YMCA Healthy Living Magazine, powered by n4 food and health (Spring 2014) | Page 19

SPORTS DIETITIANS AUSTRALIA
To find out more about adequate eating and drinking before sport,
check out the full fact sheet by Sports Dietitians Australia, available for free at
www.sportsdietitians.com.au/content/4347 EatingandDrinkingbeforeCompetition
Or to find an Accredited Sports Dietitian visit
www.sportsdietitians.com.au/findasportsdietitian

training or competition needs, and be
based on foods and fluids you know
will be well tolerated.
Experimenting with your competition plan
during training is highly recommended.
Trying new foods or fluids on the day of
an important competition or event is
unwise. A favourite pre-event meal can
be a great confidence booster and will
assist in getting you “in the zone” and
ready to go!

When should I eat and drink
before exercise?

Typically, we recommend that the
pre-event meal is consumed two to four
hours before competition. The decision
will vary according to the type and timing
of the event, and individual responses.
You need to allow enough time for the
meal to be emptied from the stomach,
including extra time for the delayed
emptying that might accompany
pre-event nerves. It is important to get
the right balance of gut comfort –
neither being too full at the start of
exercise nor hungry late in the session.
Some individuals can tolerate food
closer to training or competition,
especially if there is only a limited
recovery time from a previous event. In
this case, fluids containing
carbohydrate, such as sports drinks or
liquid meal supplements can also be
used effectively to meet precompetition eating goals.
For events in the morning, an
individual might schedule their
breakfast two to three hours
beforehand. In the case of a very early
start, another option is to have a larger
supper the night before and a lighter
snack or fluids only one to two hours
before the event. Those competing
later in the day may choose to eat their
normal meals in the earlier part of the
day and then have a light snack one to
two hours prior to the event.

Should I eat before
exercise if I am trying to
lose weight?

Many individuals believe that if
they want to lose weight, they will burn
more fuel from body fat by not eating
before an exercise session. However,
the basis of a good weight loss plan is
to modify daily energy balance while
maintaining quality training outputs.
In many cases, an appropriate sized
meal or snack eaten before training will
support better training outputs or
intensities, and can prevent the individual
from becoming so hungry that the
exercise session becomes excessively
uncomfortable, tiring and/or drives the
person to overeat after the session.
Decisions about eating before training
eating should be made as part of the
bigger picture of your nutrition goals.
For example, a healthy breakfast will
provide the immediate nutrients
needed for exercise as well as for
other purposes (e.g. appetite control,
fibre intake, muscle repair and
rebuilding and other body
adaptations to exercise).

In summary

• Choose high carbohydrate, low fat
foods that are familiar and well
tolerated.
• Experiment in training with the
timing and type of meals and
snacks to suit individual
preferences and your sport.
• Practice different pre-exercise
eating ideas in training, not during
competition.
• Develop a good pre-exercise
drinking strategy to start exercise
well hydrated.
• Try a liquid or low fibre meal if
pre-competition nerves or other
factors cause gastrointestinal tract
upset.
• Monitor the effects of food and drink
choices on your performance.

SPRING 2014 YMCA HEALTHY LIVING MAGAZINE

19