Last time, I addressed what to eat leading up to a day of racing. Now I will discuss what to eat during the day of competition itself. NOTE: Numbers presented here are for athletes competing in endurance based sports such as swimming or track and field where multiple events will be performed throughout the day with small breaks in-between.
All of the specific measurements of macro-nutrients here were given to me by one of my strength training coaches, Chris Barber of the Center of Optimal Restoration clinic.
First of all, the timing of meals during all-day competition is very important. A carbohydrate based breakfast should be eaten 2 hours before competition to give time to digest. This will create a source of energy to start your day off right. Examples of hardy breakfasts include toast with peanut butter, oatmeal, bananas, or even bacon and eggs if you have a little more time to digest (Life Hacker).
Other meals depend on how much you are actually racing. Chris recommended eating a small meal (more like a snack) 45 minutes to an hour before a race to allow time to digest. This snack should have a ratio of 7-10 grams of carbohydrates for every gram of protein (stay away from lipids as they take a long time to digest and will make you feel heavy). It is also important to stay hydrated. Water and low-sugar juices will help keep you hydrated if you drink consistently and with every meal/snack.
In a multi-day competition, the question is brought up of what to eat to help recover but also maintain energy levels. After each day of racing is done, your meals/snacks should still have a focus on carbohydrates, but with a ratio of 5 grams of carbs to every gram of protein (as opposed to 10:1). Some specific foods that will help you keep this balance are fruits, potatoes, pasta, white rice, liquids, and low-sugar cereals.
When the competition is finished, types of foods eaten are not too important. It is vital to get back calories that you have burned and replace muscle broken down by the exercise. Hydration is also important for a full recovery.
SOURCES: Chris Barber, Athletic Trainer at the Center of Optimal Restoration Clinic
Life Hacker
It seems like you really have it figured out for the competition day meal plan! Do you plan on testing this meal plan out on yourselves or fellow friends? It would be interesting to see the results! Perhaps, you could create several different meal plans for the same use (Competition Day, Rest Day), and noting the different results they produce? Just a thought!
ReplyDeleteWow, you have really figured out your meal plan. I think the next step for you is making a meal plan for other body types. You could even make an actual meal plan with specific foods and nutrition facts. Also, are you going to create meal plans for after competition as well? Keep up the good work.
ReplyDelete- Abhay Aanabathula
I like what you have done so far with what is necessary to be eaten on the day(s) of a competition. You have rough examples of what to eat but not exact numbers which could present a problem if somebody tried to adapt it to their completion day. One thing I would do is specify the amount of macronutrients in the breakfast and amount of macronutrients in the snacks leading up to the events.
ReplyDeleteRahul you have really put together a meal plan! I also agree with Abhay with the fact that your next step should be taking consideration of other body types. The next step you should take is considering the amount of nutrients going in for the next couple of weeks. Overall good job!
ReplyDelete- Shayan Moraveji