REC2010-ABED_1: Nutrition between Competitive Events

Between events, you may have a few hours or only a few minutes. Planning for nutrition is necessary to perform at your best.

Athletes involved in competitions likely have full days of events. Some times, the athlete might be still recovering from one event while preparing for the next. If the competition schedule is known ahead of time, the athlete can design a plan for the day, keeping in mind the total number of calories needed in a day.

Use the following suggestions to help you plan for such a scenario:

Fewer than 90 Minutes between Events

Choose carbohydrates with lots of fluid, such as water, fruit, sport drinks, sport bars, cereal bars, granola, trail mix, fruit leather

More than 90 Minutes between Events

Consume a mini-meal with lots of fluids (water, milk, or juice), such as a half submarine sandwich, peanut butter and crackers, cheese and a muffin.

What should athletes avoid during competitive events?

Avoid foods that are spicy and contain a lot of fibre. Spicy foods are difficult to digest and high-fibre foods slow digestion. Avoid processed foods and fatty foods. Other foods difficult to digest include milk, onions, broccoli, cucumbers, and cabbage.

Planning ahead is also important. Be sure that you have the necessary foods with you, and that you are not relying on venues or stops between venues to fuel your body.

During a basketball tournament, Sarah might play two games in a day on average with a two-to-three-hour break between games. During this time, Sarah needs to consume a small meal, such as a sandwich and plenty of fluids.

At a wrestling tournament, Paul could be involved in multiple matches within an hour, and he might have up to twelve matches in one day if he makes it to the finals. Between matches, he might choose to consume water, fruit, a cereal bar, or even a sport drink.

As a football player, Marc would never play more than one game in one day, which means that he would need to eat his usual meals between events.