Feature
How to Eat to Beat the Competition
Next weekend, the Northeast will kick-off the qualifying season at the USQ Northeast Regional Championship in Rochester. But quidkids all over the country are getting ready to fight for their right to a Nationals’ bid: training harder, running further, lifting heavier…but are they eating smarter?
Almost every team knows to scarf down as much pasta as possible the Friday before a tournament, but what about that Monday and Tuesday? Or in between games during the tournament itself?
USQ is here to answer all your questions, and tell you how to eat to beat the competition!
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL
You can’t put off good nutrition until the night before your tournament; you have to make strategic dietary decisions as early as three or four days before your big weekend.
If you start fueling your body properly 48-72 hours before a tournament, you’ll be able to fight muscle fatigue and perform at a high level of athleticism straight for as long as it takes to grab that Nationals spot.
GO LEAN AND MEAN WITH PROTEIN
As much as you may want to jump right into carbo-loading—bagels all day, every day!!—you should begin your tournament week with an emphasis on protein. Because the body cycles protein slower than carbs, protein will help you store long-term energy that contributes to that second-wind on Sunday.
Meals on Monday and Tuesday should focus on proteins. That can be anything from chicken breasts to an egg-white omelet—just try to pick the smartest sources of protein. For instance, limit high fat proteins like cheese, peanut butter, or greasy hamburgers as they will be harder to digest and will slow you down—even days later.
If you’re a vegetarian—or simply can’t eat meat with every meal—no worries! Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, quinoa, and most legumes pack a powerful protein punch!
THE LOWDOWN ON CARBO-LOADING
The most essential macronutrient for athletic performance is carbohydrates. They refill your muscle and liver stores, which means they recharge you with the energy to go for that extra beat, drive those fast breaks, and perform your best.
But, of course, not all carbohydrates are created equal and there’s a big different between potato chips and a multigrain bagel. When selecting your carbs for the week, stick to complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, and brown rice. Complex carbohydrates are more satisfying, and often come with the fiber, vitamins, and minerals your body needs… especially since you’ll be sacrificing some veggies, dairy, and other vitamin-rich foods in order to carbo-load.
And really, you should be loading up. Starting on Wednesday, if you normally eat a 50, 25, 25 diet (50% carbs, 25% fat, 25% protein), switch to 60, 20, 20. Don’t be afraid to eat even more than that—as long as you’re making smart choices about which carbs to eat, you can’t go wrong.
SAY HI TO HYDRATION
Coach Taylor may say “clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose” but we all know he really meant to say clear pee.
Hydration is so important that it almost seems superfluous to write about. Without water, your body will be unable to store the energy you’ve worked so hard to hoard all week. Without water, your body will fatigue faster and break down with headaches, dizziness, and mental confusion.
So, drink water before, during, and after the tournament.
That being said, you can’t really store up water the way you store up carbs or proteins; in fact, it can actually be dangerous to over-hydrate on days before competition.
The safest bet is to just drink when you’re thirsty or—if you really want to make sure you’re getting the proper hydration—drink a glass of water before and after every meal, and once every hour. And enjoy those extra bathroom trips!
Try to avoid sports drinks until the tournament itself; you won’t benefit from the increase in simple sugars until you’re running around for hours on end and need the quick boosts. If you really need extra flavor with your fluids, try infusing your water with orange or lemon slices, or go extra classy with some cucumber.
EAT TO COMPETE
So you’ve spent all week eating right, and the tournament is finally here…now what?
Keeping eating! A lot of athletes skip breakfast—either out of nerves, or a desire to sleep in—but waking up to eat two or three hours before your game will really pay off. You can keep it light, but keep it balanced: mostly carb based, with a side of protein and fat. I personally recommend a whole wheat English muffin with peanut butter and banana, but anything with that rough ratio will work. Just be sure to eat something!
And keep on eating throughout the day. There are usually ample breaks in between games for proper digestion, so snack right after you finish your game. Bring granola bars, pretzels, goldfish—pickles for cramping!—anything low-fat and high-carb. Just stay away from foods with high-fiber or high-acidity…nobody has time for digestive issues when you’re trying to win a Championship!
Finally, remember that these are just some suggestions on smart eating; every body is different and, ultimately, you know your own nutritional needs best. Eat happy, and eat healthy!
Sources:
1. http://www.examiner.com/article/frisbee-101-what-to-eat-the-week-before-a-big-tournament
2. http://www.stack.com/2015/05/15/soccer-tournament-nutrition/
3. http://www.pausatf.org/data/Clubs/Eatbefore.doc
