Remember, you cannot out-train poor nutrition and hydration. Food is fuel and your body needs good nutrition to train and perform at your best!

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Foods that can slow digestion or may cause gastrointestinal distress should be avoided. Below are some things to consider when planning your evening meal. Dietary fats provide the essential fatty acids the body needs to function properly.

Fat also help flavor food and make it taste good. But, if your meal contains too much fat, you can end up feeling full before you ate enough carbohydrates or other nutrients needed for tomorrows event. When preparing your meals, watch the amount of oil, cream sauce, nuts, seeds, dressing and other fats you use.

Athletes need fiber and vegetables in their meal plans, but the night before a competition is not the time to load up. The night before a big event is no time to be trying new foods. You should stick to foods that you have eaten many times before and that you know your body can tolerate.

If you are traveling, that might mean bringing your meals with you or choosing plain foods at restaurants. What you eat the night before a competition should be similar in calories to the dinner meals you eat other days of the week, with more focus on complex carbohydrates.

The sample meals shown below can be adjusted to include more calories, or fewer overall calories, by decreasing or increasing the portion of carbohydrates. Just be sure to include ample complex carbohydrates, moderate protein and some fats from a variety of foods so that you get a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Your email address will not be published. Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Instagram. What Is The Purpose Of Eating Right The Night Before An Event? What Is Carbohydrate Loading? Should Endurance Athletes Carbohydrate Load Before Event?

What Should You Eat The Night Before A Competition? Include Lean Protein Though the emphasis of this meal is on getting adequate carbohydrates in preparation for competition, it should still provide protein and other nutrients to meet your daily requirements.

Drink Plenty Of Fluids The day before an event is a critical time to focus on fluids. What Foods Should You Avoid The Night Before A Competition?

Protein timing throughout the day is important to optimize MPS. The majority of protein intake in regard to training is focused in the post-window. However, pre-training protein consumption can aid in satiety to lower the physiological hunger experienced during training and competition.

During training, protein consumption can help spare amino acids from being oxidized, leaving them available for MPS. The total protein content of this feeding should be around.

It is recommended that this dose is then repeated about every 3—5 hours throughout the day to optimize MPS and recovery. Intakes of more than 40 grams of protein have not been shown to further improve MPS but may be warranted for larger athletes, individuals on a hypocaloric diet, or those with higher total daily protein needs.

A good goal for most athletes is to consume doses of 20—40 grams of protein every 3—4 hours while awake to optimize MPS and hit total daily protein intake needs. Protein intake in the post-training window can also lower carbohydrate needs to achieve the same glycogen resynthesis.

Research supports that an intake of. This is yet another reason to consume protein in the post-training window and throughout the day, especially for an athlete who struggles to meet higher carbohydrate needs post-training. Hydration has multiple impacts on athletic performance, including the role of electrolytes in muscular contraction, injury prevention, and maintenance of electrolyte balance in the body.

Pre-exercise hypohydration can increase muscle strength and power, and too great of a loss of fluids and electrolytes can impair performance. At these levels, we can begin to see alterations to CNS and metabolic function due to hypovolemia and increased glycogen use leaving less fuel for glycolysis.

The focus post-training should then be on rehydrating and replacing lost fluids and electrolytes. Sweat losses per hour can range from.

For every kilogram lost during training, an athlete needs about 1—1. The general recommendation is to consume. As mentioned above, this could also be used to provide glucose for glycogen sparing and as a mouth rinse.

The average sodium loss per liter of sweat is 1 gram or 1, milligrams as mentioned above, this varies significantly between athletes. Replenishing these losses post-training and competition is vital to help the body retain the fluids consumed, restoring optimal plasma volume and levels of extracellular fluids.

Any athlete should aim to prevent micronutrient deficiencies through a balanced intake that meets total energy, macro, and micronutrient needs. And while all micronutrients have an indirect role in supporting energy production—and thus performance—there are three we should be extra aware of as they pertain to muscular function and speed:.

Calcium aids in the regulation of muscular contraction and nerve conduction. As we know, calcium facilitates the myosin and actin interaction within the muscle cell. It is then, when calcium is pumped back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum, that the muscle relaxes. Calcium is also an important mineral in bone health along with vitamin D and phosphorus , which can help prevent bone injury.

It is important to note that high levels of calcium in the blood can cause muscle weakness, and supplements should be used under the direction of a physician or dietitian. Vitamin D has a role in bone health aiding in calcium and phosphorus absorption and playing a biomolecular role in mediating the metabolic functions of the muscle.

