FEATURE: SPORTS TRAINERS GUIDE SPORT TRAINERS GUIDE PRE-EVENT & RECOVERY NUTRITION PRE-EVENT NUTRITION competition should try choosing low- NUTRITION DURING AND fibre carbohydrate foods or liquid meals.AFTER EXERCISE An athlete needs to have adequate A reduced fibre intake can help prevent carbohydrate fuel stores in the bloating, diarrhoea and stomach If the sport or training lasts no longer muscles and liver. If athletes arediscomfort. Liquid meals such as than an hour, an athlete should perform training or competing each day, commercial high-carbohydrate drink well without having to replace fuels until particularly for more than one session supplements and homemade fruit they have finished. Their next meals, if each day, it is crucial that they constantlysmoothies made from milk and fruitwell chosen, will replace all the fuel they restore their muscle glycogen levels. Theallow an athlete to fuel up without have used. However, as the athlete will carbohydrate foods eaten in the hours creating a feeling of being start sweating and losing fluid very soon immediately before sport can help uncomfortably full. after they start exercise, fluid must be replenish these glycogen levels. replaced as soon as possible during sport, It is recommended that the pre-event otherwise even minor dehydration will An athlete’s normal overnight fast willmeal be consumed 2–4 hours before decrease their performance. lower liver glycogen stores, which in competition. This may vary according turn can reduce their endurance. Eatingto the type and timing of the event. If the sport or training takes longer a carbohydrate-rich meal or snack beforeThe athlete will need enough time for than an hour, an athlete may benefit sport gives them a much better chance the meal to be emptied from the from consuming some carbohydrates of maintaining normal blood glucose stomach. Low-fat, high carbohydrate during sport in addition to fluids; for levels and enhancing both physical and meals and snacks empty the quickest example, sports drinks. The decision mental performance. from the stomach. Anxiety can slow will depend on: stomach emptying. If an athlete is nervous •the intensity of the exercise (higher Dehydration in sport can reduce an before sport, they should allow more timeintensity burns glycogen faster) athlete’s performance. In most situations,for their stomach to empty. It is important •the duration (the longer the event, sweat loss during exercise is much that the timing is right for gastric comfortthe more glycogen burned) greater than the amount of fluid an – they should be neither too full at the •the ambient temperature (the hotter athlete can replace during a session. start of the event nor hungry late in theit is, the quicker glycogen will be burned) Athletes need to start the session wellsession. For events in the morning, an •what they have eaten before sport hydrated to minimise the impending athlete might schedule their breakfast (more pre-event carbohydrate fluid deficit; this will mean drinking 2–3 hours prior to the event. In the casemeans more available glycogen). a substantial amount of fluid with the of a very early start, most athletes prefer pre-event meal or snack and having to have a lighter snack 1–2 hours beforeCarbohydrate consumed during an event another drink 10–15 minutes before the event and a larger supper the nightmay improve endurance by: the start of their workout. before. Those competing later in the day •sparing muscle glycogen – in low- may choose to eat their normal meals in intensity exercise the carbohydrates Athletes who easily get stomach upsets the earlier part of the day and then havetaken during the event can be remade or have sensitive intestines and find a light snack 1–2 hours prior to the event.into glycogen for later use it difficult to eat solid food before 48 VOLUME 36 • ISSUE 2 2018