. Starchy carbs include potatoes, breads, cereal, pasta, fruits and vegetables. Again, these are foods that are high in carbohydrates that help fuel you. Is It Safe to Play Indoor Soccer During Coronavirus? Stay away from foods high in processed sugar, and avoid any new foods you have not tried before on game days. Your email address will not be published. And, the protein (grilled chicken, fish) you eat will help your muscles recover and grow, and also keep the blood cells healthy to deliver oxygen and nutrients. And let us know what you have found to be the best foods to eat before a big soccer game. This term is referred to as "carb loading" -food usually consisting of pasta, bread and/or potatoes! In the morning, (or about 2-4 hours before your match if it’s later in the day), you want to eat things like cereal and fruits. Common carbohydrate foods include pasta, potatoes, cereals and bagels. Your meal should consist of whole grains, such as darker breads, pasta and rice. Stay away from foods with high processed sugar and any new foods you have not tried before on game days. Limit the cookies and ice cream! The night before a soccer game you want to eat complex carbohydrates because they take longer to break down allowing energy to be stored and ready later. The meal should be focused on higher carbohydrates and moderate protein while low in fat. Eating right is very important in our everyday lives, but it is also crucial in sports. Plus, a few that can wreck your day. 2 or More Hours Before Game Time. It takes time for the body to properly digest food, so try to eat your pregame meal three to four hours before a practice, game or performance. Why should you eat before the game? After the match, you need to help your body recover by replacing the carbohydrates you used and also re-hydrating with water or even chocolate milk, which may be a surprising choice to some. Stick with lean meats, vegetables and carbohydrates like bread, pasta and fruit. Required fields are marked *. Eat a large meal at least 3 to 4 hours before a competition to give your body time to digest the food. You should be sure to get some protein in your system as well. Balanced dinners on game night. When to eat. Pasta with red sauce. Lindsay Langford is a registered dietitian and board certified specialists in sports dietetics for St. Vincent Sports Performancein Indianapolis. 3 Pre-Game Meals For Hockey: The Best Foods to Eat the Night Before a Big Race. Examples for What to Eat Before a Soccer Game Simple carbohydrates such as fruits, pudding or yogurt are ideal for this time. You will want to eat a … Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: Food/Drink. If you overeat the night before … Stick with lean meats, vegetables, and carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and fruit. Instead, focus on quick-digesting foods such as peanut butter, fruits, and nuts. In addition to these guidelines for eating before and the morning before a big game, proper nutrition on a more long-term basis can also do wonders for improving your soccer game. Eating proper foods at the right times will help fuel your body so you do not hit a wall before or during a soccer game. It’s amazing to see how much a simple change in meals can impact one’s ability to play. Eat your breakfast the night before via a bedtime snack, such as a bowl of cereal, or yogurt with granola. Lean meats and yogurt are two good choices for this type of post match re-fueling. Make sure the big pre-game meal is high in carbs and low in protein and fat. The night before a game, consume a high-carb, low-fat dinner. To prepare well for the game, you need to eat a good meal the night before the game. What to Eat the Night Before a Game. The meal outlined as a night before option will work well here. When it comes to pre-match meals, starchy carbohydrates are your friend as they break down into glycogen really effectively. Here are a few options that satisfy both our needs and our palates: The road to playing well starts with eating well. Pistachios. Eating poorly will impair you mentally and physically. Again, stay away from sugary treats that your body will burn up quickly. Higher sodium is OK because athletes sweat much of that out during games. Monitor urine color on game day. Also, some people tend to perform better with different amounts of food in their bodies compared to others. “An athlete’s plate should be half full of ... 