Athletes living above the 35th parallel, or those who train and compete indoors, are at the highest risk of deficiency. Supplementation may be warranted in amounts of 2,—5, IUs daily as indicated by lab work. We know iron deficiency, with or without anemia, reduces muscular function and work capacity, as maximal oxygen uptake will be limited.

Elite athletes, especially females, can be at risk of developing iron deficiency. Where opinions differ is on the use and benefit of antioxidant supplements like tart cherry juice. I do not recommend that my athletes use these antioxidant supplements in the off-season or pre-season when our goal is adaptation, as these supplements could negatively influence it.

Instead, they should be used during the season, potentially in the evening before competition or key training sessions. The role of supplementation in positively impacting speed performance lies in providing energy system fuel, preventing acid-base disturbances, and reducing perceptions of fatigue.

There are four supplements I lean on to help optimize sprint performance:. Supplements should be third-party tested with effectiveness and dosages backed by research. Creatine is one of the most studied and safest supplements on the market and, in my opinion, the most impactful on performance.

Creatine has been shown to have numerous benefits, but for the purposes of this article, we primarily see performance improvements in repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise with short recovery periods.

Based on our earlier discussion of surrounding energy systems, we know phosphocreatine is the substrate used in the ATP-CP, our main energy system utilized in maximal sprints. Creatine phosphate provides a rapid source of phosphate to resynthesis ADP to ATP.

On an omnivorous diet, most individuals will get between 1 and 2 grams of creatine daily found in meat, fish, and eggs. Supplementation is then recommended to saturate muscular stores.

Creatine monohydrate is highly bioavailable and is what I recommend to the athletes I work with. Creatine can be taken using a loading phase of 20—25 grams.

Creatine intake post-training with carbohydrates and protein is found to enhance creatine storage caused by increases in blood flow and the effect of insulin. Caffeine can also help with the release of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which we discussed earlier. Gums with caffeine content, which are increasing in popularity, are absorbed more quickly and could be taken closer to competition.

Exercise: endurance, strength, and flexibility activities are all components of exercise that keep a person fit and healthy. Fatique: the body's energy reserves are exhausted and waste products, such as lactic acid, have increased.

the athlete will not be able to continue activity at the same intensity or rate. It is an important goal for all athletes to provide their bodies with appropriate fuels to maintain and enhance their performance.

Carbohydrates are a major source for the athlete. Carbohydrate feedings before exercise can help to restore glycogen stores, which may be called upon during prolonged training and in high-intensity competition. Carbohydrate meals should be low fat, easily digested, and tolerated by the athlete.

Fat intake should be limited because it delays stomach emptying time and takes longer to digest. for example for an athlete with 70kg body weight preferred. Carbohydrate for daily consumption is between gg each day. the amount of Carbohydrates needed for a 70kg weight is grgr per day.

This regulator helps athletes not to exceed their carbohydrates use every day. Ideas to build your meal: fresh fruit, fruit or vegetable juice, baked potatoes, cereal with low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, bread or bagel with peanut butter, lean meat, low-fat cheese, or spaghetti with tomato sauce.

Ideas to build your meal: fresh fruit, fruit or vegetable juice and bread, bagel, English muffin with limited amounts of margarine, butter, or cream cheese , oatmeal, or pancakes. Note: Protein plays a minor role in providing energy for the body during exersice. The pre-exercise meal should be eaten 1 to 4 hours before exercising to allow time for digestion and absorption and complete emptying of the stomach.

Carbohydrate intake during exercise improves performance when the exercise lasts longer than one hour. If exercise is less than one hour, ingesting carbohydrates appears to have no benefits in most individuals.

If carbohydrate feeding starts during exercise, it should be continued throughout the exercise. More carbohydrates is not better. Nausea, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea may occur if large amounts of carbohydrate are consumed.

Energy is stored as glycogen in muscles. It takes at least 20 hours to restore muscle glycogen after intense exercise. Restoration is enhanced by consuming carbohydrates in the first minutes immediately after exercise.

Delaying carbohydrate intake after exercise will reduce glycogen restoration. At least g of carbohydrates should be consumed within minutes after exercise to maximize muscle glycogen stores.

Ideal foods include pasta, sandwiches, yogurt, crackers, bagels, granola bars, or, if preferred, a sports drink. The addition of a small amount of protein will further enhance glycogen restoration.

Athletes should not consume any alcohol during the recovery period. Alcohol will delay the restoration of glycogen. Are you taking protein supplements? Maybe you have heard that they will bulk you up or help keep you healthy. First of all, taking protein supplements will not build muscle.

It is the resistance activities exercise that will maintain or develop muscles. Protein supplements do provide protein and calories.

