Competition Nutrition - Special issues

Basketball player

Q: “I finish many of my games late at night. Should I eat then? Isn’t it bad to go to bed with a full stomach? Even when I finish a game or practice in the early evening, I don’t feel like taking the time to prepare and cook a meal. I just want to eat quickly and get to bed.”
A: Many sedentary people eat most of their day’s intake at the end of the day, when they are most inactive. These are the people who should try to reduce their night-time snacking. However, for an athlete who has just finished a game or training late in the evening, eating is an important part of the recovery process. It is hard to find the time and energy to cook a meal when you arrive home late. If you are living in a family situation, you may be lucky to have your meals cooked for you. Hopefully all family members are enjoying high carbohydrate eating and you can simply heat up your meal when you get home. If you are looking after your own meals, then it is a great idea to cook ahead. There may be time before your game to prepare a meal, or you can save some leftovers from a previous occasion. When games are really late, you may be able to eat a hot meal as your pre-game meal, and eat a lighter snack after the game. Portable snacks may be taken to the game and eaten immediately afterwards, or on the trip home. An action-packed drink or a bowl of cereal are other high-carbohydrate snacks that can be quickly prepared when you get home.

Q: “Our season is filled with road trips in which we play two or three games over a weekend. How can I recover well for this schedule while I am away from the comforts of home?”
A: Travelling can become a way of life for the elite athlete. Teams may provide players with a daily allowance to look after their own food requirements, or better still the team manager may organise a schedule of meals and snacks to suit nutritional requirements and the timetable.

Team eating can be a great way of looking after team spirit as well as food needs. Most restaurants or hotels can supply a suitable high-carbohydrate menu - especially if you organise this ahead of time. It is a good idea to arrange buffet-style service - since this is a quicker way to provide food to a large group and allows each athlete to choose exactly what they want. But take care when you are eating in groups or in ‘all you can eat’ situations. It can be easy to lose the plot and overeat treats or total meal size. Don’t worry about what other people are eating. Eat just what you need. There will be plenty of time for celebrating afterwards.

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