For all my fellow team sport athletes, this post is for you! Read these tips and tricks to optimize your performance and fueling on Game Day.
First and foremost, do not save all your carb loading to the night before. Especially with the intensity of weekly training sessions, you should be focusing on getting an abundance of carbs throughout the week. Protein is important, yes, but carbohydrates are what build our muscles and are our fuel. For team sports athletes, aim to consume 4-7 g/kg/day. (You can do some simple conversions to figure out what the right amount for you is). This is not the time to be in a calorie deficit. Focusing on carb intake will also maintain recovery throughout the season.
The morning of a game: Nutrient timing can be just as important as the nutrients you are consuming!
Breakfast: Have a solid breakfast with complex carbs, lean protein, and some healthy fat, 2-3 hours before game. Don’t eat anything you don’t normally eat on a regular basis.
If you need a snack closer to game time, keep it balanced to avoid blood glucose spikes, such as a banana and peanut butter, or yogurt and nuts.
Sports drinks: Consume 15-45 minutes before game. DO NOT HAVE IT TOO EARLY!! Consuming sports drinks 60+ minutes before a game will cause rebound hypoglycemia. This will spike blood glucose and insulin, which will inhibit major fueling processes that you want to maximize before a game.
The goal is to maintain your blood glucose during the game. Consuming high-glycemic carbs too early will cause your blood glucose to drop during the game, especially at half-time.
What to consume at half-time:
Carbohydrates: Rather than using simple-carb solutions like sports drinks, opt for a natural carbohydrate compound isomaltulose found in honey or specialized sports drinks. I have Raw Honey Packets to put in my bag to have at halftime! Also check out UCAN Sport Drinks that use isomaltulose instead of maltodextrin. Isomaltulose is far superior at keeping blood glucose levels stable compared to standard sports drinks.
Caffeine: Caffeine can be a great tool at half-time to help buffer the decline in skill and concentration due to fatigue. Caffeine levels peak in the bloodstream 45-60 minutes post-consumption, which can be too long. However, caffeinated gum is absorbed much more rapidly. I like Viter Energy with a 60mg dose of caffeine as I feel like it is not too much but does the job! I recommend trying them before game day to see how your body responds.
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