Considerations For Energy Intake

The question most frequently asked by athletes concerns what to eat before competition. Although this is important, it is of relatively small importance when compared with how the athlete should eat most of the time. It is impossible to properly prepare for a competition by consuming some pancakes several hours before the feet are placed in the starting blocks. It takes a consistent and long-term effort in conditioning and good nutrition. There is no way an athlete with iron deficiency can magically cure the condition by consuming some red meat the day before an event. It may take 6 months on a proper diet to reach a state of normal iron status. Therefore, the first and most important step in preparing for competition is to consistently eat enough energy and nutrients to support the body's energy and nutrient requirements. Failure to do so will inevitably lead to a poor competition outcome, no matter what you do just before the competition.

In addition to consuming enough energy and nutrients, it's equally important to eat foods when the body can benefit the most from them. The timing of meals is also important to make certain the muscles have enough energy and nutrients to grow and get stronger during training sessions rather than get burned for energy because the athlete hasn't eaten enough. Put simply, it's important to get enough and get it on time. This isn't easy to accomplish because athletes have terribly hectic schedules, and it takes strategic thinking and good scheduling to ensure food is consumed when it's needed. Although careful meal planning may not seem as important as having a well-developed training plan, both should be considered equally important. They should also be thought of collectively to make certain the training plan can be properly supported with the foods that are consumed.

If the general food intake is supportive of the training plan, what should an athlete do differently on the days leading up to a competition? The sequence of events for the seven days before a competition should meet three major goals:

1. The athlete should gradually become rested. This may be a problem for many athletes and coaches because athletes (either with or without the encouragement of the coach) often increase the training schedule during the week leading up to a competition. Overtraining is a big problem and may increase the risks of getting sick or getting injured. It certainly doesn't help an athlete do his or her best at the upcoming competition.
2. The athlete should gradually build up muscle glycogen (energy) stores. The main purpose of gradually reducing the intensity and duration of training sessions before the competition is to be sure the athlete can begin the competition with full muscle glycogen stores. The storage capacity for glycogen is relatively small, and athletes are heavily reliant on stored glycogen for muscular work (it's the limiting fuel for muscular work, regardless of the type of exercise the athlete is doing). Therefore, it's important to eat plenty of carbohydrates and reduce work so glycogen stores are full going into the competition.
3. The athlete should become well hydrated. When athletes work hard it is difficult (if not impossible) to maintain an optimal hydration state. It takes time to return lost body water, and athletes should give themselves the pportunity to do so by reducing the training intensity and duration and by drinking plenty of fluids. An additional benefit of becoming well hydrated is that glycogen storage is enhanced. The gradual tapering of training during the 7 days before competition makes it easier for the athlete to start the competition in a well-hydrated and optimally energized state.

Of course, many sports don't provide athletes the luxury of tapering activity on a 7-day cycle. Basketball and hockey players play several games each week during the season, and baseball players play nearly every day. Although their schedules don't permit 7-day activity tapering, the principles behind tapered activity, glycogen storage, and optimal hydration should be remembered and, when possible, adhered to. For athletes with daily schedules that eliminate the possibility of tapering, consumption of high-carbohydrate diets and maintenance of optimal hydration become even more important components of athletic performance. Athletes with these schedules should develop eating and drinking plans that are as solid as their training and competition plans.

All too often athletes prepare for a big competition by increasing their training regimen as the competition draws nearer. This is a big mistake. Coaches working in high-skill sports, such as figure skating and gymnastics, may ask their athletes to perform multiple run-throughs of their routines the day before competition just to be sure they can do them. The message this sends to an athlete (i.e., “I don't believe you've ready, and we've going to keep practicing until you get it right”) is counterproductive. There is nothing more confidence building for athletes than entering the competition well rested and knowing the coach is secure in their ability to do a good job. This is true whether an athlete is a professional or a tee ball player in little league baseball.

Carbohydrate Ingestion Before Exercise

Carbohydrate Maintenance During Exercise

Carbohydrate Replenishment After Exercise