If you get enough protein and calories from food, you already have the building blocks necessary to maintain and grow muscles. Most of us, even vegetarians and athletes, get enough protein from food.

Moreover, food provides other nutrients that you often will not find in protein supplements e. Protein supplements are not necessary if you are consuming a variety of food and include good sources of protein.

If you want to build or maintain muscle for health, engaging in resistance activities that you enjoy and getting the nutrients you need from food is your best bet. Curious about how many grams of protein you need in an average day?

Most of us need about 0. Note: If you consistently do intense, long workouts, resistance training, or weight-bearing activity, you may need closer to 1. Will it help me gain muscle? Taking protein supplements alone will not build muscle.

It is the resistance activities exercise that will maintain or develop muscles when you have an adequate amount of protein and total energy calories in your diet.

Are protein supplements safe? If you decide a protein supplement is something you want to add to your diet, research shows that protein supplements are generally not harmful when taken at the recommended amount.

there is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking protein supplements if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Talk with a nurse or doctor if you are considering protein supplements while pregnant or breast-feeding.

Are protein supplements expensive? The price of protein supplements can vary quite a bit. Consider additional fluids especially if it is going to be hot or humid or you have an easy shakeout run planned. Finish your last meal or snack early and get a good night of sleep if you can so you wake up hungry for breakfast and ready to take on the challenge!

The morning of your long run, it is important that you take in enough calories beforehand to ensure you can stay fueled throughout the entirety of the run. Then it will tap into your reserves — like your muscle mass — which is the last thing you want.

To prevent under-fueling your long run, here is what I recommend:. At least hours before your long run have a meal consisting primarily of carbohydrates at least 0. body weight and a little bit of protein around grams of protein to help sustain you and stabilize your blood sugar. Aim for at least calories total the longer the run, the more you should try to take in or more if you can tolerate it.

Limit the amount of fat, fiber, or caffeine in your pre-long run meal to decrease the chances you will end up needing a pit stop.

Example pre-long run meals:. a bagel with peanut butter and jelly. a small piece of fruit and oz of Gatorade. oatmeal topped with nut butter, honey, ½ cup milk and sliced banana. yogurt, granola or a granola bar and some berries or dried fruit mixed in.

a turkey sandwich with a handful of pretzels and grapes. As you approach the start of your run, with less than 30 minutes to go, you might also consider an easily tolerated source of fuel to top off those glycogen stores one last time.

This could be a gel or gu, some Gatorade, a small piece of fruit or applesauce, or a handful of pretzels. Do not forget to also hydrate! How much is specific to the individual and how much they sweat. I generally recommend aiming for 1. You can drink about 1 more cup 8 oz min before.

If you chug it down, you will likely find yourself peeing it all out shortly after or worse, a couple miles into your run. Mid-Run Nutrition: Fuel and Hydrate Often and Early to Avoid the Bonk! Remember those glycogen stores we talked about? Well they are limited, and you will eventually run through them, resulting in the dreaded bonk.

That is why it is so important to fuel often and early to not only avoid it but to perform at your best and feel better both during your run and after.

Speaking from personal experience — the best I have ever felt after a marathon was very much in part to taking in the most nutrition I possibly could during the race. So how much and how often? I will say it again, everyone is different with what they need and can tolerate; figuring out what works for you now will help you be prepared for race day!

Some general rules of thumb for both fueling and hydrating:. To put it in simpler terms - that is at least calories per hour. You will want to fuel early and often. Do not wait until you run out of gas. Start taking solid nutrition at about the min mark of your long run and continue every minutes.

A note about mid-run fuel options: Most commercially available gels have about g of carbohydrates and a variety of levels of electrolytes per serving. Experiment and find the one that sits well with you and then to reach the bottom threshold of the target carbohydrate range, I recommend alternating between water and Gatorade or other sports beverage on the race course or that you carry along with you.

A couple swigs of Gatorade and 1 gel will get you at least 30g of carbohydrate. Avoid taking solid nutrition and sports drinks together. The electrolytes from both may overwhelm your digestive system and result in stomach upset. Only take your solid nutrition with water and then alternate between it and your sports drink.

That is equivalent to a couple gulps every minutes. If it is hot or you are an excessive sweater you may benefit from more than this, so it is important to practice now and find that sweet hydration spot for you.

For more on hydration, check out this blog post I did for CARA earlier this year. Post Long Run: Restore, Rehydrate and Repair! Proper nutrition is also essential to help us recover from not only our long runs but our workouts, easy runs, and races. It helps our bodies fully recover and adapt to the hard work we put in on the roads, trails, and track so we can get faster, stronger and go farther.

Omit it and you could be throwing a lot of that work out the window.