1-2 Hours Before Game Time/Between Events. Tennis is a sport that may take hours, and keeping a steady intake of water, electrolytes , and complex carbohydrates, just like the pros do , … Meal options include lean meat (fish or chicken), potatoes, pasta with sauce, and/or bread. Below we have included a list of recommended foods: Whole grains and foods made from them, such as pasta and whole-grain breads; Starchy vegetables such as sweet potatoes, corn, and pumpkin; The amount of time it takes for your body to digest food is as follows: As we share our recommendations in this article, you must remember that these are just general guidelines. Keep your last dinner before game day high in carbs, strong in protein and low in fat, and you’ll be on your way to success. If you get into the apple juice shades, hydration levels are lacking. Refined grains, which show up in things like white bread, white rice, and in white flour-based food items, are more processed which removes nutrients and also does not store energy for as long. Also, your body will be using energy to digest that food rather than allowing your it to use energy for your muscles. If you do need food within two hours of a match (and this is where players can vary in their needs), you should try eating snack foods that are more easily digestible. Remember, the foods that you eat game should be practiced during training. Training day in, day out, can reduce the body’s energy reserves especially carbohydrate stores. Sign up for exclusive soccer tips sent to your inbox and a free ebook of our best soccer training content. What to Eat Just Before the Game It is advised that the basketball players eat a meal rich in complex carbohydrates (~ 1.5 grams of carbs per 1 lb of body weight), 3-4 hours before the game. It sounds silly, but you want it in the light lemonade or even clear shade. The last thing you want is a stomach issue before kickoff, so lower fiber, more processed and non-whole grain items are allowable. The big game is tomorrow. This should feature lean proteins such as meat, eggs and beans. You want to consume foods high in complex carbs. Fuelling for games is not just about the about the meal you eat before you play, it is about how you eat throughout the day. Your performance in a hockey game may depend as much on what you ate before starting time as on how much you've trained. Start practicing earlier or in the off season. Making the right dinner choice the night before a big game. Having the right combination of produce, proteins, and grains goes a long way in helping one play to their highest ability. Individual Soccer Training Tips, Soccer Drills, Fitness Tips and More. Wilson told ESPN, "The night before, I'll have a steak.The day of the game, I'll eat pasta. Watch with fats and proteins here, as they digest slower. Pregame meals are really a two-part program. Choose quality calories; this is your breakfast that you are eating the night before. On game days, focus on eating clean foods and staying hydrated. Eat a bigger meal two to four hours before go time. Portable milk or flavored milk, yogurt with fruit, a sandwich, cereal with milk, or a balanced smoothie are all great options. Your meal should consist of whole grains, such as darker breads, pasta and rice. Carbohydrates are the most important nutrient you can consume to provide energy before a football game. Your final nutritional hit should be delivered 75-90 minutes before kick off. As awkward as it is to eat dinner around 4:30, remember you will have another recovery meal right after the game, so consider the pre-game meal as more of a snack. If possible, pick carbs with a lower glycemic index (sweet potatoes, leafy greens, oatmeal). Athletes might also find it helpful to avoid eating for one hour prior to competition as digestion also uses up the body’s energy. You need to maintain your blood-glucose levels for sustained energy. Stay tuned for more posts on proper eating habits. Soccer Moves and Exercises You Can Practice Inside at Home, The Best Soccer Gifts: Ideas for Friends and Family, 5 Ways to Improve Your Soccer Skills in Your Backyard, 5 Soccer Challenges That Will Help Hone Your Skills, How to Correctly Buy Your Soccer Cleats: A Half Size Too Small, What Are the Best Indoor Soccer Shoes? Pre-game lunch ideas. Eat a healthy meal or snack loaded with proteins and carbohydrates. The key to game-day nutrition is eating substantial yet light meals. Then, once you get home, you can have a full balanced meal. It really only becomes a factor if you’re continually churning out energy for more than an hour, such as in a long triathlon or marathon. When it comes to food, avocado, almonds, kiwis and bananas all have the amino acid tryptophan, which is the key ingredient to making serotonin in your body (11). One day before, make sure you consume a large amount of carbohydrates. The night before a soccer game you want to eat complex carbohydrates because they take longer to break down allowing energy to be stored and ready later. Pre-game food and fluid intake are the final stages of recovery from a week of hard training to ensure the body is fully stocked before the game begins. “Eat a bigger meal with plenty of fluids, especially water,” says Turner. If you have a later tee time eat 2-3 hours before a round and top up with a snack before teeing off. If you want a final boost, you can have a snack 30 to 60 minutes before you have to play. These are broken down into glucose to provide the energy that you need during the game. If you have dinner at 6:00, you’ll be ready for a bedtime snack by 9:00. The morning of your game, eat a basic, filling breakfast. A banana or half of an energy bar also works in the half hour before game time. Eating yogurt as part of a balanced diet is important and it can provide you with a very healthy and beneficial breakfast before a big game.