A beginner’s guide to making the right nutritional decisions before your competition.
You’ve planned your race day outfit and decided on a hairstyle that won’t fall out of place as you cross the finish line ready to pose for your glamorous finisher’s photo, but have you stopped to consider how much time you put into planning your food and drink consumption leading up to race day?
Well planned nutrition leading up to any sporting event can ensure that you feel your best throughout. It can help improve your race experience and give you the energy for that sprint finish. Here are my top 3 nutrition tips to help you fully prepare for your first competition:
- Get hydrated- being properly hydrated before your event can significantly improve how you feel and perform during your event. Aim to drink a 1.5litre-2litre bottle of water every day leading up to the race. If you can continue this water consumption every day you are taking a good step towards achieving a healthy body.
- Ban the junk- foods high in fat and sugar like, fast food, cakes and ice cream are best avoided for at least 24 hours before your event. These types of foods are high in calories and will play havoc with your energy levels. Although these foods provide an initial burst of energy, you will soon experience a drop in energy levels which, we all know is not the ideal preparation before a sporting event.
- Eat foods rich in vitamins & minerals- many sporting activities are a great way of achieving a healthy lifestyle. To complement the hard work and effort put into your activity, we need to ensure that what we are eating foods high in vitamins and minerals. Vegetables, fruit, whole grains and plain yogurt all provide essential nutrients and energy.
Best of luck with your sporting event!
Natalie Randell – Weight Management Centre Nutritionist
